Lifestyle

Dream Holiday Turns Into Dream Life for Evans Couple

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A two-week holiday in a historic homestead has led to a new life for Lyn and Bryan Evans who in May made the move from Tuncurry to Seachange Riverside Coomera. It was 2017 when the couple, who were travelling around Australia, came to the Gold Coast to visit their son and his family, staying in an Airbnb on the grounds of what was to become the five-star over 50s resort.

 

“We stayed in the original homestead on the property. It was a beautiful old home and the homestead was absolutely stunning,” Lyn said. “It was while we were staying here that we found out about Seachange Riverside Coomera. At the time we were living in an over 50s community in Tuncurry and we really enjoyed the lifestyle, so we made the decision to move here to be closer to family. “It was obviously meant to be.”

 

 

The couple have been living in the resort since May although the move had been planned for earlier. “We were living in the Foster region and because of the bush fires we had to be evacuated and it made it very difficult to sell. Then there was the COVID-19 lockdown and we couldn’t have people through our home to view it,” she said. “After that we had a contract on our house but that was subject to the sale of their house and they couldn’t sell. It was one thing after the other, but we finally were able to move here in May and we absolutely love it. We are very happy here … everything is lovely, the people are lovely.”

 

“We really enjoyed the eight years we spent in the over 50s village in Tuncurry and that’s why we chose here. “And it’s a newer development. There’s not many places where you have so many facilities … two swimming pools, a gym, tennis courts, the Coomera river … the list goes on. “You can do everything and nothing.”

 

 

Lyn said she was particularly delighted to find the builders had used as much of the original homestead in the design and layout of the resort. “They’ve used whatever they can in the work here including stonework, rocks, timber, the brickwork in the driveway and in the River House. You can see it everywhere you look. “Even the billiards table in the River House is from the original homestead. I’m so glad they have used everything they could – it really means something.” Lyn said her favourite place was the River House and she likes nothing better than whiling away the days there looking out at the river.

 

 

“This is such a lovely resort and the area is away from hustle and bustle. There’s no traffic screaming past because it’s a dead end street. It is a really well-thought-out design. “And even when you are in lockdown it doesn’t feel like it because you can sit on the jetty and look out and watch the world go by.”

 

Seachangers Unite – A Fun Filled Trip To Toowoomba

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With the Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers in full swing, the residents from Seachange Emerald Lakes, Seachange Arundel and Seachange Riverside Coomera took the opportunity to visit the garden city and join in on the festivities. On the itinerary was a morning tea, a visit to the gardens and lunch at Seachange Toowoomba. It was really great seeing residents from all our resorts represented at the event. It was a true testament to the spirit of community that is evident amongst all the residents at Seachange.

 

 

This year’s Carnival of Flowers was made even more memorable for the Seachange community as it was the first time we managed to put in a float in the parade. The residents who are part of the gardening society, the arts and crafts club and the staff all worked together to build an impressive float that brought so much cheer to Seachange Toowoomba. It was this excitement that led to the residents hosting the visiting Seachange communities and showing them around the resort as well as Toowoomba, taking in the sights and exploring the gardens in full bloom.

 

 

The trip also included a tour of Seachange Toowoomba. The visitors got a chance to see some of the display homes as well as the facilities at the resort. The Country Club hosted the special lunch and there were some stalls on display as well.

 

 

Show n Shine Market Day

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Seachange Arundel was full of excitement as they held their inaugural annual car show and market day. There were 21 amazing cars on show and they toured the village before lining up for display at the Village Green. The residents were treated to some great entertainment by the ever fabulous Glenn Shields.

 

 

Sixteen beautiful stalls displaying gorgeous goods for sale were up in the Village Green and Martha, our Seachange kombi coffee van was present providing lovely coffees. Special thanks go to Stuart Robert MP and Cr. Ryan Bayldon who donated their marquees for use on the day, the great volunteers who helped set them up, the wonderful “chefs” and servers running the sausage sizzle and the Seachange residents for the amazing turnout.

 

There was something for everyone on the day, catering to the fans of classic cars, curious shoppers and those after a delicious bite. We cannot wait to do it all over again next year thanks to the amazing support we received from the Seachange community.

 

 

 

 

Exercising At Home

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At Seachange, our active residents understand the importance of nourishing the body. Not only does exercise improve our physical well-being but it has a vital impact on our mental health as well. While all of our residents have access to state-of-the-art gym facilities at each of our resort locations, fitting in a quick workout from the comfort of your own home is another great way to stay active.

 

Other benefits to exercising from home include listening to your music of choice out loud, wearing whatever you want, and the overall convenience of being in your own home. Try out these simple, yet effective, beginner exercises to kick-start your workout.

 

Chair squat

 Squats will help strengthen the muscles in your legs and core, making everyday movements easier. Start with a chair underneath you to help master the proper form.

