The Toowoomba area has many places of interest and with International Friendship Day coming up on 30 July, we highlight a few great places that can be enjoyed with friends.   Picnic in the park Queens Park, which represents 26.3 hectares of greenspace in the centre of town, is the ideal place for a picnic with friends and family. The park is renowned for hosting the city’s award-winning Toowoomba Carnival of Flowers which attracts close to 300,000 people each year. The lawns also play host to the local Food and Wine Festival. Queens Park was originally planned and developed by Walter Hill, a government botanist in the 1800s and features trees imported from Europe, Asia and other parts of the world.   Visit Cobb & Co Museum Toowoomba’s pioneering history is captured with a visit to the Cobb & Co Museum. Guided tours are held twice-daily and provide an insider’s knowledge about life during the Cobb and Co era whilst also presenting a National Carriage Collection of horsedrawn...

When Lex and Jenny Van Der Stoep left their large home and garden in Bracken Ridge for a simply lifechanging move to Living Gems Toowoomba, the one thing they were determined not to leave behind was a beautiful native garden. Over the past nine months they’ve worked to create a beautiful bird-attracting garden featuring mostly native plants with a smattering of exotics for variety. “Lex and I will be away travelling for the next two-and-a-half months,” says Jenny. “We love the great outdoors, heading west to the bush and away from the big cities. “It was important for us to have a garden that was self-sustaining, which this one is. It requires only minimal watering and for that we have an automatic system or one of our lovely Living Gems neighbours comes in and waters for us.” Forget the out-of-date notion that native plants are finnicky and difficult to grow, the secret is in the preparation. “We spent a bit of time laying out the...

You could say that at almost 92, a man has earned the right to put up his feet and take it easy in retirement, but not Living Gems Toowoomba resident Robert Hickin who likes nothing better than to keep active and fit while tending to his beloved front garden. Robert, who was one of the first residents to move into the resort six years ago, nurtures his stunning front garden where he grows beautiful flowers like petunias, phlox and calibrachoa, every day. He started his garden the moment he moved in and has no plans of slowing down. “I just love gardening so I thought I would put in a few plants and it continued from there,” Robert says. "I love colour so I keep planting more and more and have a dripper system that slowly waters the garden to not waste water, because I hate to waste anything.” The locals have certainly noticed Robert’s garden. “They compliment my garden and say they love looking...

Mother's Day is the perfect chance to spoil mum and show her just how much we appreciate everything she does. If you're looking for a gift or things to do on this special day, which falls on Sunday, 14 May, we have put together a few ideas that may appeal, especially for Living Gems Toowoomba homeowners. All are within the beautiful Toowoomba area.   Encores, Empire Theatre Toowoomba Enjoy Mother’s Day high tea, a delicious morning or afternoon tea of tasty petite treats, sweet and savoury, served on silver stands and just a little bit fancy at Encores at the Empire Theatre, Toowoomba. Mouths will water at the extensive selection of treats on offer ranging from freshly baked scones with local preserves and cream to lemon curd tarts, mini dark chocolate mousse eclairs and petite sausage rolls, plus so much more. With two sittings at 10am-12pm and 1pm-3pm, this superb offering includes a selection of freshly brewed premium teas, and a glass of sparkling, or fruit...

Resort living brings families together Jennifer Pierson and her husband John have lived at Living Gems Toowoomba for five years, so when her younger brother John Penney and his wife Maree were looking to move from New Zealand, Queensland’s garden city had plenty to recommend it. "Our family comes from Blenheim in New Zealand's South Island and there were some years where we had snow for Christmas, so it's been great to come to somewhere which is so much warmer," said John. With most of the children now living in South East Queensland, Toowoomba is centrally located to make family visits a regular occurrence. "I have to say that John and I weren't particularly close when we were young," said Jennifer. "There was a bit of an age gap between me and John, who is eldest of my two brothers. "But many years later we ended up working together in the Marlborough Museum and found that we got on very well." John's passion has always been electronics,...

