Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

07/09/2023

Harmony and Health

The Senior

Janita leads a qi gong class at Seachange Toowoomba, bringing harmony and health to residents.

Seachangers Unite – A Fun Filled Trip To Toowoomba

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.

Sharks In The Pool at Seachange Arundel

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

There have been a few “sharks” spotted at Seachange Arundel recently as the resort’s Mixed Doubles Pool Comp stirs the waters. Organiser Kevin Moran said until he moved into the resort, with wife Maureen, two weeks before the first COVID-19 lockdown, he could count on one hand the number of times he had played either Pool or Snooker. “We managed to get two ‘Friday night drinks’ in before everything closed but this turned out to be a blessing in disguise as the management at Seachange encouraged residents to start Street Trivia and through that we met a great group of people who have quickly become firm friends,” he said. “It was this group that Maureen and I asked if they would be interested in playing a mixed pair pool competition. Most of the men had some experience playing pool, but most women not at all. “However, we felt that this would be an advantage because we didn’t want it to be serious. And believe me, serious it is not!

Dream Holiday Turns Into Dream Life for Evans Couple

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

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.

Spring Has Sprung in Toowoomba

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

Every year, Toowoomba’s Carnival of Flowers brings together thousands of floral enthusiasts and tourists to mark the start of spring. Launched in 1949, the carnival has grown from strength to strength, winning a multitude of awards and fans along the way. What started as an attempt to boost economic activity around Toowoomba has blossomed into an iconic Queensland event that normally draws a multitude of visitors from across the country. With the ongoing pandemic however, it has meant that Queenslanders had to do a lot of the heavy lifting and they came out in numbers to support and make this year’s festival a memorable one. There were more than 60,000 people in attendance.

Calendar Packed Full of Fun for New Community Manager

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

Seachange Emerald Lakes’ new community manager Narelle Moore is making the most of her latest role, soaking in the community atmosphere and enjoying the prestige facilities at the five-star resort. Narelle, who joined the Seachange Lifestyle Resorts team in April, says she is absolutely ‘loving it’. “I previously worked as a property manager in real estate. I’ve worked in hotels and commercial, so my previous experience meant I could easily transition into a role like this,” she said. “And it’s lovely here. I’m lucky to have such a wonderful community. It’s no wonder there’s a waiting list to secure a lakeside lifestyle as it’s such a beautiful resort.”

Volunteering leads to fun, friendship and funds raised for charity

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

The Lawn Bowls Bar has long been a hub for community connection at Seachange Arundel. Now it is a place where residents can contribute their time and skills, with a total of 25 volunteers attaining Responsible Service of Alcohol (RSA) qualifications that allow them to run the bar and simultaneously raised much-needed funds for local charities. Volunteer Bar Manager, Howard Wallace, who has been living at the resort for five years, said “community spirit truly comes alive at our venue”. “A lot of those working the bar love it because they get to know other people in the community. It’s a great way to connect. People rally around. It’s a very social community and everyone wants to do something,” said Howard, who has managed the bar for two years. As a function venue, the Lawn Bowls Bar has raised more than $10,000 for various charities as well as hosted welfare seminars with information from hospitals, legal advice on wills, first aid and many other subjects.

Bright Outlook For Three Lovely Ladies

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

Residents of Seachange Toowoomba may have thought they’d had one too many at the resort’s Happy Hour recently when they began to see triple! But, in fact, it was the resort’s three resident Outlook Girls – Chris Horne, Tracy Pukalis and Marilyn Schefe – who, thanks to a strange coincidence, were all wearing the same yellow top from designer TS (which stands for Taking Shape). The Outlook Girls earned their name because the three ladies reside side-by-side at the resort in Numbers 1, 2 and 3 on The Outlook.

Water Workouts For Fun & Fitness

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

A healthy lifestyle is one of the key pillars of community life at Seachange Riverside Coomera. Community manager Lynn Wild, who is also an experienced swimming teacher, said getting into aqua aerobics was a great way for over 50s to keep fit, and a fabulous way to meet others. “Any exercise you do in water is the equivalent of six times of doing it on land,” said Lynn. “It is also better from a safety point of view. For example, running on the spot using water resistance is a lot less hard on your joints, your knees, your thighs and hips than being on a hard surface on land.

Marathon Meander at Seachange Emerald Lakes

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

It all started out as a chilly Saturday morning at Seachange Emerald Lakes but you would not have noticed it based on how electric the atmosphere was. The annual charity Marathon Meander had everyone buzzing with excitement. The residents came out in their numbers to support a worthy cause, with funds raised to be donated to the Cancer Council.

