Terence Moyana

Shock Turns To Delight For New Seachangers

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When Michael and Margaret Bowe put the home they had lived in for 48 years on the market they were in for an enormous shock. Thinking their Clifton property would take 12 months to sell, they were astounded when it sold the very next day! Suddenly the rush was on to find a new home, not just for themselves but also for all the belongings that they couldn’t take with them as they downsized to something more manageable.

 

“We were a little bit worried. Our eldest son Anthony joked we could live in his caravan! Luckily, our daughter Sue-Anne knew someone who lived here at Seachange Toowoomba. She brought us here for a visit and it was lovely,” said Margaret, 71. “We found our house straight away, loved it and bought it immediately. We were lucky to find the right one here in Seachange so quickly. “We did try another over 50s community, but we just loved Seachange.”

 

 

The couple moved in June 2021 and have been spending their time taking part in all the resort activities on offer. It was a big change for the Bowes who went from having a four-bedroom, two-bathroom house on two acres to a two-bedroom, two-bathroom home with a small garden within the over 50s lifestyle resort. Michael, 70, who was one of 14 children and had lived in Clifton for 70 years, initially found the move a bit challenging but quickly made plenty of new friends and is happy and active in the community.

 

“When we first spoke about putting the house on the market, we were not thinking it was going to sell so quickly but when it did, I dug my heels in and said I didn’t want to leave,” Michael said. “But the house sold straight away so we had to do something. We went to some different places to look and then we came to Seachange. The very first thing we noticed was the very friendly staff and how they welcomed us into the office. “I was very nervous at first and it probably took me about four weeks before I started really settling in and I got to know some very friendly people … it’s been great ever since. “I have no regrets and I still go out to Clifton and play golf once a week.”

 

 

Margaret said it had been easy to make new friends and she was thoroughly enjoying taking part in all the activities. “On Mondays it’s bowls, Tuesdays we go to Drayton for line dancing and Michael goes to the gym, Wednesdays there’s singing. On Thursdays Michael plays snooker and I go to line dancing practice, and Fridays there’s other things on. Plus, every second week there’s Friday happy hour at the country club,” she said. “We are really social and keep ourselves busy. We’re certainly not bored and we have seven grandchildren we love spending time with as well. It’s nice to get back to everything after Covid.

 

“And even though we went from having two acres in Clifton with a big garden, I still have my garden here and grow herbs, tomatoes, cucumbers and shallots. “We don’t have a single little regret. Even when we are in the Toowoomba township I say ‘let’s just go home to our house’. I love it.”

 

 

 

Jules the driving force for Rocks On Show ‘n’ Shine

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Within days of packing up the 20 market stalls from the Arundel Rocks On Show ‘n’ Shine spectacular, organiser Julie Wallis is already dreaming up ideas for next year. Show ‘n’ Shine took over the village green for the second year running in June, with more than 200 residents, family and friends turning out to enjoy the bustling market and entertainment. A display of 24 classic vehicles – most of them owned by residents – was again a large part of the Show, bringing the charm and elegance of another era into the village.

 

 

Coordinating the market and its many moving parts was a labour of love for Julie and her partner Colin Howard, a former builder, who have called Arundel home for nearly eight years. Julie who operates “Jules Jewels” at the Mt Tamborine Markets saw an opportunity to bring the fun of a market to Arundel. Living opposite the village green, she says she was struck with the idea a market could be a great way to utilise the space and the idea was backed by the community. “There was a lot of enthusiasm, and the idea came to life!  All the stalls are from the village, so we have card-making, preserves and honey, and a workshop stall with wooden crafts, – even a children’s book author,” Julie said.

 

 

With music, food and colourful marquees adorned with crafty bunting, the market evokes the atmosphere of a traditional English market. “There was great support from the whole community with the Seachange Coffee Van Martha on board and a free sausage sizzle provided by the Seachange HOC committee,” Julie said. “We decided to include classic cars because I’ve been involved in car clubs before and thought it would be fun to have a Car Run,” she said.  “Paul Shepard and Rod Alford coordinated the cars and the Run and it was really well supported by the residents as we have plenty of classic car lovers here.”

 

 

As the next Rocks On Show ‘n’ Shine shapes up in the background, Julie has plenty more creative and colourful ways to bring a smile to her neighbours. “We have just held the Seachange Walkers’ Christmas in July breakfast, which was great fun, and I am involved in the decorating team, so always out there dressing up the country club with a theme,” she said.

 

 

Moving to Arundel was a great decision, says Julie, who was in the real estate business before retiring. “We were drawn in right away by the village green, and we have been really happy.  We always say you can do as much as you want, or as little as you want and just enjoy living here.”

