The Stewart family enters the history books as the first land buyers at Huntlee now the first subdivision has cleared council registration.
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Until now people could only place a holding deposit on the lots but Michael and Toni Stewart have become the new town’s first legal property owners.
With their children Ryley, 12, and Kade, 9, the Kiwi natives hope to move into their new home early next year.
“Hopefully it will be just after Christmas,” Mr Stewart said.
Coincidently the family is from Huntley, New Zealand, which is an old mining town.
About three years ago Mr Stewart started work in the Hunter at Mt Arthur Coal.
“I came to visit with the kids and Michael said there’s this new town, Huntlee,” Mrs Stewart said.
Soon after the family moved out to Australia they rented a place at Branxton.
Their home will be situated in Huntlee’s first village called Katherine’s Landing, close to the master-planned town centre and recreational facilities.
“When we came to Branxton we wanted to build,” Mrs Stewart said.
“Everything about [Huntlee] appealed so we went for it.”
Katherine Busby was the daughter of John Busby who established Branxton’s first water supply.
Katherine’s brother James is considered the father of the Australian wine industry.
In another milestone for Huntlee the first road, Triton Boulevard, is now open, named after the ship the Busby family rode from England.
“Now Triton Boulevard is open we want people driving in here and having a look around,” Huntlee project director Stephen Thompson said.
Mr Thompson expects development to gather speed from now and he anticipates people will move into the first homes before Christmas.
As if to prove his point the first slab in a series of display homes on Triton Boulevard has already been poured.
