First residents delighted to call Dock One home

Port residents have watched a brand-new neighbourhood start to emerge on the waterfront at Dock One over the past year. Now, the first residents have started to move into their new homes, including Richard and Kelli, who have joined the community from Canberra. They tell us why they made the big move to the Port and how they’re enjoying their new home.

Kelli says Port Adelaide offered the lifestyle they were looking for. “We moved from Canberra, which is a really easy city to live in, but it misses out on the ocean,” she says. “Being in Port Adelaide means we have the best of both worlds. We have the funky village feel with proximity to the ocean. We have already made good use of the walks along the coast and the sunsets at the beach are phenomenal.”

Richard lived in South Australia for nine years before moving east 14 years ago. He still has family here and has watched the development of the Port—and its intersection of old and new—with much interest.

He said they were looking forward to respecting the established Port community and also becoming part of the community as it developed. “It is a unique opportunity being able to watch the development of Dock One and other Port Adelaide projects happen around us,” he says.

Richard and Kelli enjoy the fact that their new neighbourhood is so walkable and the local area has so much to offer. “We have a small dog and we are happy to walk him around the Port area,” Richard says. “When we want to go to the beach, it is an easy, short, five-minute drive to the lovely coast path and beach. We like to support our local businesses as much as possible and so far, we have found just about everything we need within a five-kilometre radius.”

The heritage buildings and local arts scene have also hit the right note for the pair.

“We love the old buildings and the restorations have obviously been done with great care and skill,” Kelli says. “The repurposing of some of the old buildings is amazing and really adds to the eclectic feel of the area. The Wonderwalls are brilliant. The focus on the creative and the arts in Port Adelaide was certainly a drawcard,” she says, adding that they can see three of the Wonderwall murals from their house.

“We are proud to tell people that we live in the Dock One development in Port Adelaide,” Richard says.

“There are a lot of people in Adelaide who have not been to the Port for a long time. Developments like Dock One will bring people to the Port; and I am sure when they are here, they will understand just why we have moved in.

“The skyline of the Port town from our house is going to be a wonderful place to sit and watch the world go by.”

Renewal SA has been working with project partners and the local community to encourage more people to live, work, invest and spend time in the Port.

This vision is certainly starting to become a reality. Dock One, led by Starfish Developments, will deliver a total of 425 construction jobs in areas from earthworks and civil construction to landscaping, and the renovation and refurbishment of the Marine and Harbours Building to create a boutique hotel. The Dock One north and south developments will result in about 1,100 new residents joining the Port community.