Dive right in with Plungie

Plungie Pools bring their best to The Block.

For The Block Heartland contestants, it was non-negotiable. “A pool is definitely a key element in people’s gardens,” says Western Australian Block contestant Britt.  “We’re spending more and more time in our homes with our family and friends; we’re creating homes, not houses, and key memories that will last a lifetime, and pools are a huge part of that. “So, for us, there was just no question; we were getting a pool!”

A must-have addition.
There were a few reasons for that choice, Britt says. There’s the obvious fact that a pool just becomes a natural focus for family gatherings, for a start, but also because she and her husband, Taz, were determined to turn their home into a wellness retreat perfect for the location. “The Block is a competition, and you need to ensure your house stands out come auction time, that the buyer wants your house above the other four, so to do that, I did some research about what people want from a house in Daylesford,” Britt says.

“I found that it was the spa capital of Australia, and people who both live here and visit encompass a wellness-based lifestyle.”  The plan, they decided, was to build a home that would embrace a “Relax, Replenish and Rejuvenate” theme.  “For the ‘Relax’ element, I wanted our house to feel calm, soothing, and one with nature,” Britt says. “With ‘Replenish’, I wanted to be able to implement a farm-to-table style home, a place you can just wander outside to source your food.  And for ‘Recharge’, I wanted to have a space to mimic a spa… that’s where the incredible Plungie Pools come into play.” 

Plungie completes the plan.

Britt and Taz’s vision was that, alongside an exercise area, sauna, and ice bath, there would be a Plungie plunge pool alongside a full-size mineral pool. “The Plungies we selected were the Plungie Max in the colour Sahara Sand and the Plungie Quad in French grey,” Britt says.  At 6m long by 3m wide, the Plungie Max swimming pool is the world’s largest monolithic pre-cast plunge pool.  With four square metres of bench space and loads of room to swim, the Plungie Max can be installed in-ground, semi-recessed, or above ground to fit the style of your landscaping.  For Britt and Taz, the decision was to install an in-ground pool – a simple matter of craning the pool into the prepared hole and completing the surround. And it’s a fast process too; given that the Plungies are pre-cast, they can be installed 74% faster than a traditional pool!

Alongside, the couple opted to install the Plungie Quad. At 2.2 m by 2.2 m, this is the newest Plungie model – and seen in Australia for the first time on The Block! – designed in response to the growing trend around hot/cold therapy and for homeowners wanting to create a complete oasis in their home.  The ideal solution, in other words, for the wellness space Britt and Taz were creating.

“The reason we selected the two different colours was to show the distinct different purposes between the two pools, with one being a cold/warm plunge and the other pool being used more as a recreational/entertainment pool,” Britt says.

Perfect for everyone.
With sizes suitable for any yard, Plungie can transform your space easily, something the contestants quickly realised.  Across the Block, similar dual-purpose themes came into play, with all other teams opting for the same Plungie Max and Plungie Quad pairing.

In House 1, Emma and Ben Han opted for the Plungie Max in Perle Noire as well as their Quad Perle Noire.  In Han and Can’s House 2, it was Kona Coast for both their Plungie Max and Plungie Quad.

House 4’s Sonny and Alicia chose Sahara Sand for their Plungie Max and Quad, while in House 5, Robby and Matt had Kona Coast for their Plungie Max and French Grey for the Quad.  Each Plungie Pool combination instantly became the centrepiece of the contestant's yard, the first place visitors were drawn to, and something the judges immediately recognised as a huge value-add to the homes.

“Serene and relaxing,” design expert Shaynna Blayze said of the way the pools turned the yards into an urban oasis.  “A triple-A result in a triple-A location,” real estate guru Marty Fox added. 

But for Britt, it was far more than the judges’ approval that convinced her she was right to want the Plungie pools for her backyard.  “The day the pools went in is one I won’t forget,” she says, “And I’m sure all pool owners can remember how exciting it is!” The fact that whoever buys our home will create so many memories in this house, and even more so specifically in the pool and wellness area, was so exciting and reiterated why we’ve created the home we have, as a wellness sanctuary!”

Check out the full range of Plungie Pools to see how you can make the most of your outdoors.