It might sound like an episode of Everybody Loves Raymond, but when Sharyn and Mark Kelly bought their dream home at Springlake, they never imagined their son would buy his own home just one street away.
Their joint love for the Springlake lifestyle was no surprise to Sharyn though, who said Springlake offered all of the country aspects of their former family home, with the convenience and community of town.
“We’ve been living in the Adelaide Hills since 1990, we started out in Aldgate, then moved to just outside of Mount Barker 18 years ago,” she said.
“We originally owned a three-quarter-acre block with a huge garden and a pool, but as the kids got older and eventually moved out of home, it seemed a little too much for just us.
“We didn’t want to downsize our home necessarily, just the block – we wanted to have a modern townhouse feel, but in the country.”
Sharyn, who has owned her own hairdressing salon, Spoilt Hair and Body, in Mount Barker for 14 years, said the location of Springlake was perfect as they were looking for somewhere close to her work that would also have the calm of the country.
“When we discovered Springlake we were hooked,” she said. “We fell in love with the place as soon as we saw the block but had to wait a while before we were ready.
“Twelve months later when we were ready to purchase we went back to Springlake – it was really meant to be.”
At the same time Sharyn’s son Angus and his partner Renee were also looking for their first home, and quietly had their eye on Springlake too. “We’d been looking for the perfect piece of land for three years and finally found it at Springlake,” Angus said.
“Renee and I met here in Mount Barker and both grew up in the hills, so wanted the convenience of living close to the town but also that country lifestyle and community feel.
“I have my own carpentry business here and Renee works at the Welly Road Early Learning Centre but is also studying Early Childhood Education online through Swinburn University – so community and convenience was really important to us.”
As soon as they saw their Springlake block, they knew it was home.
“The spot is just beautiful, but we also love what Springlake have done with it,” Renee said.
“By adding the lake, the beautiful big gateway and the lake house it’s just made the whole neighbourhood look great. It’s just a great spot to be.”
Having just settled on the block, Renee and Angus are now looking forward to building their dream four-bedroom split-level home.
“The design of the house is wider rather than narrow so it’s something a little different to your usual split-level homes,” Renee said. “We like that the houses at Springlake all have their own unique style.”
“We have also been so impressed with the Springlake community. We went to the Lakehouse opening and met a whole bunch of our neighbours and have also been to one of their movie nights in Mount Barker, which was a great way to meet people.”
Sharyn and Mark also love the community feel, safety and peace and quiet of Springlake. “We love our home and are amazed at how quiet it is. Springlake is a 5-minute drive to the town but it’s quieter than where we lived before. All you hear is birds and frogs,” Sharyn said.
“Our townhouse is so beautiful and modern and we have a lovely balcony that looks back over the trees and surrounding paddocks.
“It’s a lovely neighbourly feel and we’re really looking forward to the new café opening, so we have somewhere we can congregate.
“I love to go for a walk every night and often run in to people and say “hi”, everyone is so friendly, we’ve only been here for 12 months but there’s already a real sense of community.”
But what do the Kelly family really think about living so close to one another?
“We laugh that it will be like Everybody Loves Raymond, but we all work full time and have our own lives and interests, so we won’t be in each other’s pockets,” Sharyn said.
“Growing up in the country our boys wanted to stay in Mount Barker, this is their town, they’re involved in local sports and went to the school here, so it just works.”
“I’m feeling good about moving in to Springlake,” Renee said. “We have a very close relationship with Angus’s parents but it’s not invasive, it will be great having them nearby.
“For us Springlake just made sense, it’s safe and beautiful and quiet and picturesque, with farms just across the road. You feel like you’re in the country but you have the convenience of being close to the centre of town and work and everything.
We’re looking forward to moving in, using the BBQs on the property with friends and family, going for walks around the countryside and just the slower pace and the serenity.”
