Domain | Written by Kate Jones
Like many downsizers, Melissa and Steve Campbell had never lived in an apartment. Their current house in Essendon is a massive three-storey home they share with two adult children.
But in two years they will become empty-nesters and make the move to an apartment at Stonepine House in the heart of Moonee Ponds.
The 127-apartment building is part of the $2 billion revamp of the Moonee Valley Racecourse, which will see up to 2000 residences built across nine hectares of Moonee Valley Racing Club’s 40-hectare site.
The location was a big drawcard for the Campbells, who are looking forward to the ease of getting to and from Moonee Ponds on foot.
“We’ve never lived in an apartment, but the master plan just blew us out of the water,” Melissa Says.
“All the amenities – the gardens, the location and its proximity to everything in Moonee Ponds. If something happened and we couldn’t drive, we could walk everywhere and public transport’s at our doorstep.
“Literally everything’s at the doorstep, including cafes and restaurants and amenities within the building, so this is a lifestyle, without going into a lifestyle village.”
The couple have purchased an apartment on the top floor of the 11-storey building, which includes a huge 60-square-meter terrace with views of the greenery below designed by landscape architects Tract.
The development is names after the surrounding stone pine trees, which can be found in Stonepine Square, a landscaped meeting place designed for outdoor gatherings.
Designed by architects Rothelowman and interior designers at Carr, Stonepine House features a hotel-inspired porte cochere and lobby, library, private dining room, wellness sanctuary and gym, a maker’s studio, bike store and repair zone and, the showstopper, a rooftop infinity pool and entertaining area overlooking the Moonee Valley Racecourse and city skyline.
Architect Chris Hayton says the design is unique: “It’s a chapter in quite a big book, but that’s why we’ve been really careful to make sure each building has its own distinct character so it’s not a cookie-cutter or cut-and-paste exercise,” he says.