Media Release

An active, healthy and social connected way of life has once again proven a winner at the Urban Development Institute of Australia’s Awards for Excellence, with Villawood Properties’ boutique Delaray community in Clyde North being awarded “Best Residential Development” at the prestigious industry event.

Delaray launched in 2015 and is the picture of suburban bliss, featuring stunning wetlands, board walks, parklands, playgrounds and public art.  The beautifully landscaped streetscapes are connected by vast open spaces and recreational facilities and was the site of the 2019 Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal Charity Auction.

The jewel in Delaray’s crown is inarguably the architecturally designed Club Delaray, a unique facility which provides residents with a suite of amenities to foster a healthy, connected and fulfilling lifestyle. These include a family lounge, function space, gymnasium, swimming pools, tennis court, outdoor barbeque and seating areas and a café.

Delaray’s triumph at the UDIA Awards for Excellence marks the fourth time that a Villawood Community with a Residents’ Club has taken out the top honours in its category.  Alamanda in Point Cook, Marriott Waters in Lyndhurst and Armstrong in Mt Duneed all feature Villawood’s signature Residents’ Clubs and have all received UDIA accolades.

Villawood Properties’ Executive Director, Rory Costelloe, said Residents’ Clubs had become a vital part of the Villawood brand in terms of delivering on promise and delivering something exceptional.

“In 2019 Villawood celebrated 30 years of striving for excellence and our Residents’ Clubs are the quintessential expression of what we endeavour to achieve in terms of place making and community creation, so to cap this year off with Delaray being named the UDIA’s ‘Best Residential Community’ is the icing on the cake.

“Villawood’s Residents’ Clubs continue to excite at all stages of a project’s life – the very first instance being at the planning stage when we establish that it’s feasible to include one in the masterplan of an upcoming community.

“Each new iteration looks to up the ante and with Club Delaray being the most recent to market, so residents of this outstanding community have the full benefit of a unique cutting-edge design and facilities that have specifically been devised with their wellness in mind.

“Club Delaray very much demonstrates how the physical structure can influence and enhance the quality of the activities within. This is a very social space and will help promote the communal dimension of the neighbourhood,” said Mr Costelloe.

Club Delaray opened in July 2018, at a stage when approximately 300 families had moved into the community that will ultimately be home to more than 1,000 families.  Early delivery of the Club further invigorated the community as they saw Villawood’s vision come to life.

“Our Clubs have also been identified as a major reason why people actively seek to buy in a Villawood community, so it’s imperative to us to deliver on the vision we’ve been sharing with them along the way – Delaray has absolutely achieved this,” Mr. Costelloe said.

Another defining feature of Delaray is the expansive open space that residents have at their disposal, comprising of two sprawling 5,000m2 Neighbourhood Parks, a further 6.6 hectares of wetlands and 9ha active open space which will include 2 cricket ovals and clubrooms.

The first of Delaray’s Neighbourhood Parks adjoins Club Delaray.  The floor-to-ceiling windows mean parents can keep an eye on their kids as they play in the park while having a coffee with their neighbours, providing independence for the kids and peace of mind for parents.

This park offers intuitive play areas, tactile and sensory adventure activities allowing kids to learn through play. These include a flying fox, basketball half court, a sizeable sand pit, shelter with picnic tables and an open grassed field.

Further enhancing the community’s liveability is the expansive wetland reserve located at Delaray’s centre, beautifully framed by Villawood’s signature corten steel sculptures by Folko Kooper. Three swans adorn the waterway, gracefully looking over extensive walking paths and a pedestrian bridge which skims across the top of the water.  The area is further activated by play equipment and fitness nodes, providing residents yet another reason to get active in the great outdoors.

Mr Costelloe concluded, “At Delaray we have sought to deliver the sense of energetic grace and ease that most people tend to only experience on holiday, drawing on the natural beauty of the open spaces as well as the sophistication of the resort style Residents’ Club.

“This unique combination puts people at ease, which in turn makes it easier to foster social connections and the result is a thriving residential community where people are extremely proud of where they live.”