How retirement living gave a Bundaberg couple more time
After a living in the Bundaberg region all their lives, Annette and her husband George knew their move to Carlyle Gardens Retirement Village would be a big change.
After years of maintaining a large home and garden, they reached a point where they were ready for something different. A home that would make life a little easier and give them more time to enjoy the things they love.
“We just thought we’d come down here and have less work to do,” Annette says. “Basically, enjoy life a little bit more.”
They were one of the first residents to move into the brand-new villas at Carlyle Garden. Within just a few months, they have settled into their new home, made friends with their neighbours and embraced village life.
A home for the years ahead
For Annette and George, one of the biggest attractions of their new villa is the sense that it has been designed not just for today, but for the future. They were surprised by how spacious their new home feels, with generous rooms and features such as wide, step-free doorways and thoughtfully designed cabinetry.
“Everything’s been set up properly for older people,” Annette says. “We can stay here for the rest of our lives.”
Knowing that their home can continue to work for them as their needs change gives them confidence. Plus having a 24/7 emergency call button, Support at Home services available if they need them and caring neighbours nearby, all help contribute to that sense of security. It’s a level of reassurance they didn’t have in their family home.
More time to enjoy life
The decision to move wasn’t about wanting to leave their old life behind. Instead, it was about making everyday life more enjoyable. After years of looking after a large property, the cleaning, gardening and general maintenance had simply become too much.
At Carlyle Gardens, having less responsibilities give Annette and George more freedom to spend their time as they choose. They’ve quickly discovered that village life offers lots of ways to fill that time. The couple enjoy the regular social events, including Happy Hours and monthly dinners, where they’ve had many opportunities to meet their new neighbours.
“There’s always something you can join in with,” Annette says. “If you don’t want to go, you don’t go.
That flexibility suits them perfectly. George enjoys catching up with other men in the village, as well as spending time reading and relaxing at home. Annette, meanwhile, has found a wonderful outlet for her lifelong passion for art and sewing.
A lifelong love of creativity
Creativity has been part of Annette’s life for more than 50 years. She began sewing when she was 18 and went on to spend 5 decades creating wedding dresses. She and George also ran a fabric and sewing machine retail business for around 12 years.
Today, Annette combines her sewing skills with her love of art, creating intricate pieces using free-motion embroidery. Her talent has taken her work into exhibitions and galleries around Bundaberg, and she continues to exhibit and sell her work.
Since moving to Carlyle Gardens, Annette has also joined the village art group, which meets on Friday mornings.
“It’s really good,” she says. “We’ve got some good artists in our group down here.”
The group gives residents an opportunity to come together, share their creativity and enjoy a common interest, while still having the freedom to work on their own projects at home. Annette has set up the dedicated study in their villa as her art and sewing space.
For Annette, it’s another example of how retirement living can provide an opportunity to keep doing the things you’ve always enjoyed.
A community that feels like home
While living in a brand-new villa was an important part of their decision, Annette says it’s the welcoming community and atmosphere at Carlyle Gardens that has really stood out.
“Everyone’s lovely and friendly,” she says.
The couple were fortunate to move in alongside several new neighbours they already knew, helping them feel at home from the beginning. Their villa is also in a particularly peaceful position, with roads on 3 sides and views across open land towards the sea.
“We feel like we’re in the country,” Annette says.
At the same time, the village’s location makes it easy for them to get out and about. With the new road now open into their section, they have even easier access to the surrounding area. For Annette, that combination of community, convenience and independence is hard to beat.
Keeping active and connected
With more free time, Annette has also been trying to stay active. She has tried out the exercise classes at Carlyle Gardens but simply enjoys walking around the village and local area, particularly as the weather warms up.
“I’m just trying to get a bit of exercise,” she says. “When you’re sewing and doing art, you’re sitting down a fair bit. You’ve got to move around.”
The couple also enjoy the community garden, where residents grow produce and make things such as homemade jam. Each Tuesday, Annette can collect fresh produce for a small donation, another simple pleasure that has become part of village life.
And while Annette enjoys being out and about, George has found his own favourite spot: the village library.
“He loves the library,” Annette says. “The librarian does a really good job.”
The right move, at the right time
Annette and George’s move to Carlyle Gardens has given them the chance to enjoy a simpler way of life without giving up their independence or the things that make them who they are.
For anyone considering whether retirement living might be right for them, Annette’s advice is simple: “We tell them how good it is.”
For Annette and George, it seems they’ve found the right place, at the right time, for their next chapter.
The brand-new villas at Carlyle Gardens offer low-maintenance living, thoughtful design and the chance to be part of a welcoming community.