 

Time To ‘Kick Back and Enjoy’ for Seachangers

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When Di and Terry Murtagh decided to move into Seachange Toowoomba to enjoy their retirement in “a safe community lifestyle”, they didn’t have far to travel. In fact, it may well have been one of the shortest moves they had made since meeting in Darwin in 1970, given it was literally “just on the other side of town”. The couple moved into the resort in March after attending an Open Day and viewing the “lovely villas, inviting facilities and friendly atmosphere”.

 

“We met in Darwin, when Terry was working for PMG (Postmaster-General’s Department) and I was at NT. Mines Branch, and we got married in 1972 in Toowoomba, where I was born,” Di said. “After being blown out of Darwin by Cyclone Tracy on Christmas Day 1974, we moved with PMG to Mount Gambier, in South Australia, but returned to Darwin with our first son in 1976.” After their second son was born, Terry was promoted to Technical Instructor in the Telecom Training Schools, which saw them move to both Adelaide and later Brisbane. While in Brisbane, Di made a foray into the Brisbane fashion scene, owning her own boutique, and acting as a fashion parade compère and choreographer. She later studied at the Wal Scerri Pharmacy Academy and when the couple moved to Toowoomba in 1986, found work in a pharmacy while Terry enjoyed a promotion to Quality Assurance Inspector covering southwest Queensland.

 

After 35 years with the PMG/Telecom industry, Terry obtained a redundancy which set them on a new path. “We purchased Racecourse News Newsagency at Wyalla Plaza, Toowoomba, and although it was very long hours, it was seven years of very rewarding work,” Di said. “Then after a nice break, which included overseas and Australian travel, we embarked on a new venture and swapped ‘the news for the views’, building a lovely Colonial-style Bed & Breakfast and Cottages in the beautiful Steele Rudd scenic countryside of Mt Rascal south of Toowoomba. Our Mt Rascal B&B brought a lot of joy to the many of the interstate and international guests hosted there. We thoroughly enjoyed the accommodation and hospitality industry, and during this time Terry held the position as Chairman of The Toowoomba & Golden West Tourism Association. Plus, we both still worked part-time. Terry drove the school bus and I was a pharmacy manager.” Terry retired six years ago and Di, after the past 23 years at the pharmacy, in July last year.

 

“It’s now time for us to kick back and enjoy our lovely new home at Seachange,” she said. “Terry enjoys playing pool with his new friends and it was not hard to embrace the Friday night happy hours and movie nights. “I also love to help out the kitchen ladies at the functions and look forward to hitting the tennis court, pool and gym. “There’s lots more fun times ahead for us and we are very happy. Our grandchildren think it’s pretty cool we live here too.”

 

Dream of Artistic Life Coming True

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School children often dream of growing up to become doctors or nurses, firemen or policemen, truck drivers or pilots. For Fran Harlow it was to become an art teacher. Sometime, however, life gets in the way and when Fran left school she also left art behind. That was until she moved into Seachange Coomera and rediscovered her passion after joining the resort’s art club which meets twice a week.

 

“I’m one of the original members. We’ve all become a lot more experienced than we were initially. Our first coordinator has left but before that he took us on an amazing journey and path experiencing different types of art,” Fran said. “We now have a new coordinator and she’s wonderful and so giving of her time. We are so lucky to have her, and she has a wealth of experience. She’s shown us so much and we are all very grateful.”

 

Fran said it was wonderful to be able to return to the world of art after so many years and she enjoyed expressing herself through creation. “It’s really good to come back and rediscover my passion. We mainly use acrylics and I prefer the Impressionist art style where I might take a tree or person or object and express it in the way that suits my personality,” she said. “I can do something from the heart … If I use a lot of bright colours, that’s how I feel that day. I really love Monet and I started off one painting in that style … and it was woeful but then it ended up quite beautiful. At one stage I put it under the sink in the art room and let all the colours wash off as they were too bright. I subdued the brightness and sponged off some of the colours and it became a very subtle piece and I even surprised myself.”

 

“It was a very enjoyable process. I’m really happy with quite a few of the pieces that I’ve produced.” Fran said the art club classes were now addressing Realism, alongside playing with light in the painting and capturing the nuances it exudes. “You’d be amazed at how the original idea can change so dramatically. You can start off with an idea in mind and that can turn into something that you are not so happy with, or it can change into something entirely different … a joyous piece,” she said.

 

Change In Plans Leads The Quaifes To Toowoomba

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Peter and Brenda Quaife’s house on Tamborine Mountain wasn’t even on the market when they had an offer on it and sold it a day later. “We were approached and asked if we would sell it. We hadn’t really thought about it seriously but as we were thinking of moving the next year anyway, said ‘yes’ pretty much immediately,” Brenda said. The sale meant the couple quickly signed a contract for a home at Seachange Riverside Coomera after falling in love with the area and the facilities available in the resort.

