What our lifestylers say about NLV

Alan

A good friend showed me around Tuart Lakes NLV 6 months ago and my concept of retirement changed from having to build an asset based retirement to one of living the rest of our years in a positive, happy and healthy environment with people of similar ilk. Our house was put on the market and sold within 3 months and … Bingo! Here we are with no regrets!

Anne

I think some of our friends thought we were mad, leaving an obviously perfect Hills lifestyle, and downsizing to a small unit (which it is not!), until they come looking and their first words are ‘Wow! Not so small after all, and how gorgeous!’

Stan

I’m a changed person since coming here. I’m 70 now and I feel 25. Why be a slave to the bank? My advice is to come here and have a look. There’s less stress, I’m secure and the camaraderie and atmosphere is contagious.

Shirley

Lock and leave” lifestyle communities offer boat and caravan parking, complete with a wash-down area. Your secure community is monitored with video surveillance, so you don’t have to worry, whether you’re at home or away.

It’s such a friendly place. Everyone waves when you walk past and there’s always someone to talk to at the Clubrooms. I still believe it’s one of the best places to move into.

Margaret

I agree with other Lifestylers … this has been one of my better decisions to move here. I have met so many lovely people. I love my easy to look after house and I love going on outings – doesn’t matter if you don’t know everyone on the bus … by the time you get home you have met everyone and made new friends. THIS IS THE LIFE!

Glen

My son always asks…‘What are you doing now Mum?’ I’m always doing something…off to the casino, a bike ride, the movies, a drink with friends. Life couldn’t be better.

Rian and Rick

Rick and I have just had the grandkids for a week and our feet have barely touched the ground. The kids thought they were in a holiday resort with the beach so close, cafes, restaurants and so many other attractions, all within five minutes walking distance.

Arthur L

The Avon Descent is conducted each year during the first weekend in August and it is quite a challenge.

As a member of the over 45 Kayak Association, I had been paddling a kayak up and down the Swan River for a considerable number of years. The Avon Descent was always at the back of my mind, like the Marathon is to a long-distance runner I guess.

So one day at the tender age of 70, I decided I would give it a go.

This decision caused considerable consternation and horror amidst the four generations of my family but they gradually accepted the idea and formed themselves into a very effective support team.

The start line at Northam is a very colourful scene with hundreds of kayaks and paddlers circling around in the still water, waiting to take off and disappear down the weir.

The first day had many exciting moments but my enthusiasm was being maintained by my descendants who were leap­frogging my progress and shouting encouragement from the riverbank.

Read Arthur’s Full Story

Tony Q

Many years ago when I was a young spotty Herbert trying to eke out a living as an apprentice Butcher, I espied a 1958 Royal Enfield with a full dolphin fairing for sale.
The sale price was £109.

So I scrimped and saved until I raised the requisite £29 deposit.

I attended the Bike shop with my Dad, as he was going security on my purchase.

And as this was in the days of the Mods and Rockers. and I was wearing the Leather Legs, Leather Jacket and a Black Helmet with “THOR” in gold Gothic script on the front.

Read Tony’s Full Story

Nola P

I had originally put aside a block at NLV Lake Joondalup back in 2000 but decided I was too young at that stage for the “village” life. In July 2012 I moved into Pineview Village to be closer to my son and his family as I was then living in Mundaring. Pineview was all I had hoped it would be – friendly people, nice homes and lots of things to do.

Some 12 months after moving in I introduced myself to a new Lifestyler by the name of Ross. He was a very nice gentleman who was living alone and still working. We soon discovered that we had a whole lot of things in common and developed a friendship/relationship.

Read Nola’s Full Story

Karen & Rick

Rick is an avid ‘West Coast Eagles’ supporter and nothing comes between him and his beloved sport. That was until he met me.

I am no couch potato and prefer to be doing other more interesting things, like pottering in the garden. So how did it come to be that we are a happily married couple of 5 ½ years?

We were both at the Windsor Hotel in South Perth one night. I was with a girlfriend and Rick was there watching an Eagles away game on the TV. I noticed him because he was somewhat loud, which I now know is just part of what AFL supporters do.

When the game finished, Rick came up to the bar and started chatting to myself and my girlfriend, I had to excuse myself as I just ate some pizza and I needed to go to the bathroom as I had something stuck in my tooth!

Rick being the gentleman he is asked if I would like to borrow a tooth pick – what a blessing that was!! He not only gave it to me but walked me to the ladies!!