Get In Line with Barb

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

Move over Billy Ray Cyrus – the best line dancers around can be found at Seachange Arundel, with homeowner Barb Bos leading the moves. When the ultra-catchy tune ‘Achy Breaky Heart’ led to a line dancing craze in the 1990s, Barb was one of the millions who immediately enjoyed the structured style. Now with over 30 years of dance experience, Barb shares her steps with others and has been teaching line dancing for the past 11 years.

Change In Plans Leads The Quaifes To Toowoomba

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

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.

Seachange Toowoomba awarded again

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

We had another exciting moment for Seachange Toowoomba on the weekend as our “Brennan” display home was awarded Best Display Home in its category at the QLD Master Builders Awards. These awards recognise builders that are at the forefront of innovation and quality craftsmanship, promoting and showcasing excellence in the housing industry.

Fresh produce and friendships seeded at Seachange Toowoomba

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

It may just be a lettuce to some, but to Yvonne Mallory growing produce in the Seachange Toowoomba community garden provides a way to share knowledge, recipes and start friendships. Coming from apartment life, Yvonne hasn’t had her own garden in over six years. Once she moved into Seachange she found joining the gardening club a source a great joy. “I used to love gardening out in the sun with all the fresh air and it feels great to get my hands dirty again, but my favourite part by far is seeing people enjoy the produce we grow,” she said.

Third Time’s A Charm For Janine

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

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

Ocean Inspires Creative Seachange Community

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

The tentacles of fun and fabric have spread throughout Seachange Toowoomba as the lifestyle resort readied for the city’s biggest event of the year, the annual Carnival of Flowers. Fingers have been busy knitting and knotting as the resort’s crafty ladies enjoyed creating a colourful display to showcase the gated over 50s community during what is the longest running floral event of its kind in Australia.

Meet our Toowoomba Community manager – Leisa Porter

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

Leisa Porter spent two years as community manager at Seachange Emerald Lakes but in November the call of family drew her back to her home city of Toowoomba. She took up the position of community manager at Seachange Toowoomba in November, joined by husband Rodger, as facilities manager, and Ziggy the (cavoodle) as site manager, she joked! “We originally come from Toowoomba and we made the move back here mainly for family and the love of the country feel,” Leisa said. “Two of our children, Nikohl and Kieran live in Toowoomba and Lauren lives not far away in Brisbane. Our four grandchildren also live here with two COVID babies, Flynn and Evi, born last year. “I also wanted to be closer to my parents, especially as my father fell ill last year.”

Dream of Artistic Life Coming True

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

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.

Not Everyone Wants To “Downsize”

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

Not everyone wants to downsize when they move into an over 50s resort and Jan and Graeme Douglas are a case in point. The husband and wife moved into Seachange Coomera in July and have been busy adding their personal touches to their two-bedroom, two-bathroom, two-storey house. It’s the first double-storey home they’ve owned, and they have no regrets. “We never gave it a thought that it was on two levels,” Graeme said. “We looked at it, we loved it and we thought why not?”

A Seachange change is as good as a holiday

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

You know you are doing something right when your buyers love the Seachange lifestyle so much they move from one resort to another. That’s exactly what Matty and David Flavel did when they moved from Seachange Emerald Lakes, where they had lived for two-and-a-half years, to Seachange Riverside Coomera. “We were drawn to the community at Emerald Lakes and all it had to offer but then we decided Coomera was for us in terms of the more rural-like setting, as opposed to the Lakes’ more cosmopolitan one,” Matty said.

Exercising At Home

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

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.

Downsizing home upsizes Del’s lifestyle

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

Moving from a rural property to a two-bedroom duplex was a huge decision for Del McCoy, yet it’s proved a great lifestyle choice. Del sadly lost her husband Kevin three years ago and determined that while she still loved the large property she shared with him, she needed to make the big move so she could thrive in a new community. “I’m a fairly social person and it got a bit lonely with not many people around,” Del said.

Bending and stretching to fitness

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

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.

Seachange Residents Bowl into Action

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

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.”

Show n Shine Market Day

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

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.

The Cent Sale

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

The residents at Seachange Toowoomba recently got together and had a magnificent Cent Sale at the resort’s Clubhouse. The lovely event was organised by Marilyn Schefe who has previously put on similar events successfully. She sourced around 150 prizes from the Toowoomba community. There was even a lucky door prize; an Air Fryer which was kindly donated by Betta Electrical, St George. It was a great community effort and Marilyn made sure all residents were included, each one tasked with their own job to help make the event a success.

