The Observatory

Our Vision

Drawing inspiration from the millions of acres of National Parks, Mebbin Springs Estate in far northern NSW is a sanctuary in its own right. Mebbin Springs Estate is a unique piece of land over 435 acres of high hilltops and gentle rolling pastures, overlooking a number of national parks and the peaks of Mt. Warning. 

During the initial stages of this project, many people told us how disenchanted they had become searching for a place to live recently during Australia ’s hectic real estate period.  Our hope is that we’ve produced at Mebbin Springs, an alternative to the majority of other projects.

This part of NSW boasts a range of recreational activities and amenities, including an abundance of golf courses including the local course at Murwillumbah. There is outstanding fishing within an hours drive at beaches like Kingscliff and Fingal Head and there are numerous white, sandy, patrolled swimming beaches in close proximity at Hastings Point and Pottsville. We can thank our early settlers who ensured the National Parks would be with us forever and allow us to enjoy the Native bush and fabulous rural views that make this large Tweed Valley property a delight by both Australian and International standards.

Development is restricted to only sixty- six acre-plus lots priced from $250,000.  Each lot was selectively located for maximum sunshine, breeze and view, yet retaining well-divided privacy. Owning an unspoilt rural hilltop, or at least a large piece of it, is a pipe dream for many. However, the efforts of Sustainable Developments in Northern NSW make this fantasy affordable and even an easy second holiday option for some, since it comes complete with many well-designed amenities.

Because our total project is a relatively small number of homes (sixty six) located within a relatively large land holding of more than four hundred acres, we were able to focus considerable attention to achieving a healthy environment for our residents both inside and outside the homes in which they will live.

It has been pointed out repeatedly that the design of residential buildings must acknowledge that we have limited resources and we must endeavour to keep nature in our design criteria wherever possible. To assist folk with ideas, we also offer land and house packages. 

Our construction arm of the company, Aurora Construction, uses our ‘Smart House’ concept’ to design and build homes all with a minimum ‘Five Star’ Sustainable rating that incorporate a comfortable floor plan and a schedule of sustainable specifications that make for eco-friendly and comfortable living conditions. This does not mean we must be a community of clay or straw bale homes but rather, whilst ensuring we meet the standards we have adopted, make use of everyday materials that allow us to open up our range of enquiries to a wider audience. Obviously Aurora ’s homes meet rigid environmental standards, and make full use of natural materials thus encouraging sunlight, green plants, water, energy efficiency, low noise levels, and at the same time being competitive with other more conventional house types. 

Property owners, in addition to their freehold titled home site, will own a share in the Community Association. This offers them over 300 acres of common property, which includes areas of a NSW government reafforestation scheme, covenanted bush areas, grazing land, gardens, vineyards, pool, tennis courts and other practical communal facilities. The result is a treasure, homes will be sheltered by a river on one boundary, and your own forestry reserve on another, all this blends to perfection with the bush-clad hills and rolling pasture, healthy enough to have carried cattle until a few years ago and soon will again.

Last year, the weekend’s Courier Mail reported a Sunshine Coast real estate agent claiming to have developed a scale of value to add to normal land prices to incorporate the additional worth of an ocean or water view. Mebbin Springs will incorporate a similar definable asset but one so much more difficult to value.  There are miles of ocean surrounding Australia but how many mountain and extinct volcano scenes are there to compare with what we see from the hills of Mebbin Springs as we gaze over a million acres of National Park.

All located less than an hour’s drive from the bustle of the Gold Coast in an oasis blessed with composure of beauty and serenity that incorporates important manmade qualities which fit like a glove with nature and the important lifestyle rewards our busy lifestyles have earned the right to enjoy. We will use the science of solar power and friction to assist us conserve and pump the waters abundantly maintained by nature’s 66 inch annual rainfall pattern, over a watercourse hewn from the natural volcanic rock that has allowed these Mebbin streams for centuries to directly feed the actual beginnings of the mighty Tweed River.

We have coupled this unique site with ‘five star’ sustainable rating with homes that are further enhanced to reward their owners with extravagant features such a fiber optic cable creating both the security of ‘smart house engineering’  ith the choice of an immediate link with both neighbours and the distant world.

Spare a moment to tread the timber floors grown on Mebbin’s doorstep allowing us to pamper our homeowners with architectural features that utilize ceilings, windows and decks to incorporate the cooling breeze and serenity within the very design itself.  Come and visit it for yourself.

Location

Mebbin Springs is surrounded by natural wonders in northern NSW nestled amongst National Parks at the foot of Mt. Warning in the heart of the Tweed River Valley . Attractions of this famous hinterland are endless. It is just a 15 minute drive from the historic village of Uki and 25 minutes from Murwillumbah.  Kingscliffe, Tweed Heads, Coolangatta and Coolangatta International Airport are only 45 minutes away. 

Further north, within an hour’s drive, you’ll find the thriving Gold Coast and its very popular chain of beach resorts and within a two hour’s drive is Brisbane . In the opposite direction Byron Bay is a little over 45 minutes away. There is outstanding fishing within an hours drive at beaches like Kingscliffe and Fingal Head and numerous white, sandy, patrolled beaches at Hastings Pint and Pottsville .

The practical contours of Mebbin Springs, shaped a little like a ‘diggers hat’ sloping gently north and east allow nearly every site to enjoy sunshine from dawn to dusk. The sites views across the property take in an endless vista of world-listed National Parks. For most sites, Mount Warning a 20,000-year-old extinct volcano sits in the foreground of this priceless view.

