Out of the blue
This is an excerpt from an article in Sanctuary magazine issue 5.
There has been something of a revolution in the picturesque Queensland town of Yeppoon. A non-violent one, of course, and modest in the scheme of things, but one that may well change the way government, developers, and builders think and (fingers crossed) will one day be the norm—a sustainable commercial development.
As with all revolutions, this one was fueled by enthusiasm and driven by someone who would not take no for an answer, Queensland-born developer Dominic Stower. “I started with just the idea, no capital but a lot of passion,” explains Stower, who is sole operator of his company, Sustainable Synergies Pty Ltd. “I was back in Yeppoon to see my parents for Christmas 2002. At the time I was working in property development in Brisbane. Just seeing how beautiful it is here, I knew this place was ripe for something, so I came up with the idea of Capricorn Blue.”
Before long, he had secured his block of land on a handshake deal and the project was under way.
“I wanted Capricorn Blue to be as sustainable as possible. I had first read about sustainability about five years ago at a home show, of all things, and I just knew it was right.”
“We did this the hard way,” smiles Stower. “No money, architects that didn’t understand what I wanted to achieve, council politics and a builder that took longer than expected to deliver!”
Stower spent two solid months designing the multi-residential project himself, taking into account the site’s unique set of constraints and opportunities such as the topography, the existing trees and the way the breezes and shadows worked. “I wanted to show that it could be done. We have now set new benchmarks in achieving the triple bottom line of better social, economic and environmental outcomes for residential living.”
The award-winning complex is no hippy resort with tents, bush showers and dig-your-own loos. This is a bonafide boutique complex of 18 executive apartments housed in three separate buildings.
At first glance the retreat simply looks like a great place to enjoy an indulgent weekend. From the outset, an abundance of native plants attracts the eye. More than 70 per cent of the existing vegetation was retained, not only minimising the impact on native animals and birds (who were able to continue their breeding during construction), but also celebrating the natural beauty of the site.
Although the site is close to the water, there are no ocean views. Stower’s design response was to create views that were inward-looking, focusing on the existing mature landscape. The highest trees are well above the development’s rooflines, an effect that emphasises the location’s tropical jungle ambience and provides shade to the pool and grassed recreation areas. No doubt, guests will love waking up to the sounds of kookaburras, parrots and other birds that are part of the flourishing local wildlife population.
In fact, in an unusual departure from the norm, the amount of landscaped garden is double that required by the local council’s planning regulations. It is irrigated with water-efficient sprinkler and dripper systems that tap into stored underground water collected from the roof areas, significantly reducing pressure on municipal water supplies.
