Meet the neighbours - Life at Rise in Moonee Ponds.

Rise apartments, located in Moonee Ponds just 6km from Melbourne CBD, have limited 1, 2 and 3 bedroom homes remaining. The move-in ready development offers a choice of light-filled Residences or penthouse-style Skyhomes. 

Mitch and Maria McKay recently downsized to a 2 bedroom Skyhome at Rise and say there’s no looking back. Living on level 29 with their daughter and new puppy, the couple have been loving the views, community and shared amenities on offer.

We spoke to the McKays to find out what life is like at Rise, and how apartment-living has exceeded their expectations. 

How has life been at Rise since you moved in? 

It’s been fantastic. We’ve found it is everything we had hoped for and more. 

We have been moved in for about four months now. We got the keys in November 2020 and took our time with the move. It was a very easy, stress-free move. 

What have you been loving about living at Rise? 

Our favourite thing… it would be a toss-up between the shared spaces and the view. We are very fortunate - living on level 29 means we have an amazing view. Whether it be morning, lunch time or the evening - everyday looks different from our apartment. 

We just got a new puppy, a King Charles Cavalier. He has a daybed, so he has just been sitting out on the balcony taking the views in. He loves it there. 

“The Rise and Mason Sq residents are definitely in favour of pets.” 

Mitch and Maria McKay, Rise Residents 

He has his round of vaccinations next week, so we are looking forward to making use of the pet-friendly shared spaces like Mason Gardens after that. 

How have you found apartment living after moving from a traditional family house?

We are loving apartment living. It’s exactly what we want at this time in our lives. Prior to selling our family home, we discussed the benefits and knew this was the way to go. Now, we wouldn't  go back to living in a house - there’s no turning back at all. Plus, not having to clean a big house has been great and has given us back a lot of time. 

“I want my parents to buy [a Rise apartment] to be honest - they come visit on a weekly basis. The first thing my dad does every time he comes is take a video of the view to send to this friends.”

Maria McKay, Rise Resident

Did any part of the apartment exceed your expectations?

Our expectations were exceeded with storage and noise control. We were a little bit worried about storage space prior to moving, but we have found there’s an abundance of storage at Rise. We actually still have a few empty drawers!

We’ve also been surprised at how quiet it is in our apartment. 

How has your lifestyle changed since moving to Rise? 

There is definitely a great sense of community in the building, which is part of the lifestyle we wanted. We get to meet the neighbours, see them in the lobby and say hello - everyone is very friendly. 

“That’s what Moonee Ponds is - we have been residents of Moonee Ponds for a long time and it has always had a community vibe. That has transferred to the lifestyle at Rise and the whole of Mason Sq.” 

Mitch and Maria McKay, Rise Residents

We have a couple of friends that live in Rise, a family member that lives in Hall Street, a friend who lives at Focus on Mason and have also become friends with new people in those buildings - a sense of community is definitely an advantage of apartment living at Rise. 

One of the residents has organised a community soccer match every Sunday, which encourages people to meet up at the usual time at the Mason Gardens sports court. There’s another resident who has been hosting art classes in the shared tool shed. 

Rise Skyhome residents have exclusive access to The Conservatory with a bar, fireplace and seating - have you made use of this yet? 

We love having access to The Conservatory - it has such a great city view. It’s great to have the option there to accommodate entertaining larger groups. Our daughter and her friends will gather at The Conservatory and have a few drinks before heading out on the town. We have hosted a few gatherings there as well when we have bigger groups of friends over - it’s truly like an extension of our apartment. 

Have you made use of the Mason Terrace shared dining amenities or the Mason Gardens shared barbecue area for hosting guests?

We enjoy walking through the gardens and speaking to other residents. We definitely want to make use of the other amenities in Mason Sq. We’ve talked about inviting friends over to have a barbecue at Mason Gardens. 

Rise has a dedicated concierge to help with building requests. How has your experience been with the building management so far? 

The Building Manager was so helpful when we settled and first moved in. We were so pleased to have a friendly Building Manager looking after the day-to-day at Rise. 

How did you find the experience purchasing with Caydon? 

Purchasing with Caydon was a very smooth process. We had never purchased off-the-plan before, but we purchased Rise as an off-the-plan apartment three years ago. The building was completed right on time, which was great considering everything that happened around COVID-19. 

With Caydon’s vision now brought to life - and over 2,000 people now calling Mason Sq home, Rise marks the completion of the first mixed-use precinct for the Melbourne-based company. Caydon is excited to have welcomed more residents to the neighbourhood and is thrilled to have delivered a great mix of retail, business, residential and hospitality - all offering a boost to the local area. 

All Rise Residences and Skyhomes have been created with spacious living in mind - with every apartment featuring European appliances and quality finishes. Skyhomes offer house-sized floorplans with premium finishes and the most spectacular views. 

Rise is only 6km from Melbourne CBD and within walking distance to nearly every mode of public transport. There’s so much to discover locally with Puckle Street bakeries, boutiques, delis, cafes and restaurants just around the corner. 

Limited Rise apartments remain and are now ready to move in. With only 5% deposit*, purchasers can now also enjoy up to six months settlement* on 2 and 3 bedroom apartments while they sell their current homes. For more information on Rise apartments, click here. 

*Terms and conditions apply.