We chattered for the rest of the evening and swapped numbers. Rick eventually walked us to my girlfriend’s car. The next day I jokingly text him that they were giving away free Dockers Tickets and would he like to go….. well his response isn’t something I would write down, but we did set up a date.

Read Karen & Rick’s Full Story

Syd K

Reminiscing about the 1961 Swan Districts Football Club Premiership

Swan Districts Football Club had never won a Premiership in the WAFL League Competition. We languished at the bottom end, you could have called us cellar dwellers. However in 1957 the WAFL introduced an extra competitive team into the structure. So now all clubs had a League, Reserves and Thirds team, the last being in the 18-20 years bracket. This enabled the clubs to have access to nurture and improve the football ability of up-and-coming players. Swans were the Thirds competition inaugural Premiers in 1957 and again in 1958 which gave the club a little hope for the future.

In 1960, Haydn Bunton, a South Australian, was elected League Coach. From the outset it was obvious that there would be a massive shake up. The placid Black Swan club emblem was ditched, and replaced by the fierce, black fighting one. Training began in the hot summer months at weekends as well as mid-week. Weekends were up and down sand hills at Scarborough through to Trigg and mid-week around the Swan River, swimming across it, and of course, on the oval. Blood, sweat and plenty of tears!

Read Syd’s Full Story

Anne K

In the first six months following my arrival in Australia from the UK (at a tender age of 19), I had learnt a few of the Australian colloquialisms such as arvo, postie, pressie and bring a plate.

It takes a while to familiarise oneself with local customs and I had my fair share of making errors.

One day when out with my husband Syd, I saw a poster with comments about a Polly Farmer.

I naively asked him what type of farmer was a “Polly” one. Syd responded by laughing his head off before telling me he was a footballer.  There was more to come.

Returning from our honeymoon, Syd wanted to visit his Uncle Harold who was a wheat and sheep farmer in Arrino, just out of Three Springs.

He was a cheerful, down-to-earth man and I immediately liked him.

Upon entering the house it was obvious that house cleaning was not a priority with Harold. The kitchen was full of tins of fat that he had accumulated over the years from cooking roasts!

Read Anne’s Full Story

Kerry C

I have been the coordinator of the Grubby Gardeners at Bridgewater Lifestyle Village for the past five years. I love to garden and in particular, growing vegetables. To me this provides food for the soul, relaxation and the opportunity to be involved with like-minded Lifestylers out in the open air and lovely surroundings with lots of laughter and friendship.

My first involvement in the village’s gardening group was in the middle of 2007 after moving to the village in October 2006. My husband had gone back to full-time work and with time on my hands and
a lifetime interest in gardening and food it was inevitable that I became involved in what was then just a small group that had been allocated a plot on the back fence of the village in which to grow vegetables.

Unfortunately over the next couple of years, and as the village began to grow, we were forced to shift a couple of times before ultimately ending up pretty much back where we began. This all took its toll on the output from the garden but in early 2010 we were settled at last and are now able to pay our way so to speak.

Read Kerry’s Full Story

Bill E

I was part of the 1st National Service Ballot back in 1965. My intake was actually deferred for 6 months as I was studying in my role with the National Bank.

Being called up for National Service, meant that, like lots of other young Australian Men, I was sent to Puckapunyal for my military training. I was part of the 7th Battalion, which was made up of us National Service guys plus some fellas from the 3rd Battalion who had fought in Malaya.

At the time, we were a battalion without a mascot. The 5ths were known as the Tigers, the 8ths were known as the Stud Marinos (which Stan the Ram as their mascot) and so on.

It was, pre our 1st tour of duty, that this story begins. We had spent the February of 1966 day preparing for deployment, as our training had been completed. We were filling our days with medical examinations, equipment checking, marking our bags for easy identification etc.

We would do all this before the usual parading before Stand down at about 4pm. After Stand down, we would rush to change out of our uniforms and into some comfy tshirts and shorts, then retreat to the old Nissen Hut building for our evening fun.

John M

No, I am not stuttering – just reflecting on how many times a person can really retire from ones full-time working career. For me, the latter was a series of interesting experiences working on, or helping to establish, remote African diamond mines. In 1981 I was recruited out of Namibia to a more civilised experience helping to develop the Argyle Diamond Mine in the Kimberley Region of Western Australia.

