First Stages of Deague’s Alpine Masterplan Win Nod

The first stages of the Deague Group’s masterplanned community in Victoria’s High Country has been greenlit by the the Alpine Shire Council.

The project, known as Bright Valley, is planned for a 40ha site at 805 Great Alpine Road and will comprise 300 lots for 350 homes, open space, playgrounds, dog parks, lookouts and bicycle paths. 

Turn-key home packages will be offered for two, three, four and five-bedroom homes, which are expected to have 7-star energy ratings.

There will also be more than 2500 mature trees planted. Deague said it was keen to avoid as much tree loss as possible and to provide more tree coverage along the Great Alpine Road.

Human Habitats and Woodward Civil were consultants on the project planning.

Work on the project will be undertaken across several stages—the first comprises 78 lots across 1.43ha. 

Civil works on the now-approved stages 1 and 2 are expected to begin before the end of the year while the first stage is scheduled for completion by the end of next year.

The Milne family, which has a family connection to the Deagues, had owned the site for the past 50 years. 

In early 2022, the Deague Group bought the site, which had been a tobacco farm, from Olympic skier Malcolm Milne for $35 million.

Deague said it estimated the total project would be completed over five years,

▲ A render of houses at Bright Valley in the Victorian Alps.

“There’s a chronic under supply of housing and housing for key worker accommodation in the area,” Deague Group chief executive Will Deague told The Urban Developer.

“We’re doing extensive outdoor facilities, such as an outdoor gym, but we’re in talks with [the] council about a park and I think further down the track ... there will be demand for childcare.”

Five generations of the Deague family have been involved in the business since it was founded in 1859.  

Bright, 320km north-east of Melbourne, sits at the foot of Mount Hotham. 

Housing affordability issues have plagued the town, even before an influx of treechangers who left Melbourne during the pandemic,  increasing demand further.