The story behind the stone facades of many of the homes at Bellarine Springs. Andrew Moore of AM Stone Masons tells us abit more about his stonemasonry tradesmanship and his pride working on the homes at Bellarine Springs.
“The stone we are using at Bellarine Springs is sourced from a quarry in Castlemaine. This unique rock is used for its great textural colourings and grain. We cut it to size using the grain to split the rock cleanly. We then use specialised tools to smooth out the edges and prepare the stone for laying in place. Everything is done by hand and it can be quite laborious, but a labour of love!,” said Andrew.
“We have been involved in every stone façade for the Henderson and Ormond home designs at Bellarine Springs, pretty much since the beginning of the construction of the village. These are the last homes we are working on now, each façade takes around 2-3 weeks to complete.
“Stone masonry is a unique skill, not at all like bricklaying. What we don’t want is straight lines with the laying of the stone, it is more about creating the intricate patterns and textures and laying the stones in place is abit like playing Tetris!
“This type of intricate stonework is often found on high-end homes where the quality finishes are important, it’s definitely not a cheap feature.”
Andrew Moore and Tom Wilson are both locals and have enjoyed having the regular work over the past nine years working on the Bellarine Springs homes.
This commitment to using local materials by local tradespeople helps the local economy and supports other small businesses in the area. It helps to keep the skills of stone masonry alive and in demand. Many people who have featured this type of stonework in their own builds have visited Bellarine Springs first to see what the quality of this craft is like.
There are other cheaper stone veneer options in the market which can be glued in place, but nothing compares to the use of the original stonework and the durability and quality of the finished product.
Geoff Reeve, Pinnacle Living CEO and developer of Bellarine Springs, says there is no compromise when it comes to the quality build of the homes at the village.
“I have an absolute commitment to building beautiful timeless homes that will stand the test of time. The homes at Bellarine Springs are well-designed quality builds with many architectural design elements and premium finishes that elevate the living environment.
“Our residents are always telling us how proud they are to live here in a low-maintenance well-built home that continues to look good year after year. For many of our residents, this is their final independent living home and they deserve to have the very best in their retirement years,” said Geoff.