At age fifty-five I pulled the pin on the diamond mining and processing game and took early retirement from the Argyle Project when they decided to shift the entire staff onto a FIFO (Fly in/Fly out) operation based out of Perth. Who wants to live in Perth when you are enjoying the wonderful Kimberley life style?

We already had a plan for Retirement (Revision.1) in place and had bought a small 150 acre property on the Ord Irrigation Scheme up in Kununurra. My wife Jean had had the Job of developing this run-down property over the five years prior to my leaving the mines. The idea was that we would grow a few acres of bananas to provide a little extra income but also give us sufficient time to enjoy the wilds of the north-east Kimberley. Alas, this early banana planting grew to over fifteen acres. By this time we were far from our envisioned ‘life of leisure’ in retirement as we were employing up to six people and working flat out!

Read John’s Full Story

Sandria S

Early in the morning on the 26th May, 1946 the lightning & thunder shook the cottage in Dartmouth, Devon, England, the wolves howled & I was born. Mum saw that as some sort of omen which turned out to be true. I was destined to be different. My father even spelled my name incorrectly adding an extra ‘i’ to Sandra. The result was that I can never buy a mug or pen with my name already on.

Having a love/hate relationship with my elder brother resulted in many near death experiences. Once he force fed me some sort of glitter then sprinkled it all over the outside. Poor mum had to present this glittering toddler to the hospital. The first of many visits. Moving to London didn’t change my thirst for adventure & I nearly drowned in the Regents Park canal. I tried to ‘bunk’ into the London Zoo and was caught on a branch & left hanging by my knickers. My aforementioned brother decamped the scene. I had 2 other brothers & a sister who also managed to bring chaos into my life.

Much to everyone’s surprise, not least my teacher I passed the 11+ and progressed to High school. I must have developed my social conscience here because I spent more time standing outside the headmaster’s office than actually learning anything. It was usually for standing up against bullying by classmates or teachers. However some kindred spirits remain friends to this very day.

Read Sandria’s Full Story

Jim D

I grew up during War Times in East London. It’s hard for kids nowadays to comprehend but in those days because of the World War we had very little food, we had few toys, we had no bikes, but we had a ball which we kicked around in the street. This was my first introduction to sport.

So I guess I was playing Soccer almost from when I was old enough to run around. My Sporting Life really started when I was 13 and playing for Oldfield United FC. As much as I loved Soccer I was a little overweight as a kid and wasn’t the speediest on the pitch. So it was decided that I would be good in Goal. I played well enough to make the 1st team for Oldfield, during which time a scout from my local Club, Millwall FC, watched me and saw enough to invite me to trial with Millwall.

I made the Reserves Team and debuted against the mighty Arsenal in a midweek London competition. During the game it was 0-0 up until injury time when a late goal was scored against us by un unmarked opponent. Being the unpaid Junior I copped the full blame by all my older teammates and subsequently I got a barrelling from the Manager. Upon hearing this after the game, my Mum stormed up to this Manager and collared him giving him both barrels right between the eyes. On the way home she informed me I would never play for Millwall again. Thanks Mum.

Read Jim’s Full Story

Christiena B

I have always loved to dance.

Robyn

It’s an undeniable fact that a large number of men and women enter their middle years alone. After the division of assets, not many are left as financially secure as they would like to be.

Robyn’s decision to downsize into a new home at NLV gave her the answer she was looking for. A happy new home at a price she could afford, and a chance to be part of a real community of caring friends. You too can live in a modern, spacious new home with every luxury you dreamed about at your fingertips… at a price you can afford.

Ray and May

Ray and May were looking forward to a leisurely pace of life once they stopped working, but it didn’t quite work out that way. Between spending time with their new grandkids and looking after the maintenance of their big family home, they were busier than ever.

Their decision to downsize and upgrade into a brand new home at NLV solved the problem. Their lifestyle home was so much easier to look after, they now have more aquality time to spend with their grandchildren, as well as time for bowls, tennis, swimming, golf or socialising with their new friends… without having to drive anywhere!

Mal and Jo

Yvonne

Trevor and Lynne

Trevor and Lynne’s decision to downsize into a brand new home has had a big impact on their lifestyle. They now have a lot less outgoings and less maintenance… which means more money in their pockets! On top of that, they now have more time to do the things they love, like playing golf.

You too can live in a modern, spacious new home with every luxury you dreamed about at your fingertips… at a price you can afford.

