Merrifield’s Key achievements in 2018!

What an exciting year we’ve had!

It’s been another massive 12 months in Merrifield … a year full of progress and achievement that further represents our delivery of the Merrifield vision.

It is fantastic to see the Merrifield community continue to grow rapidly, with over 2,400 people now calling Merrifield home. With the imminent arrival of D’Orsogna to the Merrifield Business Park, there will also be over 300 people working in Merrifield come the beginning of 2019.

As the living and working population within Merrifield grows, we remain as committed as ever to ensuring the timely delivery of first-class education, shopping, recreation, entertainment and community facilities. Merrifield is leading the way with a number of milestones and major announcements in 2018:

• Coles supermarket to anchor Stage 1 of the Merrifield Shopping Centre, planned to open in 2020 … with over 20 specialty stores
• Merrifield West Primary School funding confirmed by the re-elected Labor Government … to open 2021
• Merrifield West Northern Community Hub confirmed by re-elected Labor Government … to open 2021
• The launch of Merrifield Connect … the first ‘developer-led and funded’ bus service in Victoria – which helped lead to the Labor Government announcing it will invest $8.9 million in a new bus service for Merrifield and surrounding suburbs

This year we also saw the opening of a new BP service centre and Kool Kidz childcare centre in M Square, providing important local convenience to the community. Stay tuned for further announcements in the new year as we continue our delivery of community infrastructure and amenity!

It’s also been great to see the Merrifield residents come together to lead so many local programs, many supported through the Merrifield Community Partnerships Program, and forge valuable social connections through initiatives such as the Merrifield Connect bus service, M-Fit fitness classes or at the regular Merrifield Farmers’ Market, which continues to grow in support each and every month. On reflection, it certainly has been an amazing year for our community – here is a quick recap!

• Merrifield Connect hitting 10,000 user trips in under one year of operation
• 2018 Merrifield Community Grants Program – 10 recipients announced
• ‘Crepe Craze’ now operating the The Corner Store
• Merrifield Auskick team plays at the MCG
• Easter and Christmas social events
• Merrifield Jobs Portal – now has over 400 registered users
• Merrifield’s first ever community cookbook was produced
• Partnership with Craigieburn Eagles Basketball Association commenced
• Hume Mobile Library commenced operations in Merrifield
• Mi-Fit Pilates & Merrifield Wellness commenced programs and services for residents
• Merrifield Farmers’ Market has grown to over 25 stall holders each month

From the Merrifield team, we wish the entire Merrifield community a safe and happy holiday season and all the very best for 2019. May it be a wonderful time for you and your families!

We look forward to another big year in 2019!

Local Grant Recipients Announced in Merrifield Community Partnership Program

Ten local community-minded groups have been selected as grant recipients in the 2018 Merrifield Community Partnership Program (MCPP), a fund based initiative that aims to meet the identified needs of the fast-growing and vibrant community of Merrifield.

A cultural choir, a chess club and a community garden project are among the recipients of over $50,000 released through the MCCP this year, following an application process that began in September 2018.

The successful initiatives were selected by a review committee, including members of the Hume City Council and the developers of Merrifield (MAB Corporation and Gibson Property Corporation), assessing the project’s direct benefit for the Merrifield community.

Now in its second year, MCPP offers grants ranging from $500 to $20,000 across five categories – culture, opportunity, health, connected and smart, with individuals, community groups, businesses and organisations all eligible to apply for funding.

Nine-year-old local Ella Hamilton is the program’s youngest recipient, receiving a grant for her venture to bring kids together through a grassroots ‘Bookworms Book Club’ – a children’s book club to operate alongside the Hume Mobile Library, which is currently operating in Merrifield.

The Merrifield Auskick program also benefitted, receiving funds to further grow the successful program, including the purchase of uniforms, equipment and the establishment of its committee.

Merrifield Community Development Manager Tennille Bradley-Ow was overwhelmed by the quality of important projects that would provide a direct benefit to Merrifield community.“This year we saw the emergence of some really exciting programs and wide-ranging initiatives to support the thriving Merrifield community,” she said.

“From grassroots groups to major sporting clubs and key community services, it’s fantastic to see the wide range of wonderful ideas and initiatives coming from within our local community which aim to enhance and enrich the lives of others.”

Individuals, groups or businesses eligible for the program must be local residents of Merrifield, or be a future resident within the next two years. Recipients have 12 months to implement their community initiative.

The full list of Merrifield Community Partnership Program recipients include:

• Bandicoot Chess Club Incorporated – for the expansion of an existing chess program to Merrifield
• M-Fit Pilates & Fitness – for ongoing development of local outdoor fitness program
• Merrifield Melodies Cultural Choir – to establish a community choir led by volunteers and facilitated by DPV Health
• The Hanging Garden of Merrifield – for the creation of a community garden project
• Walk With Us – for the formation of a community walking group
• Bookworms Book Club – for the establishment of a book club for children aged 7-11, which will operate alongside the Hume Mobile Library
• Craigieburn Eagles Basketball Club – weekly local basketball program held in Merrifield on Saturdays
• Merrifield Auskick Program – to support the growth of the program with uniforms, equipment and establishment of a committee
• Merrifield Sport and Social Club – informal sports based social club for Merrifield residents
• Oorja Foundation (Prayaas) – to create an informal social support program to connect the local Indian community

Click here to view the news article in The Star Weekly

Be rewarded for curating your neighbourhood!

