News
Amber’s Country Club to open in April
Anticipation is building for the 19 April grand opening of the Country Club at Amber by Living Gems.
The $10.5 million two-storey building is the jewel in the crown of the Logan Village resort with homeowners counting down the days until they can enjoy the full range of activities and facilities that the Country Club will offer.
“This month sees the finishing touches taking place to transform the interior into a chic and modern facility that homeowners will love spending time in,” said Living Gems CEO Adrian Puljich.
“Just a few weeks ago, the golf simulator was installed, which will excite many of our experienced golfers and will no doubt encourage new players to give the sport a try,” he said.
“I know the games room will be very popular and residents will be keen to perfect their strike on the ten-pin bowling lanes which are now ready for the first games.”
The Country Club is ready to host large gatherings with the commercial kitchen...
Sailing into retirement
Couple taking all the hard work out of downsizing
Indulging in fun, physical activities to keep fit and healthy instead of spending time undertaking endless maintenance around a large house, garden, and acreage was the inspiration behind Ross and Rhonda Lillistone’s recent move to Amber by Living Gems over50s lifestyle resort.
Previously, the couple lived for 19 years on a property at Esk and with Ross, 69, enduring some health concerns, they decided they would downsize while they were still young enough to enjoy all the first-class facilities available within the Living Gems community.
“We also wanted to be closer to family, especially our daughter who has undergone some brutal cancer treatment over the past 15 months, and ensure whatever happens in the future, we would be there if she needs us while also being safe, secure and totally independent ourselves. Living here allows us to do that without being a burden on our family,” said Rhonda, 72.
The decision to move to Amber...
Premium resort living
Last chance to secure Caboolture Riverfront home
Only one brand-new home remains at Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront and it can be yours today.
The last remaining home is a premium three-bedroom Snowy design and is ready to move into straight away, said Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront Sales Manager Glenys Lowry who invited interested buyers to call in advance for a tour.
“Our freestanding, three-bedroom designs have been very popular, and this home has two bedrooms at the front of the house separated by the main bathroom,” she said. “The master bedroom is at the rear of the home, with a separate ensuite and fabulous walk-in robe which means you have your own private retreat even when you have houseguests.
“The master bedroom and main open plan living space open onto a large tiled alfresco area, which has uninterrupted riverbank views with no neighbour at the rear which is ideal for outdoor entertaining.
“There are also beautiful, large established trees along the top of the riverbank...
Sizing down, living it up!
Practical tips and strategies on downsizing
The thought of downsizing for retirement can be a daunting experience.
But rather than seeing it as an end of an era, successful downsizers find it a liberating experience – part of taking stock of where and how you’d like to spend your post-work life.
One of the first things to do is treat downsizing as an adventure, said Living Gems CEO Adrian Puljich.
“Downsizing is a great opportunity to upsize your lifestyle and get back that most precious of commodities – time,” he said.Treat it as an adventure
Having done your homework on the ideal location and selected the right lifestyle community for you, it is important to really get to know the area you’re moving to, said Adrian.
“Make sure you’re familiar with the location of shops and essential services like doctors, dentists and vets,” he said. “Increase your anticipation of the move by exploring the local area such as parks, shopping, entertainment, and landmarks.”Declutter, declutter, declutter
There are...
Flex your mussels for a delicious treat
Black lip mussels are an often-overlooked seafood option for lunch or dinner, but they are a delicious and relatively cost-efficient ingredient.
Chef Matt Conquest said his black lip mussel recipe includes a base sauce and if you want to change it up you can add extra ingredients. Home chefs can create a creamy option by adding a teaspoon of fennel seeds and one cup of cream to the sauce.
Ingredients
Serves 2-4
3 tbsp extra-virgin olive oil
4 golden shallots, peeled and sliced
4 large garlic cloves, minced
1 long red chilli, diced or chopped (optional)
2 cups dry white wine
4 sprigs fresh thyme
2 bay leaves
Sea salt (Matt says not to season with salt until you try the sauce later during cooking.)
Good amount of cracked black pepper
2kg or 2 packs of live mussels, scrubbed and debearded
4 tbsp butter
4 tbsp fresh Italian parsley, chopped
200g spinach, optional
Crusty bread, sliced and grilled or fresh for serving
Method
To make the sauce base, heat up a heavy-based pot to medium high for sautéing.
...
Budget boost
Rightsizing revs up retirement nest eggs
Choosing to downsize from the family house to a rightsized home that better suits your lifestyle can provide a major financial boost to your retirement funds.
Last year, the Australian Government announced incentives to encourage older Australians to downsize their homes to free up housing stock for younger families.
And it’s not just those who are eligible for the aged pension who will benefit.
The Downsizer Superannuation Contribution Program
The Downsizer Superannuation Contribution Program allows Australians over the age of 55 who plan to downsize, to put up to $600,000 per couple ($300,000 for individuals) into their superannuation account.
