With their first Victorian over-50s lifestyle resort, GemLife has created an exciting and design-driven development that highlights the contemporary style of Hebel and Cemintel.
Nestled on the foothills of Victoria’s beautiful Macedon Ranges, the GemLife Woodend resort has all the hallmarks of a luxurious country retreat – except that it will be home to a bustling community of like-minded over-50s, rather than a holiday destination.
Just 60 minutes from Melbourne, Woodend is GemLife’s first resort in Victoria, with nine similar properties in Queensland and NSW, in various stages of development. There are 280 villas in this latest project, all luxurious, high-quality homes that are constructed next to extensive leisure facilities.
Potential buyers can choose from a variety of facades, all of which are clad with Hebel, and often complemented by the use of Cemintel Territory for added textural interest.
Now under construction and expected to be fully completed in 2022/2023, the Woodend resort boasts expansive swathes of protected woodland, home to a large and extremely rare population of Black Gum trees. The GemLife resorts are designed for downsizers – many residents are retired, but not all, and a few continue to work full-time.
Accommodation choices at Woodend include a variety of beautiful two or three-bedroom designs, all featuring seamless indoor-outdoor living, two bathrooms, top-of-the-range appliances, two-car garages plus optional storage for a recreational vehicle or boat.
Resort facilities are extensive and include swimming pool, sauna, spa, tennis court, bowling green, games room, craft room, ten-pin bowling alley and gym. It is even pet-friendly!
Woodend is a picturesque, historic country town close to wineries, restaurants and cafes and Victoria’s famous spa country.
GemLife says its approach to building and design is all about innovation and using market-leading products. GemLife has been cladding homes and facilities, including expansive country club buildings, with Hebel panels since launching its first development on Bribie Island in Queensland’s Moreton Bay region in late 2016.
GemLife Director and CEO Adrian Puljich said the use of Hebel PowerPanel significantly reduced construction time when compared to traditional techniques.
“We’re always looking for ways to improve our timelines and work processes and using an innovative material such as Hebel has been terrific in that regard,” said Puljich.
“The panels have the added benefit of excellent acoustic insulation, an important consideration when building downsized, low-maintenance homes that are on smaller sized blocks,” he said.
“In addition, because many GemLife homeowners are retired and now live on fixed incomes, it is essential to manage electricity costs. Using Hebel panels has the added benefit of providing outstanding thermal insulation,” said Puljich.
Similarly, Cemintel Territory has been chosen because of the wide variety of designer colours available – and the fact that the panels are pre-finished, allowing the GemLife build team to construct the homes in a shorter time frame.
GemLife Interior Design Manager Jennifer Kyle said in addition to the colour range, the variety of textures was part of the product’s appeal.
“Because the prefinished cladding simulates different materials like stone, concrete, smooth render among others, we have flexibility in the look and feel we can achieve – from classic through to modern. It’s also stain-resistant and UV-resistant, which gives the product longevity.”
About Hebel
Hebel is a strong, versatile, high performance building product made from Autoclaved Aerated Concrete (AAC). As Australia’s only manufacturer of AAC, CSR Hebel has over 30 years of experience meaning you can be assured you are getting a high quality product with the technical expertise to back it up. Available in blocks and panels, Hebel is easy to handle and quick to build with. Hebel panels contain anti-corrosion steel reinforcement for added strength and are available in a range of lengths for applications including walls, floors and external cladding. Contact the Hebel team for more information.
About Cemintel
Cemintel offers engineered systems around prefinished solutions using fibre cement, which is one of the most flexible building materials available today. Cemintel products are available in a range of colours and finishes, which can be used in cladding, internal linings, eaves and soffits, flooring and decking solutions. Contact the Cemintel team for more information.