Chris and Dianne

Chris and Diane’s decision to downsize with NLV is opening the door to live a life of following the sun. The superb security at NLV gives them the freedom to ‘lock up and leave’ whenever they wish. They can head up north for a bit of sun in winter, or over to Tasmania to escape the heat of summer, or go anywhere … at any time they want.

When home, their caravan is also securely accommodated on-site. You too can live the life you longed for all in a modern, spacious new home among friends with every luxury you dreamed about at your fingertips… at a price you can afford.

Jacquie and Keith

When new Oyster Harbour Lifestyle Village Lifestylers, Jacquie and Keith Moreton took a leisurely drive through Albany while on holiday, they cruised down Elizabeth Street, liked the sound of Oyster Harbour, followed the directions and fell in love the minute they entered the front gates.

What drew you to Albany?

Keith is from Albany originally and he always wanted to come back after living in the UK for most of his life. I am from Melbourne so there was no convincing me of moving here. We were living in a large, late 1970s five bedroom home on an 800sqm block near Rockingham at the time, and the up-keep was just getting too much for us. You don’t want to be climbing ladders and cleaning gutters in your 60s.

Did the Perth summers influence your decision?

Absolutely. We just couldn’t handle it anymore, even though we had an air-conditioner. It doesn’t rain anywhere near as much as the weather reports say down here. It’s still warm and sunny and the skies are beautiful and clear. You really notice the lack of pollution because we are near the harbour and the sea which gives a lovely ambience.

And now, how is the new lifestyle working for you?

We love it. You’d have to drag me away screaming! When we retired Keith hadn’t been well. We started to miss contact with other people and began to feel a bit socially isolated. I tell you, we have been made so welcome here. We feel like we belong. Being able to bring our aging dog was also a big deciding factor for us. Leaving him behind would have been a huge wretch.
Keith says it’s like a movie roll every time we take the dog for a walk. That’s the lovely part about Oyster Harbour.

You mentioned you like being part of a growing community

We like the fact that we are the pioneers down here. We can go through the teething stages, add our voice and watch it grow like a teenager. If people want to be a part of that they should come down!

Financial benefits?

We like how the weekly rent covers a lot of things that we’d be putting money aside for every fortnight previously. Everything is here so we don’t need to go anywhere locally or pay membership fees.

Jacquie and Keith kindly provided this testimonial in 2014. If you’d like to view this wonderful Village, call us on 08 9844 0000 or discover more about Oyster Harbour Lifestyle Village here.

Anne Parker

Busselton Lifestyler, Anne has lived all over the country in a range of similar village communities. But according to Anne, nothing compares to the coastal charm of Busselton.

Perfect home

Anne selected a 1-bedroom, 1-bathroom Sussex home and comments that it is so beautifully designed. “From the front it looks like a quaint little 1900s worker’s cottage, but once you get inside, it’s so vast and well laid-out.”

Plenty of storage

“The storage is brilliant. There’s a laundry with an ironing board facility and broom cupboard, a wall-to-wall robe in my bedroom and plenty of cupboards in my galley kitchen.”

Friendly environment

“The sales ladies often show prospective buyers through my home and I am very proud of that.”

“I have lived all over the country, in various (non-NLV) village communities of different sizes, and Busselton Lifestyle Village is just the right size.”

“The management team is lovely, you can talk to them and they treat you like family.”

Great location

“We have a brilliant position right next to a park, there is a bike and walking track nearby and I love the access to Busselton town and the beach, which are just 2kms away.”

Lyn and Bob

We were in Wanneroo and we wanted to downsize. We have got a big van and we were looking for a sea change – and my twin daughters are in Bunbury. We did all the research and looked at the Joondalup and Mandurah villages. We looked at putting a park home on caravan parks, but they have not got the security.

Here we can go away and not have to worry. We had alarms in Perth, but you still panic a bit when you go away. It’s the neighbours here that are great and that are always looking out for you. And with a house in other places, for insurance you have to be in it for a number of months of the year, or you have to get a house-sitter. Our house in Perth sold very quickly and it freed up some money, although Bob is still working. We also needed an area for the caravan, which we have got and it is secure.

The village has a nice community feeling. The neighbours are excellent, which isn’t always the case in the suburbs. We have had friends go into the Joondalup village and they couldn’t believe the social life. We have morning teas for the ladies, we are knitting for charity and we have got a bus. The village management here are like family – they really are.