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Cameron Kissell knew that working as a FIFO tradesman wasn’t something he wanted to do forever. With the purchase of a large block of land, he and his wife Clare set their sights on business ownership.
Their journey wasn’t an easy one, with lots of twists and turns along the way. But today, the couple are proud business owners, operating Edge Luxury Villas from their beautiful property in Margaret River.
The adults-only accommodation includes four over-water villas set amongst beautiful, quiet farmland and bushland. Cameron and Clare are committed to sustainable living, and the property is completely off grid, run entirely off solar power and harvested rainwater.
Located a stone’s throw away from some of the region’s most iconic wineries, but without the hustle and bustle of the townships, Edge Luxury Villas has quickly become a hot spot for people exploring the region.
The perfect plot
In 2012, Cameron and Clare traded busy city life for the more relaxed pace of the South West region. They initially planned to purchase a small plot of land for their growing family, but fate had other ideas!
In their property search, they came across a 137-acre run down farm that captured their attention. The property had been on the market for almost three years, and the couple were the first in months to view it. Despite being a little rough around the edges from years of neglect, they saw endless possibilities. So, they moved in with a five-year plan to start a business.
“This area was a paddock when we first saw it 12 years ago,” Cameron laughed.
“We had a vision, so we designed the lake, planted thousands of trees, built roads and bridges and infrastructure, created native corridors and made a space that was better for the endemic wildlife.”
With Cameron still working away, Clare, who worked full-time as a teacher, had to manage a lot of the construction solo. When their daughter was born, the couple started thinking about ways to have Cameron home full-time.
A vision becomes reality
During her maternity leave, Clare pitched the idea of starting a small campground on their property. Cameron wasn’t convinced initially, but when people started flocking to the peaceful lakeside site, he changed his mind.
“We had a loose plan; we veered off to the side here and there and we had a couple of ideas that that didn't end up coming to fruition. Things can take a lot longer than what you plan,” Cameron said.
“But we knew one hundred per cent that we wanted to do accommodation, we held fast on that, and we’ve done exactly what we were aiming to do.”
Finally, the couple started construction of four luxury villas in 2022, and officially opened Edge Luxury Villas in 2023, 11 years after purchasing their property.
By February 2024, Cameron was at home full-time, embedded in the operations of their small business.
Overlooking a man-made lake and beautiful bushland, the accommodation at Edge Luxury Villas is the perfect location to escape and unwind.
Dispute resolution with the SBDC
Small business ownership can be tricky, and it’s not unusual to be involved in a dispute from time to time. When Cameron faced this issue, he knew he could look to the SBDC for help.
“We first used the SBDC when we were having issues with a warranty claim relating to a purchase by our business,” Cameron explained.
“The dispute resolution service showed us the processes involved, including the legislation and the steps we needed to take.”
After an initial phone consultation with one of SBDC’s business advisers, Cameron received guidance, paperwork, and a plan.
“The outcome for us was really positive, and luckily we didn’t have to take the dispute any further than that. Thanks to the SBDC we got some traction and everything got sorted,” Cameron said.
Onwards and upwards
For Cameron, running a small business has given him the chance to spend more quality time with his family and become more involved with the local community.
“Our friends cannot believe that we spend so much time together and we do spend all our time together - I think it's great!” Cameron stated.
“I've actually also been able to put a lot more time in with the local fire brigade, and I’ve been doing call outs for the last two years now.”
In terms of future plans, the team behind Edge Luxury Villas are excited to continue improving their product each day.
“We're not designing or trying to put any more accommodation in, but we would like to add features and so that every time someone comes back there's something new for them to see and do and enjoy,” Cameron said.
Regardless of what lies ahead, they know that when they need business support, the SBDC is only a phone call away.
More information
Read about our dispute resolution service
Access our business advisory service and range of workshops
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