What is Pickleball?

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

A perfect sport for all ages, pickleball is beginning to make its mark in Australia. It’s truly the ideal for summertime – a combination of badminton, tennis and racquetball.

A ‘Reel’ Community of Women

Seachnage Lifestyle Resorts

When television’s first ‘knitting star’ Elizabeth Zimmermann told her television audiences to ‘knit on with confidence and hope through all crises’ she had no idea nine Gold Coast women would be subconsciously channelling her more than five decades later.

Lifestyle ‘Blooming Great’ for Marilyn

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

Marilyn Schefe has been guiding visitors around Toowoomba’s Carnival of Flowers Spring festival for about 22 years, but it was a pickup of a tour bus at the city’s Seachange Lifestyle Resort that changed her life. “A tour group from Seachange Arundel came up from the Gold Coast to see the carnival and I was asked to pick them up at Seachange Toowoomba,” said Marilyn, who estimates she’s done about 180 tours of the popular flower festival. “It was the first time I’d been there, and I looked around and thought ‘oh my, I could just live here’. And I went home to my husband Gary and said, ‘I think we are going to live here’.” And that’s exactly what happened with the couple moving from their 160-acre hobby farm on the Darling Downs into their new home just before Christmas. “It was a lovely Christmas present. We wanted to move into town to be closer to my mum and dad as they got older,” she said. “Our farm was 30km out of town, so it was a bit of a drive to do the round trip.”

Meet our new sales Consultant at Riverside Coomera – Rhonda Frisoli

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

While it is true that Seachange Riverside Coomera’s new sales consultant Rhonda Frisoli has big shoes to fill with the departure of Susan King, she is more than up to the job. Rhonda has worked in the industry for more than 10 years and has a real passion and understanding of it. “I love the industry, the concept and the people,” she said. “This site at Seachange Riverside Coomera is amazing. It’s very special with facilities that are world standard. I like the boutique community. “The presentation at Seachange is outstanding. You can see in the construction of the homes there is real pride with a lot of thought and forward-thinking in the designs.”

Celebrations a breeze for Sue

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

What better way to celebrate turning 60 than to have a retro fancy dress party harking from the days of mini-skirts, paisley, flares and beehives? Sue Howie did just that when she booked the Country Club at Seachange Riverside Coomera for 40 guests. “When you’re born in the ’60s and grew up in the ’70s, it seems appropriate to do a ’60s and ’70s fancy dress party,” Sue says. “About 99 per cent of the guests were dressed up, which was a great conversation starter, and we put together our own ’60s and ’70s music list and played it through the clubhouse speakers.”

‘Project 70’ leads to Seachange lifestyle

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

When Peter Zagdanski’s daughter launched ‘Project 70’ little did he know it would irrevocably change his life … for the better. “My eldest daughter, Kate, told me mid last year she had initiated Project 70 – I’ll turn 70 in April,” Peter said. “She told me all I do is sit at home, I don’t socialise, I don’t get out, I don’t do anything, and it was time to figure out something to do. “So, I went on a two-week holiday up north and somewhere along the way I saw an advertisement for Seachange and the idea to move into one of the resorts sprang into my head. “I looked at Seachange Toowoomba and the ones on the Gold Coast, where my other daughter Kristen lives, and Toowoomba, for me, stood out from the crowd.” Peter moved into the resort in October and began an active life taking part in all the activities.

Small Things Can Make A Huge Difference

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

Seachange Arundel resident Leigh Bartelt is selflessly providing comfort to those in need, hand-making cannula sleeves, and sensory mats for people living with dementia. Leigh experienced dementia first-hand with her late husband, Fred Bartelt, who passed away last year. While caring for him, she realised those living with dementia should have access to cannula sleeves and sensory mats. “My husband spent the last five years of his life in aged care, so I truly know the complexity of this illness,” said Leigh. “The sleeves protect arms while the mats act as a stimulation activity for fidgety hands. The mats really help reduce stress for those prone to restlessness and agitation.”

Time To ‘Kick Back and Enjoy’ for Seachangers

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

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”.

Beauty more than skin deep for Val

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

Val Glover-Hovan has made her mark on more than 30,000 people over the past 36 years and as one of Australia’s most sought-after cosmetic tattooists, the 81-year-old has no plans to down tools yet! She even makes regular trips to Sydney, Melbourne and Perth to care for loyal clients, some who have been seeing her for more than 30 years. “I remember when I was 50 and a client said, make sure you tell me when you’re going to retire, because I’ll have to have my eyebrows retouched before you do so,” Val said. “I told her, I’ll retire when I’m 60, then when I turned 60 it became 65, then it became 70 and so forth.”

