The Bay Apartments
Twenty years ago when Denise and Derek Foulston first met while working at a Victorian carpet manufacturer, they never dreamed they would end up managing a prestigious five star holiday accommodation complex in Queensland.
On 1 July 2010 Denise and Derek took over the management rights at The Bay Apartments on the Esplanade in the laid back township of Hervey Bay, the doorstep to the world heritage listed Fraser Island.
Denise and Derek stumbled across the management rights industry when they were searching for possible business ventures in Queensland.
Derek has been in the floor covering industry from the young age of 15, starting as a carpet layer then into national sales and eventually Derek and Denise opened their own Carpet Choice businesses in Victoria. Denise has a background mainly in credit — she likes playing with money — from a credit clerk to eventually as the national credit manager for the Victoria Carpet Company.
After selling the Carpet Choice businesses in Victoria, Denise and Derek decided it was time to move on from the carpet industry and started exploring other projects. “We started looking at businesses — nothing in particular — that’s how we found management rights when searching on the Internet,” said Denise. “We hadn’t heard of it before so we investigated further.”
Denise said they were initially sceptical but the more research they did the more appealing it became. “We looked at businesses to buy but then decided we didn’t want to buy someone else’s business when we have always opened up our own,” said Denise. “We went off the idea of buying a business until we came across management rights.”
Because they were committed to stay in Victoria at the time, Denise spent many long hours researching anything and everything about management rights. After deciding Queensland was where they wanted to go, the Foulstons contacted a couple of management rights brokers and queried them. An attractive property at Coolum on the Sunshine Coast took their interest.
“The second time we travelled to Coolum to look at the property we planned to visit a friend at Hervey Bay on the way. When we drove into Hervey Bay I felt that this is where I wanted to be. It just felt right,” Denise said.
Once Denise and Derek decided on Hervey Bay, the properties that were for sale were not what they were after. The Bay Apartments caught their eye but it was not advertised for sale.
“The broker suggested we approach the manager and it turned out he did want to sell,” said Derek.
Location, spacious apartments, design, decor, versatility of bedroom configuration, beautiful surrounds and the young age of the complex were the strong points that attracted Denise and Derek to it.
“Both of us are very organised. Any business we have done has always worked well.
Derek does the marketing, advertising, sales and gardens, whereas I do most of the administration, some website maintenance, customer service and sales,” said Denise.
“It was nerve racking at the beginning. We knew it had a lot of potential and if we put in the hard work and long hours that it would pay off and it has.”
The Foulstons’ energy and high ethical standard shone through during the several months they have been managing the apartments.
Denise and Derek work full time and Davida relieves at the front office, when necessary.
“We took notice of our feedback forms and although everything rated high the gardens usually only got a ‘good’,” said Denise. “We worked hard to make them better than good.”
Derek has done extensive work on the gardens and spent a month re-mulching them all by hand. Deb comes in three days a week to help with the gardens and general maintenance.
New trees and shrubs will be added to the already beautiful and well manicured gardens.
Once the door opens into the spacious apartments, guests are usually surprised by the appealing design and often don’t want to leave. Guests can enjoy the safe beach across the road and restaurants, shops, cafes, grocery stores and a children’s playground are within easy walking distance.
Whether guests want to go whale watching, fishing, on a winery or motorbike tour or even a massage after a workout at the Bay Apartment’s gym or tennis court, there is a variety of activities staff can organise for guests.
The Bay Apartments is undergoing a soft refurbishment, which includes upgrading bedding, cushions and general decor.
There are five levels plus the ground floor with secure undercover parking in the basement. A secured lift services the 36 strata apartments of which there are 28 available in the letting pool.
The several configurations of the apartments from one, two and three bedroom apartments, with or without spa, give guests a wide range of selection to choose from.
“Although we cater to all types of guests, we have quite a lot of corporate clientele and they love the one bedroom apartments because they are bigger and the guests don’t feel as though they are stuck in a small room so when they are away from home they feel comfortable and relaxed,” said Denise.
The courtyard poolside ground floor apartments are a great draw card for families because of their proximity to the lap pool and the securely enclosed courtyard, which is perfect for young children to run freely and play.
The 25m temperature controlled lap pool with adjoining hot spa and children’s wading pool is a favourite for everyone who stays at The Bay. ‘Oh, that pool is beautiful’ is a comment often heard after guests have been swimming in it.
One doctor who often stays at The Bay Apartments said, ‘I just love that pool.’
The pool maintenance staff say it is one of the best pools they service in the area — great layout and a great pool.
A majority of the contractors for The Bay Apartments are within the Hervey Bay region and are all reliable. The Foulstons are happy to support the local industry before having to source further afield.
The main cleaning contractors, Jenny and Darryl of Coast to Coast Cleaning, have been servicing The Bay Apartments since it opened in August 2005.
Derek created a ‘wish list’ with the things that needed attending to immediately; the items that were important and lastly, the ones he would like to see happen.
The body corporate has been fully supportive of the changes and upgrades the Foulstons identified that needed doing and approved all the necessary requests, such as new barbeque furniture, pool furniture, new barbeque and a fridge to name a few.
“Our extensive research was worth it,” said Denise.”It’s great to have the opportunity to be happy where we live and run a business we enjoy.”
“I just want to deal with happy people,” said Derek. “It is so much better when people are on holidays because they are usually happy and rarely is there a complaint.”
“We want to increase the occupancy and have the owners happy plus we want the guests to be happy and return. That is our main aim,” agreed Denise and Derek.
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