 

However, plans changed when they were offered a house in Toowoomba by the team at Seachange. “We were told there was a house in Toowoomba which was only two weeks from being finished,” Peter said. “We came up to see it, we liked it and now here we are here. “We had decided a long time ago that if we had to move from Tamborine Mountain, we would probably go to Toowoomba but thought it might be a little cool for us. “When we looked at Riverside Coomera, we found it very appealing, however, after coming up here and seeing the facilities and the house, we were quite happy.”

 

The move to Toowoomba three months ago has brought them closer to their paramedic son, who lives an hour away in Dalby, and also means they are close to the hospital for Peter’s health needs. “I had a diagnosis that requires making regular trips to a hospital. On the Gold Coast it’s a good three-quarters of an hour drive but here the hospital is only five minutes away,” he said. While the couple have been busy unpacking and settling in to their two-bedroom plus multi-purpose room Kensington house, Brenda has already joined several groups at Seachange Toowoomba and is enjoying an active social life. This includes weekly ukulele jamming sessions, bowls, Qi Gong, and Sing Australia. “We also go to Friday get-togethers where we bring a plate, have a little wine and get to know everyone. It’s fantastic,” she said. “Peter is in remission and plays pool weekly. I’m also trying to get him into the gym.

 

“We are both very, very happy here. The people are amazing and there is a lot of laughter and a lot of joy around. “It’s truly beautiful and the house is just gorgeous. We get all the northern sun in winter and it has ducted air conditioning for those cooler days.” She said the couple were enjoying spending more time with their son, looking forward to making new friends and making use of all the Seachange Toowoomba facilities which include a Summer House, Clubhouse, bowling green, woodwork shop, heated pool, gym and tennis court. “Everything we need, in terms of shops and the hospital, is only five to seven minutes’ drive away too,” Brenda said.

 

Peter said apart from taking part in all the activities the resort had to offer, he was looking forward to exploring the Toowoomba area. “We went to the annual Carnival of Flowers which was lovely. There are a lot of things around the area to do and we can use Toowoomba as our base,” he said.

 

 

 

Third Time’s A Charm For Janine

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It was third time lucky for Janine Sheehan when she moved into Seachange Toowoomba in August. Not once, but twice, had she moved in three years trying to find the perfect place to live where peace and quiet were in abundance.

 

Upon parting ways with her husband, the 62-year-old moved into a terraced home in Springfield Lakes but was soon to find the thin walls and over-excited children banging on them all hours of the night made living there rather unpleasant. Janine began looking further afield and after seeing advertisements for Seachange Toowoomba, she attended a morning tea and sales presentation to find out more.

 

“At the time there was just a little building at the front, and they were excavating the grounds, but I was very impressed and put a deposit down,” she said. “However, I did end up changing my mind as my son Jack has autism. He stays with me on weekends and needs room to be able to wander around a bit, so I didn’t feel there was enough space at the time. “Also, I hadn’t settled with his father at that stage, so I wasn’t ready to go ahead.”

 

Janine eventually did settle on a three-bedroom townhouse in Toowoomba’s Wilsonton area but once again found it wasn’t ideal. “It was a lovely unit but when the COVID-19 lockdown hit, the block behind me sold and construction started on a childcare centre. I didn’t realise when I bought there that it was a commercial area – it had just been called a ‘support zone’ so I found myself living next door to dust and dirt for months on end. Then the childcare centre opened from 6am to 6pm …. “And, of course, because of the zoning I realised at any time other blocks could sell and more commercial enterprises be built around me. “It was a stressful time because everything was going up in price so I decided to go and take another look at Seachange Toowoomba.”

 

Janine found at the time there was only one home available ready for immediate occupation and after a viewing “smacked down” a $1000 deposit that same day.
And it was lucky she did as another lady arrived the next day wanting to purchase it. Janine’s Wilsonton townhouse sold for the highest price ever in the suburb and she moved into her new two-bedroom home in August. “When I saw it I thought it was lovely and just what I wanted. It was bigger than the first duplex I had looked at before and had plenty of space for my son to walk around. “I’m very grateful and fortunate it was available as the people who came after me had to wait for building works to be completed. “I love it, the facilities, playing tennis, the heated pool … although I’m so busy I don’t always have the time to enjoy them but when I slow down it will all still be there.”

 

Janine volunteers at the RAAF Amberley Aviation Heritage Centre which holds open days once a month. She also takes Jack to special art classes once a week and enjoys gardening at her new home. “I was a bit worried about having a smaller garden, but my numerous plants all did fit into the space beautifully and to my surprise I have enough garden space to plant up more if I wish,” she said. “And it turns out I already knew, indirectly, the next-door neighbour while on the other side are friends of my old neighbours. “People really make you feel comfortable here. You have all the facilities for a quality lifestyle, a safe gated estate and a community who is happy to get to know my son when he is here.”