Sewing Is The New Chic

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

In this day and age of fast fashion, who would have thought 2020 would be the year people rediscovered their sewing machines? COVID19 has prompted a spirit of resourcefulness and the importance of good home economics. People are getting back to basics and helping their communities by making washable face masks and scrubs.

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

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

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.

22/12/2021

News & Events Webpage

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

Moments Seachange Autumn Newsletter 2021

Seachange Lifestyle Resorts

19/04/2021

CAROL TODD PARALYMPIAN

F Magazine

Paralympian Carol Todd brings her life experience and personality to life in retirement at Seachange Coomera Riverside.

05/03/2021

30,000 inked: Meet the Coast's most committed tattooist - March 5, 2021

Gold Coast Bulletin

BORN in the 1940s when lips were luscious and eyebrows were thick, pioneering cosmetic tattooist Val Glover-Hovan has made her mark on 30,000 people over the past 36 years.

05/03/2021

Coast singer's intimate exchange with Frank Sinatra - Dec 15 2020

Gold Coast Bulletin

WINNING a talent quest in Coolangatta in 1957 catapulted a 16-year-old Lynn Rogers into a musical career that would see her meet the late great Frank Sinatra and sing alongside Sammy Davis Jnr.

05/03/2021

DANCING IN THE STREETS AND DRESSING UP HOMES - May 9

Gold Coast Bulletin

SEACHANGE Arundel residents were all dressed up with nowhere to go last night – but that didn’t stop them from cracking open the champers and partying in their driveways.

09/01/2021

Seachange in the sun

Gold Coast Bulletin

OVER 50s from southern states have been snapping up homes at lifestyle resort Seachange Riverside Coomera - with most having never visited the resort.

CAROL HAS INSPIRING LESSONS FOR ALL

Gold Coast Bulletin

HAVING her leg amputated as a baby nearly 70 years ago gave Carol Todd an immeasurable zest for life, with the Gold Coaster going on to win gold in swimming at the 1984 Summer Paralympics in New York.

18/12/2020

No stopping Mount Isa singing sensation Lynn Rogers

The North West Star

Described by one of her close friends Sammy Davis Jnr as "another Streisand", the vibrant and effervescent Lynn Rogers, who grew up in Mt Isa, shares a rare insight into her career and the people she met along the way.

16/12/2020

Lynn is happy to linger

Gold Coast Bulletin

Winning a talent quest in Coolangatta in 1957 catapulted a 16-year-old Lynn Rogers into a musical career that would see her meet the late great Frank Sinatra and sing alongside Sammy Davis Jnr.

Housing market could benefit new resort

The Toowoomba Chronicle (October 2020)

The development company behind a major new retirement and lifestyle resort in Toowoomba's western suburbs believes the city's tight housing market could drive interest in its land.

05/10/2020

Seachange CEO expects city’s tight housing market to push interest in new Toowoomba lifestyle estate

The Toowoomba Chronicle

The development company behind a major new retirement and lifestyle resort in Toowoomba’s western suburbs believes the city’s tight housing market could drive interest in its land.

31/08/2020

Seachange Country Club

highlife Magazine

Seachange Toowoomba's brand new $3 million Hamptons style country club has recently been unveiled to residents and guests. Located only minutes away from Toowoomba's CBD, the new country club boasts a bowling green, heated pool, cinema, gym, dining hall and leisure centre.

16/08/2020

Exclusion of Gold Coast over-50s communities from $25,000 grant slammed as ‘lost opportunity’

Gold Coast Bulletin

The Federal Government has shut the door on the Gold Coast’s over-50s communities when it comes to a $25,000 grant. The decision has been labelled a “lost opportunity” – here’s why.

Peek inside Hamptons-style country club

The Toowoomba Chronicle

Seachange Toowoomba residents Leon and Barbara Spencer are so excited to try out the amenities in the over-50s resort's new $3 million country club, they've already bought a lawn bowls set to use on the private green.

Seven News Gold Coast

22/04/2020

Bonds go beyond coffee catch-ups

Gold Coast Bulletin

UP until unprecedented coronavirus restrictions, Gold Coast Vietnam war veteran Clive Mitchell-Taylor looked forward to his weekly catch-up with three fellow ex-soldiers at a local cafe.