Directions:

  1. Stand in front of the chair with your feet shoulder-width apart, toes pointed slightly out.
  2. Hinging at your hips and bending your knees, lower back and down until your bottom touches the chair, allowing your arms to extend out in front of you.
  3. Push up through your heels and return to the starting position.

 

Knee push-up

 The next exercise is a beginner-style push-up, this move will help you build strength before attempting a standard push-up.

Directions:

  1. Get into a high plank position from your knees.
  2. Maintaining a straight line from your head to your knees, bend your elbows to lower yourself down to the ground. Keep your elbows at a 45-degree angle.
  3. Push back up to start.

 

Stationary lunge

 Now target your quads, hamstrings, and glutes with a stationary lunge.

Directions:

  1. Split your stance with your right leg in front. Your right foot should be flat on the ground, and your left foot should be up on its toes.
  2. Bend your knees and lunge, stopping when your right thigh is parallel to the ground.
  3. Push up through your right foot to return to the starting position. Repeat for desired number of reps, then switch legs.

 

 

 

 

Seachange Residents Bowl into Action

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Playing bowls is a great leisure activity, and under the tutelage of Graeme Wicks, Seachange Riverside Coomera residents are quickly mastering the difference between ‘kissing the jack’ and ‘a heavy bowl’. Graeme was introduced to the ‘old man marbles’ by his father-in-law whilst on holiday in Wales in the United Kingdom. “I realised pretty quickly that it is a really challenging sport, much harder than I initially assumed,” he said. “The green is so variable as to how it runs, and you have to learn how much weight and pressure to apply in which direction because the ball does roll.”

 

After Graeme first arrived at Seachange, he found the bowls green only a few metres away from his house and shortly after volunteered for the resort’s coaching position. “When I was back from Wales, I asked a local bowls champion at my home club to coach me and started to develop my qualifications and experience. Bowls is now one of the most popular activities at Seachange Riverside Coomera, and the over 50s resort even holds its own tournaments. “The recent tournament, which included Single, Novice, Triple and Fancy-Dress competitions, was a way of bringing new and experienced bowlers together and it also encouraged the wonderful lady bowlers to participate that little bit more!”

 

Dave Flavell, featured in the pictures, was awarded Bowler of the Tournament. Graeme said ‘Dave truly exemplified the spirit of bowls which is all about gathering the community to have fun’. Seachange Riverside Coomera Community Manager Lynn Wild said the green has become the resort’s ‘heart of activity’. “The green is located right next to our wonderful Country Club, so the residents are able to go in and out of the Club to grab a cool drink from the bar whilst they are playing, it’s no wonder it has become so busy. The residents just love it.”

 

 

 

 

Bending and stretching to fitness

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Cathy Wicks’ desire to stay active and healthy has led dozens of her new friends to try a new style of fitness class at Seachange Riverside Coomera. Cathy, the resort’s Resident Activities Coordinator, attended fitness classes at the Pacific Pines Community Hub prior to settling at Seachange.

 

“When my husband Graeme and I moved to Seachange just over a year ago, I was so excited about the variety of activities on offer, but I did think it would be fun to continue with some of the fitness classes I took before we moved to the resort,” she said. “A couple of my friends attended a session of a new class called AgeilityFit post COVID and told me it was different but really good for our age group.”

 

 

“It sounded fantastic, so I tried it out, and now we have our very own weekly class here at Seachange.” Cathy said the beauty of AgeilityFit, led by instructor David Lawson, was how it combined physical and mental activity. “It’s about balance, listening to instructions that you have to follow, and then changing things mid-way through, so you have to use your brain too,” she said.

 

Mr Lawson said his MatureFit program was designed to improve participants’ health and wellbeing. “It focuses on developing strength, improving mobility, flexibility, balance and independence whether you want to challenge your current fitness level or start your fitness journey anew. We help many who have never exercised before or it has been years since they did sport or other activities,” he said. The low-impact class caters for those with injuries and limited capabilities by utilising light dumbbells and resistant bands to perform a variety of exercise while seated or standing with a chair as assistance.

 

 

“We work with all types of people. Some who have had hip or knee replacements, shoulder and back issues and others who have had strokes. Participating in classes can make everyday activities easier and shows you that it is never too late to make an improvement to your health and wellbeing,” he said. Seachange Riverside Coomera Community Manager Lynn Wild said she thoroughly enjoyed seeing homeowners trying new activities at the resort. “At Seachange, we provide our residents with the opportunity to participate in all type of fitness programs such as Yoga and Line Dancing,” she said. “Lawn Bowls is a really popular activity, and it is wonderful to see more and more people using our fully equipped gym, treatment room, sauna and steam room. “AgeilityFit is proving to be great new option for those wanting to try something interesting and different.”