Nikki and Doug’s fabulous resort-inspired home at 5 South Street, Port Willunga, will go to auction on the last weekend before Christmas with a price guide of $2.1 million.

Custom-built by Alan Sheppard Constructions in 2013, the four-bedroom property is designed around a central swimming pool with a large master suite, a kitchen equipped for entertaining and a separate pool house.

The property was intended to be the Govans’ forever home – just a couple of rows back from the esplanade – but plans changed more recently when they discovered another property in the same area.

“So many people ask us, why on earth we’re moving? It’s an absolutely stunning home,” says Nikki.

“The only reason we’re selling is that we’ve been able to purchase a rare property that has beautiful views.

“We had every intention of this being our forever home, but we’ve made the very difficult decision to move.”

It’s not the ideal time to be moving, given summer is Nikki and Doug’s busiest time of year when they are hands-on at the Star of Greece restaurant just down the road.

“To be honest, the thought of moving at the end of January is quite frightening, but that’s okay, we’ll just have to manage it,” says Nikki.

Doug has owned Sellicks Hill’s Victory Hotel since 1991, while Nikki is Business SA chair and has recently been appointed as board director of the National Australia Day Council. She also holds positions on a number of industry boards.

The couple first met, fittingly, at the Victory Hotel about 12 years ago.

“Doug and I got together when I was living in Norwood. I’d be in charge of the cooking and he’d be in charge of the wine and it seemed to be a perfect match,” says Nikki.

“We’ve continued that love of entertaining throughout our marriage and life together here.”

They have since started a family – their daughter Maggie is nine years old – and also purchased the Star of Greece, which overlooks the Port Willunga coastline where Doug squeezes in a surf or paddleboard outside of working hours.

“We purchased the Star of Greece about 10 years ago and then decided to make Port Willunga our permanent home; that’s when we started designing with Alan Sheppard and his in-house architect,” says Nikki.

The property was previously a mid-century beach shack that Doug had lived in for a while.

With their busy and public lives, the couple wanted a home that would provide privacy, but with entertaining and resort-inspired living at the forefront.

“It was about designing a place that met our entertainment and family requirements,” says Nikki.

With four bedrooms and four bathrooms, the home caters for visiting family members – particularly Nikki’s two daughters who live away from Adelaide – or for friends who might stay over on a weekend.

A quirk of the layout sees the kitchen and open-plan living room located at the front of the home.

“Once you open the beautiful big entrance door, there’s a great element of surprise with a wonderful resort feel.

“Whether we’re spending time just with the three of us or entertaining friends, it feels like we’re in our own part of the world.”

Nikki says, although Port Willunga is more traditionally known as a summer holiday destination, it is an excellent base for working professionals to commute to Adelaide.

“I commute to work in the city most days and our daughter Maggie’s at school in Adelaide,” says Nikki.

“I do hit that expressway coming home, take a deep breath, and relish that I’m only minutes away from peace and serenity.

“You’re certainly close enough to the city but far enough away to feel at peace in such a beautiful part of the state.

“For us, we’ve got a magnificent choice of a beautiful pool or the beach, so over summer that’s where we spend our time.”

Nikki says the property has been beneficial for her peace of mind, while the location stems back to her childhood spending summer weekends at Port Willunga Beach.

“I have a long affinity with Port Willunga and to be able to create a home in an area that means something to both Doug and I is pretty special,” she says.

“There’s a book called Magic Beach by Alison Lester and somebody gave it to me for our daughter Maggie when she was very young.

“Now, she is having the great experience that I did, growing up and spending time on Port Willunga – the Magic Beach.”

The sale is being handled by Matt Smith of Klemich Real Estate.