Golden Age launches Maritima Brighton as "new wave of wellness real estate" hits Melbourne's Bayside

Golden Age Group has unveiled a new benchmark for wellness-led residential design, announcing the transformation of the 1867-built, heritage-listed Maritima House, into a private wellness clubhouse for residents of its flagship bayside community, Maritima Brighton.

The repurposing of the historic property into a high-end private wellness clubhouse responds to shifting priorities among homebuyers, with wellbeing now emerging as a key driver in residential real estate. Research from the Global Wellness Institute shows that up to 90 per cent of health outcomes are linked to where and how we live.

According to recent research, 73 per cent of homeowners and renters say health impacts will be a factor in selecting their next home. Buyers now seek environments that encourage holistic wellbeing, with access to lifestyle-enhancing amenities such as yoga rooms, gyms, pools, parks, and community facilities that support connection and active living.

Designed by award-winning Carr, Maritima Brighton’s wellness offering is situated around the historic Maritima House, once a central point of the Xavier Junior School and now approved for adaptive reuse as the Maritima Clubhouse. 

The Maritima Clubhouse facilities are centred around a central courtyard and pool and feature indoor and outdoor amenities including:

• A yoga and meditation studio
• Communal infrared sauna & steam room
• Cold plunge bath and magnesium pool
• Fully equipped gym
• Outdoor swimming pool
• Lounge areas and pergola with BBQ facilities
• Landscaping with mature heritage-protected trees and drought-tolerant native plantings

This resort-style amenity will be exclusively available to residents of Maritima Brighton, creating a space for relaxation, recovery and community connection just moments from the beach. The project’s proximity to local walking paths, recreational trails, sports grounds and parklands further enhances its health-oriented positioning.

“As wellness becomes central to how Australians choose to live, we are embedding it into the fabric of our communities, not simply as amenity, but as infrastructure.” said Damien Hehir, Development Director, Golden Age Group.

“The Maritima Clubhouse reflects this ethos, bringing meaningful wellness infrastructure to an exceptional bayside location.”

Nearly all 13 land lots in the first release of land parcels at Maritima Brighton sold in the opening weeks. Brighton downsizers made up the majority of purchasers. The overarching purchasing drivers were security and privacy, with Maritima featuring a monitored gated entry, underground parking and discreet integration into Hartley Street’s quiet residential streetscape.

The broader masterplan will feature 83 architect-designed townhomes by Carr. Guided by a refined coastal palette, heritage restoration, and carefully considered landscaping, the masterplan is designed to complement the site’s natural features while protecting its legacy and elevating its future.

“The design approach at Maritima Brighton is grounded in the idea that wellbeing is shaped by the environments we inhabit every day," Carr Director Richard Beel said.

"By centring the masterplan around the heritage Maritima House and surrounding it with wellness facilities, a green canopy, and walkable connections to the bay, we’ve created a community where architecture, landscape and lifestyle work together to support long-term health, ease of living and meaningful connection."