Corporate News

One family’s dream home will provide hope to countless others, as the Gilliland family placed the winning bid at Henley and Villawood Properties Good Friday Appeal Charity Home Auction, and in doing so contributed an amazing $761,000 for the Royal Children’s Hospital.

 

Shannon and Sam Gilliland hugged each other, and kids Lazer, 15 and Chardinnae, 11,  with joy when they realised they had just become the proud owners of the stunning Sahara 38 with grand alfresco, by Henley, which is a 38 square, 4-bedroom home, located at 16 Domingo Avenue, Clyde North, which is part of Villawood’s boutique Delaray community.

 

Auctioneer Adrian Butera, who is a GFA Charity Auction veteran, was in classic form encouraging the crowd of bidders to dig deep, not just for their own families, but for the thousands across the state who have found themselves within the walls of the Royal Children’s Hospital.  With an impressive list of features within the fully furnished home, and access to the exclusive resort-style Club Delaray, the GFA Charity Home had15 registered bidders vying to make it their own before the clap of the gavel confirmed the Gilliland family as the winning bidders.

 

Mrs Sam Gilliland said the family was already living a short distance from their new home, “We love living in the area and when we first saw the house two weeks ago  it was love at first sight.

 

“We were gobsmacked when we realised we won – the GFA such such a great cause and it’s so worth it, every $761,000 worth!”

 

The RCH GFA Charity Home Auction has become one of Victoria’s most loved auction events and one of the biggest contributors to The Appeal each year.  The project initially started in 1993, when Henley committed to organise fundraising for The Appeal with the goal of raising $10,000. The Henley Directors felt they could do something even bigger to help, and decided to build and donate a home instead, with every cent raised at auction being donated. The first home located in Timbarra Estate, Berwick went for $136,500, smashing the initial goal of a $10,000 contribution.

 

Set in Villawood’s boutique Delaray community, the GFA Charity Home is situated on a 549m2 corner block overlooking the beautiful wetlands right in front of the home. The 38 square home, complete with grand alfresco, four spacious bedrooms, five living areas, and shower to ground floor powder room, the Sahara will be an ideal family home.

 

The home is appointed with luxury fittings and fixtures and finished with professional landscaping, decking, ducted heating and air-conditioning and window coverings.  Once again, all the furniture featured in the home has been donated and was included in the sale, meaning the Gilliland family have they could dream of to move straight in.

 

Villawood Properties’ executive director, Rory Costelloe, said, “Once again we’re thrilled to be part of this fantastic initiative and proud to celebrate a decade of partnering with Henley.

 

“I congratulate the Gilliland family and welcome them to Delaray.  Chatting to various people today it’s easy to see that Delaray is a vibrant community in the truest sense of the word and they should have no problems making friends with their new neighbours, particularly with the Club just around the corner!”