The program isn’t new, but a rule has recently changed which lowers the age at which one can access the scheme.
Prior to 1 January 2023, only people over the age of 65 could use the program.
Another thing to note is that the Downsizer Superannuation Contribution Program has no upper age limit. This is important because once you reach the age of...
When less is more
Health and wellbeing benefits of downsizing
Downsizing the family home after the kids have left the nest is a major life milestone which comes with some surprising advantages that go beyond having less gardening and home maintenance to worry about.
If you’re considering making a downsizing move, you’re not alone, says Living Gems CEO Adrian Puljich.
“According to the Australian Housing and Urban Research Institute, more than half of Australians over the age of 55 have either downsized or have thought about it,” he said.
“And that comes with some downsizing benefits that you may not have considered when it comes to rightsizing to an over-50s lifestyle resort like Living Gems.”A sense of security living in a gated community
Living Gems resorts are gated communities.
“That’s great peace of mind, whether you are at home or travelling,” said Adrian. “But there’s more than just physical security, there is also the comfort of knowing your neighbours by name and that each resort has on-site resort management.”Less maintenance...
Easter fun for the family in Caboolture
Discover some old-fashioned Easter fun with the grandkids and introduce them to the majestic sport of dressage – all close by to Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront.
Dressage competition
From 8am Sunday, 17 March
Queensland’s largest dressage club, the Caboolture Dressage Group is hosting a club and participation day, and it is free to come along as a spectator. To be held at the Queensland State Equestrian Centre’s outdoor arena complex, the event is open to both CDG members and EA riders. It will feature classes from preparatory to Grand Prix.
Location: Queensland State Equestrian Centre, 155 Old Gympie Road, Caboolture
For more information: bit.ly/4bFbFgE
Family egg-citement
From 8am Saturday, 23 March
The Federal Member for Longman, Terry Young, will hold a free community event for children and families to celebrate the start of the Easter holidays. The Greatest Ever Easter Egg Hunt will involve an Easter egg hunt, free popcorn, sausage sizzle and coffee cart. This is a free community event, and all are welcome.
Location: Apex Park (next...
Fun, fitness and food on your doorstep
There is a reason why so many people love living in leafy Logan Village. Not only is there a charming village atmosphere but there is also plenty to do right on your doorstep.
Learn to belly dance
Fridays, 9:30am - 10:30am
Get fit and have a lot of fun in the process. Belly dancing improves fitness levels, coordination, rhythm and balance. Bring a few friends and enjoy learning a new skill in a safe and friendly environment. The cost is only $5 per week.
Address: Logan Village Lions Community Hall, 21-23 Wharf Street, Logan Village
For more information: bit.ly/3OHKlVm
Time for tai-chi
Fridays, 9am - 10am
If belly dancing is not your thing, then why not try the gentle martial art of tai-chi. Tai-chi can enhance balance, strength and coordination. Improve flexibility as well as physical and mental wellbeing with these classes. Join for $5 per week.
Address: Logan Village Green, 11-15 Logan Street, Logan Village
For more information: bit.ly/3uxLQOZ
Sunday markets
Sundays, 6am to 12pm
Whether you’re looking for farm-fresh fruit and...
Frame that shot
Pretty as a picture! Living Gems’ popular photo competition returns for 2024.
We’re looking for creative photographs that showcase why the Living Gems lifestyle is simply lifechanging.
They can be terrific travel destinations, wonderful wildlife photography or fabulous times with friends. Entries are open to all Living Gems homeowners.
The best photograph each month will be featured on the back page of Thrive magazine as well as on Living Gems’ Facebook page.
Get snapping! The competition will run until 1 November 2024.
Submissions should be sent to content@livinggems.com.au
March Photo Winner
This month’s contributor wishes to remain anonymous, but tells us this remarkable photograph of a baby dinosaur stampede was taken at the Age of Dinosaurs exhibition at Winton in Outback Queensland.
You could be our next photo competition winner. Just submit your photo to content@livinggems.comGuidelines for submitting your photos.
Photos must be:
Be taken by you
Be at least 2MB in size
Include the location of the photograph, along with any interesting information about the destination.
Resort Round-up
Welcome to another edition of our Resort Round-up. Living Gems communities are renowned as places where homeowners can keep fit and healthy as well as having lots of fun, with something new happening almost every day.Talk about close calls! Luck was on Aileen McColl’s side on Christmas night when a tornado hit the Gold Coast and sent a large gum tree in the park behind crashing down onto her Living Gems Gold Coast home. The luck was in the fact that Aileen, 62, and her two dogs were at a friend’s home enjoying some festive fare at the time. It wasn’t until she arrived home later that night that the full extent of the damage was revealed.
“The gum tree hit my carport, bathroom, bedroom, lounge and dining areas. All I saw at first was the carport but then, when I opened the front door, it was devastation central. The ceilings had collapsed, and broken metal was strewn across the mattress...