Aaron and Anna Larkin flew to Perth for a holiday and ended up buying a house one street back from the ocean in Yanchep.
All the couple had wanted was a break from the dreary weather after moving to Melbourne from Wales.
They had no plans to buy a property during their November 2022 trip.
But after enjoying the sunshine and calm, crystal waters at the Yanchep lagoon with their young sons Xander and Gabriel, now aged nine and five, they stumbled across a home open sign.
“We decided to drop in,” Mr Larkin told Northern Suburbs Weekly.
“We were just on a family holiday and had no interest in buying a house but when we saw this one we put an offer in.”
The family had moved to Australia after starring in the BBC series Wanted Down Under, which gives UK families the chance to try out life in the Antipodes.
The Larkins spent a week on the Sunshine Coast in Queensland in 2019, where they explored local housing, education and employment opportunities before deciding whether to emigrate permanently.
“We spent a week sort of sampling the lifestyle in Australia,” Mr Larkin recalled.
“We were given the opportunity to look at homes, see what our budget would look like over here and we even got to go on mock job interviews to see what our wages might look like and by the end we said, ‘Yeah, we’ll move to Australia’.”
The couple, who run their own insurance valuation and surveyor business, settled in Melbourne after arriving with their two children and four suitcases.
“It was it was a long, cold winter in Wales before we moved over and it was a long, cold winter in Melbourne and we’d had enough,” Mr Larkin said.
“That’s when we decided to fly over to Perth to get some sun, which we were told was always a guarantee, even in November.
Mrs Larkin added: “We spotted this house and the architectural lines, the arches and the bougainvillea made us think of places in Europe we had been to like Santorini in Greece and it reminded us of parts of our life back home.”
After buying the property, the family discovered another point of interest.
“I grew up sailing back home and we later found out this house was one of Alan Bond’s original developments in Yanchep in the early 1970s,” Mr Larkin said.
“We had just watched a documentary on the triumph of the Australia II, which won the 1983 America’s Cup.
“It wasn’t until we saw Alan Bond’s wet signature on our deed that we realised he built houses around here for the team who stayed around this area.
“Even the yacht was kept here so finding this house given I grew up sailing with my dad and we’d just watched that documentary felt serendipitous.”
The Larkins, who love entertaining, having the beach on their doorstep and relaxing by their pool, quickly set about transforming the run-down property into a private resort-style retreat that wouldn’t be out of place now in some of the Greek Islands.
From the striking architecture and sparkling family pool to the whitewashed external render, cascading bougainvillea and organic interior palette, every element of this bright and breezy Modern Mediterranean family home works in perfect harmony to create a seamless indoor outdoor coastal living experience.
“We hit jackpot moving onto this street because we’ve made friends for life with some of the neighbours,” said Mrs Larkin.
“Because we are on such a quiet cul-de-sac, the kids can play on their bikes on the road.
“It’s like a ‘90s childhood for them and a magical place to grow up.
“As parents, we can trust that they’re safe and out there having a healthy childhood climbing the trees and riding their bikes.
“They ride to school every day and go to Nippers on a Sunday and there’s a really nice community feel down there too.”
Asking for offers from $1,199,000, selling agent Jayne Mitchell from HKY Real Estate said the four- bedroom, two-bathroom family home on 941sqm presents as magazine-worthy.
She also revealed professionals from Perth’s western suburbs are snapping up properties in Yanchep to use as holiday homes.
According to Ms Mitchell, they have not been put off by the Federal Budget because they consider Yanchep to be a bargain for beachfront properties.
In fact, the western suburbs property hunters she’s been speaking to feel confident they’ll see substantial capital growth and in the meantime want their own slice of paradise by the beach.
“I’ve recently sold to lawyers and doctors who want to use the properties as a holiday house,” said Ms Mitchell.
“I just sold a block of land to a lawyer from Claremont who is building a $2.1 million home on it - not to live in now but just to have for the future.
“Where else can you buy so close to the ocean on such a big block anymore at these prices?
“You can’t.
“Yanchep is projected to be an area of growth with more infrastructure coming and so they’re buying now with that foresight and using it as a holiday house.”
Yanchep, which is less than 40 minutes from Perth, is a popular place to live on a permanent-basis among young families, retirees, FIFO workers and fishing and boating enthusiasts, Ms Mitchell said.
It has a picturesque, sheltered lagoon fringed by reef that is perfect for snorkelling and there are rockpools to explore with children.
The spacious stretch of shore is home to a popular surf club, a patrolled swimming beach and there are other excellent spots for body boarding and surfing.
There is even a purpose-built racing and community cycling facility at Splendid Park, the first of its kind in WA to provide a UCI-standard criterium circuit.
“There is so much to do when you live here,” said Ms Mitchell.
“Yanchep has two golf courses, a bowling club, a cycling track and safe swimming beaches.
“You go a bit further north and there is big surf.
“People go to surf there and they fish off the beach and when it is the right day they go abalone fishing.
“There’s also lots of great eating places and more coming so it is a very nice spot to live.
“They’re planning a premium Dome Cafe here, which will be right on the ocean front, and there is a hospital, university and Anglican school coming, even though there is already a very good local school just a few 100 metres from this house.
“But it’s probably the train station that has made the hugest difference because now everyone in this area can commute to the city or go to the Joondalup Shopping Centre, which is probably the the biggest shopping centre nearby.
“There’s even an art centre in the old homestead which has been renovated and it’s really cute and open to locals.
“It’s just a really good community here.”
The Larkin family said they’ve been living the dream Down Under in their home by the beach with its “whacking great swimming pool”.
Ms Mitchell is anticipating huge interest in the property, adding house-hunters will be buying a lifestyle.
“The thing is, long term, this is also going to be a good investment because you are buying land, and you’re buying proximity to the beach and no matter what is happening (with the Federal Budget) the prices are dictated by how close you are to the beach,” she added.
“Yanchep remains affordable for young families and there are still quite a few little gems around here too, like this one.”
More highlights
One street back from the ocean in peaceful cul-de-sac
940sqm block
Swimming pool with travertine paved surrounds
In-ground outdoor spa
15kW solar system and bore
Large garden shed
Plenty of space for cars, boats and toys
Protected front Mediterranean-inspired courtyard with a beautiful covered grapevine, water feature and brick built braai
New kitchen overlooking the pool area with concrete bench tops, integrated appliances, freestanding stove and decorative tile splash back.
Three generous bedrooms with a fourth bedroom overlooking the swimming pool perfect for guests and older children
A study/flexible space
Generous air conditioned living spaces
Wood fire heating
Enquire about 3 Hornpipe Court, Yanchep, with Jayne Mitchell from HKY Real Estate on 0416377345.