News
In the club
Amber Country Club sneak peek
Construction of the $10.5 million Amber by Living Gems Country Club is nearing completion with the finishing touches on facilities and interior design elements close to being finalised.
Living Gems CEO Adrian Puljich said the commercial construction and interior design teams were working hard to ensure the Country Club was ready for its 19 April residents’ opening and the 11 May public grand opening event.
“It is all starting to come together now and is looking spectacular,” he said. “The mid-century feel of the interior with its rich colours of greens and chartreuse, plus walnut and brass finishes, are now coming to the fore throughout. It’s looking amazing.”
Adrian said that most of the upstairs areas were finished or close to completion.
“The golf simulator and ten-pin bowling alley are up and running, the library is finished, and the cinema seating has been installed,” he said. “Pool tiling has also been completed and the feature lighting – in the form...
Anzac biscuit ice-cream sandwiches
Enjoy a twist on tradition this Anzac Day
Anzac Day is a special commemorative event with several traditions observed every year including dawn services, coffee and bundy, two-up and Anzac biscuits.
This Anzac Day, Chef Matt Conquest shares some tips on how to make the humble Anzac biscuit even better.
“It’s simple! Just by adding your favourite ice cream, like rum and raisin, you can make great little ice-cream sandwiches,” Matt said.
“You can make a lovely homemade ice cream using the recipe at right or you can buy a good quality ice cream and get your favourite chocolate bar and crunch them up and fold it through your ice cream for added crunch, chew, and flavour and make ice-cream sangas with that.”
Matt says making ice cream takes care and time to ensure a nice smooth texture that doesn’t become icy.
“For a smooth and creamy finish, make an anglaise cream and then freeze it down in a beater bowl and stir it during the...
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 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
April Photo Winner
With a rainbow this vibrant, the pot of gold surely can’t be too far away. Phil Parker from Opal by Living Gems took this photo at the resort in leafy Logan Village.Guidelines 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.
First Amber two-storey home open for viewing
Amber by Living Gems’ first premium two-storey home is now open for viewing.
The exclusive three-bedroom residence, one of only five on offer, was completed last month and features a generous 231.27sqm of living space.
Amber by Living Gems Sales Manager Tameeka Manson said the new Bowen design display home boasted a designer kitchen and an airy open-plan living area which flowed onto a good-sized alfresco space.
“For buyers who enjoy indoor-outdoor living, the main level is perfect. The kitchen is beautiful and comes with a fully integrated fridge and freezer, high quality energy-efficient appliances, stone benchtop, and plenty of storage,” she said.
Also on the main level is a spacious master bedroom, complete with walk-in wardrobe and double-vanity bathroom, and powder room. The alfresco area is also accessible from the master bedroom.
An elevator and stairs lead to the upper level, where two more bedrooms are located – including one with a walk-in robe, a central bathroom, large living area, and a study nook.
“The...
Home and dry
New lifestyle means reconnecting with old friends
Ruby is the traditional gift for a 40th wedding anniversary, but Clive and Inge Gentle are anything but traditional.
The vibrant couple moved into a new home at Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront within days of their milestone anniversary.
“I bought Inge a house. And a pub lunch afterwards, because that’s all I could afford!” said Clive with trademark humour. “No, in truth, we were exhausted from moving in, so a pub lunch was easy.”
Even though the couple left the workforce four years ago – Inge worked in retail while Clive worked for Energex – they say it is only now that they’ve truly retired.
“We used to live in Taigum on Brisbane’s northside and had a beautiful place overlooking the creek,” said Inge. “Two years ago, we were flooded and had to rebuild our home.
“After that, every time there was a rain event, I’d watch the creek come up and get very nervous. The last time that...
Resort Round-Up
Welcome to another edition of our Resort Round-up which provides an insight into some of the fun and fabulous activities, events, and special occasions enjoyed by homeowners within our Living Gems communities. Here are just a few:
Residents at Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront enjoyed a Polynesian-themed night held in their beautiful Country Club. The songs of the islands inspired all to sing and dance along. While the men enjoyed learning the haka, the women were quick to pick up the hula. Entertainment coordinator Gayle Harris led the way and displayed her sunny personality, with sunflowers for all to see. It was a truly wonderful evening enjoyed by all.
Sunday afternoons at Ruby by Living Gems is traditionally enjoyed with social drinks, nibblies and get-togethers at the Country Club. Recently, they stepped it up a notch by holding Groovin’ on a Sunday Afternoon with The Goggomobiles, their resident band, who kept everyone entertained for more than two hours with wonderful sixties and seventies...
Huge commemoration planned at Caboolture
Living Gems Caboolture Riverfront is home to more than 100 ex-servicemen and women, so needless to say the turnout at Anzac commemorations is significant.
“Our resort has many veterans and more than 280 people usually attend our services,” said Pat Quinlan, a former driver with the Australian navy.
Pat, and two Vietnam veterans Bob Pfeiffer (army) and Don Grieve (air force), organise the huge event each year.
“We do a dawn service and have a march from the front gate to the flagpole area outside of the Country Club,” she said.
“It is about the fourth year we’ve been doing it now. Bob and Don arrange the ceremonial section of the Anzac Day commemoration and I put together the food for the day. We have a gunfire breakfast at the dawn service which usually consists of a sausage or bacon in a roll, or a bowl of mince, then afterwards we go off to individual services.
“About noon we reconvene at the resort with a...
Creating memories
Great ideas for activities with the grandkids
One of the greatest pleasures in being a grandparent in retirement is having the time to enjoy spending with the grandchildren.
Children share a special bond with their grandparents with studies showing that spending time with grandparents contributed positively to a child’s wellbeing by providing a listening ear and sage words of advice based on the experience of raising their own children.
In the past few decades, due to both parents being in the work force, grandparents are playing an increasingly important role as active caregivers and many children are spending much more time with ‘nan and pop’ than ever before, said Living Gems CEO Adrian Puljich.
“There are few things more precious than seeing the delight in the eyes of your grandchildren as they discover something for the first time,” he said. “And seeing life through a little one’s eyes is a sure way to feel younger yourself.”
Here are some creative activities that you can do...
Signals Corp kept Les out of harm’s way
Les ‘Sprout’ Bean considers himself one of the lucky ones when it came to serving in the Vietnam War.
As an electronics technician in the Signals Corp, he was sent to Vietnam and Singapore for signals exercises.
“I was also in Vung Tao for a while where we sent communications back to Australia and New Zealand throughout the war. We had to carry a rifle, but I’m pleased to say I never had to fire a shot in anger. You could say mine was a pretty cushy job,” said the Amber by Living Gems veteran.
Les returned several times to Nui Dat where he worked from an air-conditioned building.
“I had it pretty good although the airport close by did get mortared at one stage, but we were okay and not in any danger.”
Les was 17 when he joined the Army in June 1963 – a tour of duty that would last some 23 years.
“Most of my time was spent from Victoria to Queensland...
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...
