Stockland's Aura community wins coveted state award for Baringa Urban Village

Stockland’s masterplanned Aura community on the Sunshine Coast has been named the state’s best for its commitment to affordable, innovative housing in a small scale environment at the prestigious 2018 UDIA Queensland Awards for Excellence.

Aura’s unique Baringa Urban Village, a partnership between Stockland, Economic Development QLD and leading builders Thompson Sustainable Homes, Town Living by Metricon and Vantage Homes, has taken out the Affordable Small Scale Development award.

Adrian Allen, Aura Project Director for Stockland, said the Urban Village provided much-needed, affordable new homes for local buyers, with a particular focus on millennials and downsizers.

“We are honoured to receive this prestigious industry award and are extremely proud of what we have achieved in the 15 months since launching the project,” Mr Allen said.

“The Baringa Urban Village has set a new standard for innovative, contemporary housing options at an affordable price point and the popularity of the homes among buyers is testament to their success.”

The Baringa Urban Village includes the exclusive High Line Terrace series featuring 10 different designs that provide flexibility for a smaller home.

Features include garage spaces that can be used for car parking or as a recreation/utility space, multi-purpose rooms and clever storage solutions such as under stairs storage.

Other design highlights such as high ceiling spaces, polished concrete floors and master suites overlooking internal courtyards are also capturing the attention of homebuyers, and the terraces come without body corporate fees.

Aura High Line Terrace resident Louise Hebbe, who is a fly-in fly-out mine machine operator, said her three-bedroom, two-storey terrace was perfect for her lifestyle.

Ms Hebbe, 25, is originally from the Sunshine Coast and has been living in her new home at Aura for six months.

“Being such a low-maintenance house, it’s perfect for me when I’m working away - I love it,” Ms Hebbe said.

“The High Line Terrace offered a really affordable way for me to build a brand new house and having everything new makes it really easy to look after.

“You get a real sense of community here too, there are always people out walking their dogs and exercising. I’ve also become good friends with my neighbours and we have get-togethers all the time.”

Six of the High Line Terrace home designs, with frontages ranging from four metres wide to 6.6 metres wide, are currently on display in the Aura Display Village.

Connectivity is a key focus of the Baringa Urban Village and attractive laneways, walkable streets and pedestrian only links encourage green commuting. Residents are within walking distance of the nearby primary school, a future high school, soon-to-open childcare and the Stockland Baringa Shopping Centre, which is currently under construction.

More than 100 homes within the Urban Village have sold since the project was launched and the project continues to generate strong buyer inquiries.

Prices currently start from $379,900 for a three-bedroom, three-bathroom terrace home with a single garage, private courtyard and premium landscaping.

For details on Aura, go to www.cityofcolour.com, phone 1300 762 058 or visit the Stockland Sales team at 1 Lukin Terrace, Bells Creek. You can also stay updated with the community’s progress on Facebook at www.facebook.com/auraqld.

Editor’s notes

Aura is the largest masterplanned community ever undertaken in Australia under single ownership.  Over the next 30 years, Stockland will create more than 20,000 new homes at the $5 billion city as well as a vibrant city centre and retail hub, an extensive South Bank style urban parkland, an elite sporting and performance precinct, numerous schools and education centres, and two business and enterprise parks.

The Aura Display Village is open seven days a week from 10am to 5pm beside the Aura Sales and Vision Centre at 1 Lukin Terrace, Bells Creek.