With solar panels on the roof, a home battery and an electric car charger, 35 Copper Drive, Bethania, was ahead of the curve long before sustainability became a selling point, its owner Warren Fraser says.
“We’ve got a very large solar capacity,” he said. “If you’re running an EV, you’re basically covering your petrol costs as well.”
Since buying the property in 1994, Mr Fraser and his wife Jo said they had updated the home to suit their growing family, while steadily improving its energy efficiency.
The upgrades include a substantial solar system paired with battery storage, allowing the household to reduce reliance on the grid.
Mr Fraser said the setup significantly cut electricity bills and appealed to buyers conscious of rising energy costs.
“It wasn’t something we did all at once,” he said. “Over time, as technology improved, we added to it.
“The battery means you can store what you generate during the day and use it at night, which changes how you think about power use.”
He said the changes were practical rather than trend-driven.
“We were just looking at our own usage and thinking about how to make it more efficient,” he said.
“With power prices going up, it made sense. If you’re home during the day or charging a car, you’re making use of what you’re producing.”
Beyond its sustainability features, the kitchen and ensuite have been renovated, an upstairs bathroom refreshed and a self-contained granny flat modernised, which could provide flexibility for multi-generational living arrangements.
Ms Fraser said the property’s location was one of her favourite features of the property.
“Bethania’s almost self-contained,” Ms Fraser said. “You’ve got the train station close by, local shops, schools, so you don’t always have to leave the suburb.”
The couple say they hope the next owners will value not only the space and flexibility of the home, but also the long-term savings and environmental benefits built into its design.
