Community News

Moving from Richmond by the Yarra to Villawood’s Armstrong Mount Duneed by the coast was the best move ever for the Sennitt family – Jason, Vanessa, Jett and Eva.

They had been living in a two-bedroom townhouse in Richmond that backed onto the Yarra. Before that they had a larger family home. They downsized to enjoy an inner-city lifestyle. City life, however, started to lose its allure. They wanted somewhere safer, quieter and more relaxed. Somewhere bigger.

“I work for one of the big four banks and I like to do my research and plan everything out. Every dollar counts,” Vanessa says. “I had five key criteria: to build my dream home, at an affordable price, near the beach, around an hour from Melbourne, with a train line for the commute.

“My best friend mentioned the area around Armstrong Creek, so we went for an explore. I’d noticed it while driving through to Lorne but I’d never really thought what it would be like to live there.”

Villawood’s Armstrong ticked all the boxes. Premium living, bigger land, close to transport, parking, good schools and shopping centre options. The Sennitts loved that it was well maintained with high-quality homes, gorgeous parks and a sense of diversity with a mix of older people and lots of families with kids.

“It wasn’t all cookie-cutter homes like some estates,” Vanessa says. “With both Geelong and Torquay within a 15-minute drive, and the Waurn Ponds station at our doorstep, it really was a great fit.

“When I started looking into it a bit more, the concept was even more attractive. We were in an apartment complex with leisure facilities, and this would be bigger and better, with the same amenities.”

It all made sense. They decided to make the seachange. Their land was set to title in July 2020 but came in earlier. Their apartment sold and the plan was to rent in Melbourne while their house was built.

“But because of Covid, we couldn’t get anything available at the price we wanted,” says Vanessa. “My wise father suggested we move down to Mount Duneed immediately to rent there and start making connections in the area.

“We ended up making the move in just two weeks. I told the kids a week beforehand. I think they thought I was mad. We had to organise schools, kindy, everything but we were fully committed.

“We currently live in a beautiful ex-display home opposite Club Armstrong while we’re building our new home. I have to say, it was the best thing we’ve ever done.”

Vanessa says loads of people are moving from Melbourne to Armstrong. Her our neighbours on both sides are from Melbourne. The Sennitt children now have new friends, they ride their bikes to Armstrong Creek and ride or walk to school. They have a really active lifestyle.

“They’re always doing something outside plus extra activities like basketball training, Bounce, gymnastics and karate – all within a 10-minute drive with no traffic,” she says.

“The options for schools are also wonderful, although the private schools are seeing an increase in demand so I would say start your research early, especially for secondary schools, so you know about the entry criteria and zoning.”

Both Vanessa and Jason commute to Melbourne once or twice a week. Their employers support the new hybrid working models. It’s a relaxing trip to the city and home again.

“I’ve starting reading again, or I pop on a podcast, and before I know it I’m there,” Vanessa says. “A one-way trip is about an hour and 20 minutes to Southern Cross Station from Waurn Ponds and there is always a seat as it’s the end of the line.

“I would highly recommend moving to the area before your house is finished. It’s proven a fantastic decision. You can settle in, find your way and get a sense of the community.

“You’re close to the new build, so you can take care of inspections and have face-to-face meetings with your site supervisor. And when the big day comes and it’s ready, you’re just around the corner, so the move is super easy.

“Our little family is loving building a new life. There really is a strong sense of community here, from the movie nights at the club to the Christmas Santa celebrations and, of course, the new kids’ favourite, Halloween, which is huge.”