Body Corporate

Each property owner, in addition to their freehold titled home site, will own a share in the Community Association where the community land will be available for a variety of uses. This offers them over 300 acres of common property, which includes areas of covenanted bush areas, grazing land, gardens, vineyards and other practical communal facilities.

Residents will share income form a large renewable forestry project jointly undertaken with the NSW Forestry Department.

By employing a resident manager responsible for the maintenance of the communities farming activities, the swimming pool, tennis courts driving range and spacious community centre etc, means residents save on the normal developer method of additional income by selling off ‘Management Rights’. Our system ensures the charges are not loaded with additional profit that would naturally increase the living costs of all owners.

In addition, over 10 acres of productive land in the middle of the estate will be developed as a vineyard, and another as a vegetable garden. Owners don’t have the responsibility of maintaining this facility but they can take pleasure in sharing a garden and have potential access to the produce.

Designs

Traditionally, buildings consume too much energy, much of it wasted by inefficient and poor design. We believe we’ve thought through many of these aspects and we welcome the opportunity to discuss how we believe we can substantiate our claim to sustainability.

The design of residential buildings must acknowledge that we have limited resources and we must endeavour to keep nature in our design criteria wherever possible. This includes not only our building designs but also those materials and technologies, which best assist the natural ecology of our society.

The location of Mebbin Springs means we must use valuable fuel to travel 30 minutes to the nearest large town but the design and thought of our real-estate development offers abundant opportunities for compensating this by saving resources, not to mention reducing waste while maintaining our unique land surroundings.

To assist buyers with ideas, our construction arm, Aurora Construction, have employed two architects to design a number of house plans, all using our ‘Smart House’ concept and all with a minimum ‘Five Star’ Sustainable rating that incorporate a comfortable floor plan and a schedule of sustainable specifications that make for eco-friendly and comfortable living conditions.

One family who has already purchased there is confidently expecting their clients to come to them and share the lifestyle and privacy of their rural lifestyle, driving unclogged roads among the friendly Tweed Shire people.

They are looking to the future and their instructions to our architect were “downstairs we want four bedrooms, one of them a small nursery”. Their children now have babies of their own, so they want to encourage frequent visits. But, they added “make sure there is also room for a climate and humidity controlled walk-in wine cellar.”

Throughout the homes to be built we are seeing many popular themes; there are several ‘musts’ on everybody’s brief, perhaps the most notable being that the natural beauty of the environment must be preserved at all costs along with ensuring a ground floor link to a garden, which add greatly to the tranquil indoor-outdoor feel of a home’s main living area, ensuring the beauty of the outdoors will ‘flow into every room’. Of course the nearby native bush will complement the bold use of native timber features inside and most importantly that the glorious rural views will not be compromised.

The popularity of pitched ceilings with many early buyers deciding to switch from plaster board to restful timber, grown on nearby properties, helping to blend with the timber floor in the living area, kitchen and hallway areas, casual and formal living areas plus a big separate dining room and more for appearance then a popular whim the addition of a big, open fire. We could provide the endless list of Aurora’s ideas being passed on to buyers; be it kitchen designs incorporating excellent work spaces, durable bench tops, roomy pantry cupboards, even doors that retract into the walls, and of course the incredible appliances now available, such as the practical Quantum Dish Drawers.

Air conditioning becomes unnecessary because of the regular cooling breezes that encourage buyers to design bedrooms to have access to an outdoor deck, which is ideal for outdoor entertaining. No matter from which direction the wind blows, there is always a sheltered spot.

There is a large swing to three -car garages with plenty of room for storage and all lots can install two unobtrusive 22,500lt water tanks that will cope easily with the largest demand thanks to the abundant local rainfall. At Mebbin Springs it would be impossible to incorporate all the great ideas espoused by dedicated institutions and groups in respect to sustainable options.

Because all sites lend themselves to a North Easterly aspect few families would miss the opportunity to deny their kitchen incorporating the incredible view of Mount Warning, and fit practical sliding windows above the bench opening to an outside deck inviting the view indoors and enabling the proud owners to serve drinks to guests who come to marvel and enjoy the great climate of the Tweed Valley.

The Mebbin Springs development is designed using its ‘Smart House’ concept including the latest 'smart' electrical standards boasting a 'Five Star' sustainable rating, eco-sensitive water systems, and self-sufficient wastewater management. Design covenants will encourage features such as:

• steel frames allowing light-weight wall systems producing over code construction with more efficient insulation,
• high ceilings and clerestory lighting to maximize natural light,
• the orientation of building envelopes ensuring privacy and enabling homes to capture prevailing summer breezes and views,
• high-speed computer access,
• rain water tanks,
• AAA rated water saving devices,
• grey-water sewerage treatment systems,
• electronic building control systems,
• ‘Smart’ electrical standards,
• solar hot water systems,
• tinted windows,
• underground power to all acreages,

and many other environmentally sensitive features.

Gated Community

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Community Centre

The community centre at Mebbin Springs will be a quality facility designed and built using the sustainable, energy efficient and eco-friendly concepts employed by Property Marketing. We like to call it the Residents' Lodge and it will have a swimming pool, tennis courts, golf holes and more.

Residents will enjoy the benefits of being able to meet there with neighbours and friends for a quiet chat over lunch or utilise the centre to host that special function.

Parents will be able to relax and watch their children swim in the pool. Those up for a little fitness and competition can partake in a few games of tennis where as those who just want to unwind can sit in the lounge and enjoy the view of Mt. Warning .

Local Activities

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