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May 24, 2023 | IN Together Magazine | BY Holly Brennan | 4 min read

The five-year-old Harmony community, which is currently 50 per cent complete, will eventually comprise 4,800 homes, a town centre with 25,000sqm of retail and commercial space, seven major parklands including a Grand Linear Park the length of 10 football fields, and 60km of pedestrian path and cycleways. Final residents are expected to move in five years from now.

AVID Queensland General Manager Bruce Harper said the vision for Harmony – the largest development in the new Sunshine Coast suburb of Palmview – emerged during a lengthy and detailed urban design process.

“Our objective was to create a beautifully curated community, where residents feel connected to their environment, homes and neighbours, setting it apart from other residential development projects in the country,” he explained.

“We laboured over every detail before we even put pen to paper because we wanted to create something special that delivered above expectations and set new standards in community design and amenity.

“This included delivering significantly wider than usual neighbourhood streets with deep planting, incorporating clever housing designs with rear garages to declutter the streetscapes, and using bioretention devices to treat stormwater onsite for improved sustainability.

“Harmony is a community where every stage of life is catered for by its diverse housing mix and accessibility to key services such as childcare, schools, the University of the Sunshine Coast, medical facilities and lifestyle amenities.”

AVID Queensland Project Director Anthony Demiris said a year before construction began at Harmony, AVID appointed a Community Development Officer, which was an important step for creating community engagement. The officer’s role was to create a welcoming neighbourhood culture underpinned by social events such as fitness sessions, playgroups and community celebrations that would bring people together.

“Harmony’s signature community event is the annual Long Table Dinner where new and existing neighbours get to know one another and strike up long-lasting friendships,” Mr Demiris said.

“It’s not uncommon for residents to know their neighbours five houses away, not just next-door. This remarkable community connection is among the most satisfying achievements for the AVID team.

I believe that loving where you live is so important to personal happiness, and at AVID we scrutinise every aspect of our developments to ensure residents live in an environment that has their best interests at heart.”

AVID also funds an annual Community Sponsorship and Grants Program which has invested almost $600,000 in 11 community projects.

“Our team has made so much investment, both financially and time-wise, into ensuring Harmony is a community where residents feel connected beyond just chatting over the neighbourhood fence,” Mr Demiris said.

“For a community to have a soul, people’s lives outside of their home must be considered too, and I believe we have delivered on that aspect in spades at Harmony. It is a residential community that residents and our team can feel extremely proud of.”

Harmony’s urban planning consultant was Peter Egerton, Service Line Leader of Urban Design at RPS Australia Asia Pacific. Mr Egerton, who has been a planning and design professional for more than 30 years, said about 90 per cent of Harmony residents were owner occupiers – something that was relatively unheard of in masterplanned communities.

“There is a point of difference customers feel when they visit Harmony but can’t put their finger on, but it all comes down to AVID’s attention-to-detail and the sum of many refinements that make it an appealing place to live,” Mr Egerton said.

Find out what Harmony’s community has been up to this year, and what’s yet to come! Please visit www.harmonyliving.com.au

Long table dinners
AVID is all about bringing people together, and Harmony’s Long Table Dinner is held annually to help new residents meet their neighbours. It is a family-friendly outdoor get-together complete with live music and entertainment for the kids. Great fun was had by all at the most recent dinner on Saturday, November 12.

Outdoor Living
At Harmony there is an abundance of green open space, parks, playgrounds, and walking trails. Outdoor living is the perfect catalyst for a healthy, connected community to which Harmony strives to achieve. Harmony residents can enjoy free fitness and yoga classes and make new friends while doing so.

Café Harmony
Café Harmony has continued to grow and expand. As well as dine-in amenities, the café now has two bicycle deliverers meaning Harmony’s residents can order food and drink delivered straight to their door.

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