Construction is underway on Living Gems Toowoomba’s new off-leash dog run. Excavation, landscaping and irrigation works commenced last month and, with construction progressing quickly, this new dog-friendly facility is expected to open before the end of May. Living Gems Toowoomba Sales Manager Michelle Perry said the off-leash dog run, located along the South Street boundary of the resort, was set to become a popular meeting place for the community’s four-legged residents and their owners. “The park promises to be a tail-wagging haven for dogs of all shapes and sizes, and residents cannot wait for it to open this month,” Michelle said. “It’s not just good for the animals to get out into the fresh country air and stretch their legs, it’s equally good for their owners who enjoy the socialising as much as their pets do.” The dog run features hardy canine-friendly turf, a sheltered area with skillion roof for shade, a tap/dog bowl area to keep pets hydrated during playtime, and seating. The area...

Just picture a place which is a delight to come home to – a contemporary-styled home with all the mod cons and luxury inclusions. Then imagine it set upon an exclusive position overlooking greenspace leading down to the idyllic Caboolture River. Fortunately, you don’t have to dream. The final release three-bedroom homes are available now at Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront – with only a few remaining. Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront Sales Manager Glenys Lowry said these generously sized homes on larger blocks were ideal for entertaining family and friends. “These homes have an impressive open plan living-dining space that seamlessly flow onto a bright and breezy alfresco area with no rear neighbours and uninterrupted views,” she said. The kitchen is a chef’s delight with a large island bench that makes meal preparation easy. Thoughtfully designed drawers help maximise storage space and integrate quality appliances. A walk-in pantry adds a touch of designer luxe. “Each home comes with high ceilings and some designs feature skylights to let...

Tennis keeps residents on the ball When long-time tennis player Cedric Hubbard moved into Living Gems Toowoomba over-50s lifestyle resort in 2017, he was keen to form a resident tennis group. Today that very group meets three times a week and is going strong. The move to set up the group was not surprising for a man who had previously been president of the 400-player strong Chinchilla Tennis Association, which is one of Queensland's largest, as well as a former president of the Range Tennis Club. "Tennis is an enduring sport that can be played by all ages. I'm 82 and still compete in national championships," said Cedric, who was a member of the doubles team that won the Australian Seniors Doubles Championship about 12 years ago in Perth at the age of 70. He says playing tennis is all about coordination of the eyes, hands and feet. "Get those right and you can really do some damage on the tennis court," he laughed. Both Cedric...

Visitors to the Open Day at Living Gems Toowoomba over-50s lifestyle resort on 4 March will have an opportunity to inspect the quality and innovative designs of several display homes including the standard and modified versions of the Alice and Pine, as well as the Maroochy. Each design is captivating and well-priced with different features and colour schemes to suit all tastes. Luxurious and modern, the Alice is a stylish three-bedroom home, which comprises a spacious master bedroom with walk-in robe and ensuite bathroom, a second bedroom and multiple living zones. There is plenty to like about this home which also provides a separate living room and large kitchen with walk-in pantry and overhead skylights servicing an open plan dining area. A lovely alfresco area is ideal for enjoying the fresh air, while the home also hosts a porch, double-car garage and ample inbuilt storage. Meanwhile, the Pine welcomes everyone into the heart of the home with an open-plan layout that accommodates the light-filled...

Packing a lifetime of memories with no regrets After 41 years living on a 57-acre property in the Lockyer Valley and amassing a huge treasure trove of possessions along the way, the thought of downsizing was somewhat daunting for Living Gems Toowoomba homeowners Colleen and Jeffrey Otto. "It was such a big move and took us a while to get our heads around it, but there was a lot of work involved in staying on the land. We eventually decided it was in our best interests, and I can tell you we have not regretted our decision for a moment to downsize and move to this beautiful over-50s lifestyle resort," said Colleen. The couple, who have two sons and four grandchildren, said they had the full support of their family who helped them sort through everything and decide what would go to charity, what could be kept or stored, and what to throw out. "We had to get rid of a lot of stuff...

Cleansing the palate with a lifestyle change. Facing a lifestyle change is never easy, but all it took for Australian meat industry ambassador and pie judge for the Baking Association of Australia to take the leap, was three women and five years of nagging. Originally from Brisbane, retired radio and TV guest presenter and current food critic, Bob Retallick, and his wife, retired nurse and avid speed reader, Glenda, let go of their immaculate, quarter-acre Brisbane home to finally make the move to Living Gems Toowoomba last November. Bob said they haven’t looked back since they selected their corner block for their new Living Gems home, but it wasn’t easy making the decision to move to an over-50s resort. In fact, it took his wife and their two daughters several years to persuade him to even consider it, as he believed over-50s resorts were no better than an “old people’s home”. “I was so anti moving into one, you’ve got no idea and every time I...