There’s never been a better time to upgrade your Merrifield home or refer someone new, thanks to an exclusive new rewards initiative.

Merrifield Plus is a new loyalty program that aims to reward those who are actively involved in helping to promote and grow the Merrifield community.

As part of the initiative, $1,000 will be rewarded to those who refer new friends and family who purchase in Merrifield, while repeat buyers will receive $5,000 off their next Merrifield property.

The initiative comes on the back of strong family and friend referrals and the growing number of repeat purchases in Merrifield since the project launched back in mid-2013.

As one of Victoria’s largest master planned mixed-use communities, Merrifield has quickly established itself as the premium community in Melbourne’s rapidly expanding northern growth corridor, with over 2,000 residents already calling Merrifield home.

Over the past 12 months, over 25 per cent of land sales in Merrifield have been through family and friend referrals, with an average of more than one repeat purchase per month from existing customers.

This exemplifies the strong customer satisfaction in Merrifield and further cements its status as a highly sought after lifestyle destination.

Merrifield Project Director Matthew Planner says, “We’re proud that so many of our customers are proactively choosing to recommend Merrifield to their friends and family, and want to stay within their own community when they move into a bigger home or purchase an investment.

“Merrifield Plus provides a platform to thank and reward our loyal customers for their invaluable contribution to the ongoing development of the local Merrifield community,” said Mr Planner.

This loyalty program stands out from other similar programs in that the reward for referrals is made as soon as the deposit is paid and contract of sale becomes unconditional.

Unlike other referral programs, Merrifield customers don’t have to wait until the lengthy settlement process is complete to receive payment.

“We didn’t want to make our customers wait a number of months for settlement to occur first. Instead, those referring under Merrifield Plus could potentially receive the $1,000 reward in the bank within a matter of days of referring a friend, depending on how swiftly they finalise their purchase,” says Mr Planner.

 

Eligible customers can start taking advantage of Merrifield Plus’ benefits as soon as their own contract becomes unconditional with deposit paid, again removing the need to wait until settlement to enjoy the advantages of purchasing at Merrifield.

Naresh Kumar bought his four-bedroom home off the plan and is due to move in by the end of the year. He has since purchased a second investment property and has also referred eight friends and family members to Merrifield.

He said he started recommending after being impressed by the strong community focus and high quality of amenity already delivered within Merrifield.

With the first stage of retail offerings within the Merrifield Shopping Centre on the way – together with a number of neighbourhood parks, a private local bus service, the Corner Store café, child care, a service station and Merrifield Farmers’ Market already accessible, Naresh said he was confident developers MAB and GPC were delivering on their vision for the project.

 

Merrifield’s appeal has extended to an increasing number of families and young first home buyers moving to the area, a trend that Naresh expects will continue as plans for the precinct take shape.

“You can feel that it’s a real community. People are moving here, they’re bringing their families and building their dream home,” Naresh said.

Having already referred several friends and clients to Merrifield, property investor Thomas Wang is encouraged by the launch of a formal referral program.

Unlike other areas of Melbourne, Thomas said the booming northern corridor still had excellent development opportunities and expects the opportunities created by the billion-dollar Merrifield Business Park will also drive further investment in Merrifield.

“This area has a very big potential and I think Merrifield will be one of the most important suburbs in the future,” he said.

MAB and GPC anticipate that the rewards offered by Merrifield Plus will be progressed even further in the future, to the benefit of Merrifield customers.

For more information about Merrifield Plus or to make a referral, visit merrifieldmelbourne.com.au/plus 

 

19 Ways To Enrich Your Life in 2019, article by Merrifield Wellness

As we drift through the holiday season, complete with the hectic rush of shopping for gifts, arranging family meals, entertaining the kids and more, many of us are already looking forward to the New Year. However, before you step into 2019, there are a few things you should consider.

The New Year means many things to many people. For some, it is a fresh start, a chance to draw a line in the sand and start all over as they work towards greater things. For others, it’s a challenging time as it reminds us that we’re another year old, and potentially not where we envisioned we would be at this age when we were growing up. Then there are those that have no care for the New Year, seeing it as just another day. Regardless of how you view it, it has come around again and there’s no way to stop it! So what can you do in 2019 to enrich your life

1.Celebrate your victories, big or small.
2. Consider the possibilities that await you.
3. Leave the pain and upset behind you.
4. Look for the good in others and less of the bad.
5. Be comfortable in your own skin.
6. Find one positive thing to learn out of each new day.
7. Practice gratitude and be thankful for what you already have.
8. Be OK with not having all the answers. Learn to enjoy the journey.
9. Past events won’t define your future goals.
10. Trust your gut. There’s a reason you’re being drawn towards something.
11. Stop rushing things that need time to grow. Rome wasn’t built in a day.
12. Know the difference between giving up and knowing when you’ve had enough.
13. Travel to that place you keep thinking about. It’s in your heart for a reason.
14. Spend more time in nature and less time on technology.
15. Let go of trying to fit in and be accepted by everyone.
16. Let go of the fear of the unknown. Small steps amount to big changes.
17. Don’t worry about how your life looks. Instead, focus on how it feels.
18. Invite your inner child out to play daily.
19. Be your authentic self.

Let your heart be your compass and guide you where you need to go!

By Anita Hale, Merrifield Wellness

Click here to read Anita’s blog