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Paul Melville and Dr Bevan Geissmann

Should have done it sooner

Both of us have the pleasure of meeting and talking to Halcyon homeowners regularly. Indeed, several of our family and close friends live in a Halcyon community.

One of the things we hear regularly is, ‘I should have done it sooner,’ and we ask, ‘well, why didn’t you?’ Often homeowners say that they thought a lifestyle community was a fancy name for a retirement village. At the end of the day, we’re nothing like a retirement village and that comes down to the fundamentals of how a lifestyle community operates. Halcyon acts under different legislation, which in turn provides a much better financial model; no entry or exit fees, no stamp duty and you keep the capital gains on the way out. As you read in preceding articles, people enjoy the benefits earlier and earlier, well before retirement. The “why” you go to a lifestyle community is different …. It is more for rightsizing, freeing up capital and making time to enjoy yourself. The style of independent living also means that homeowners in a lifestyle community play a major role in creating the culture, social fabric and connectivity that is the cornerstone of each community. Creating unique communities with different features and facilities to suit various people has also been essential to our process. Each time we design a community we learn something new. This not only helps us innovate, but it also improves and strengthens the operation of our existing communities, which our homeowners often tell us they truly appreciate.

Dr Bevan Geissmann and Paul Melville Joint Managing Directors

Halcyon Rise A LITTLE BIT COUNTRY, A LITTLE BIT CITY

Freedom and connectivity are at the heart of Halcyon Rise lifestyle community. There’s a spirit of adventure inspired by the possibilities of sunrise and rewarded by the magic of sunset and the vast night sky.

Homeowners will be free to explore, enjoy and connect within the community’s lifestyle facilities that are perched above the acres of open space. The main recreation and lifestyle facility, aptly called The Homestead, has been well positioned so every room will have spectacular views of rolling hills and the treeline of Logan River. The aesthetics and design of The Homestead is all about relaxed luxury. The essence of classic country living, yet with all the modern extras you would expect from a Halcyon community. For those who love to wander farther afield, there’s the security and convenience of having Halcyon’s largest caravan and boat storage onsite – perfect for those who like to lock-and-go.

Artist impression of the Games Room

Craft room Artist impression of The Homestead

THE HOMESTEAD WILL INCLUDE:

• Private homestead themed clubhouse • 25m heated resort pool • In-pool lounges and luxury heated spa • Outdoor showers • Gold-class style cinema • Private dining room • Bar and dance floor • Covered BBQ pavilion • Library • Games room with pool table and table tennis • Floodlit pickleball courts • Gym and circuit room • Floodlit bowling green • Massage, treatment rooms and salon • Firepit • Herb and vegetable gardens • Art and craft room

Stage 1 homeowners enjoy free caravan storage* Homes from $385k* Displays open from Monday to Saturday 9am-4pm

CLICK HERE TO LEARN MORE

The best of both worlds

Millie Torn between a love for a rural life and the lifestyle of Halcyon, Elaine and Russell Miller found the perfect solution in Halcyon Rise.

The couple had been happily living at Halcyon Greens in Pimpama but longed for a “more rural feel” when they discovered the new community at Logan Reserve would also bring them closer to their son at Yarrabilba. “We were thoroughly enjoying our lives at Halcyon Greens and had really settled into the rhythm of community life there,” Russell said. “We had moved from an acreage at Tamborine Mountain, actually we had always lived on an acreage, and we missed the country feel.” They were impressed by what was on offer at Halcyon Rise and made the decision to put their Halcyon Greens home on the market, just 10 months after moving into the community. “We love the community and the friendships we have made there,” Elaine said. “There’s a real sense of shared values, empathy and caring for each other, it’s just wonderful.” The process of selling their home at Greens was an easy one, with the sale happening within an hour of it going on the market. “We had the open home at 4pm and by 5pm, Kris from the sales office had called us to come in as she said she had an offer,” Elaine said. “We went in and she said ‘well they’ve offered asking price, but there’s more.’ “They wanted to buy all of our furniture and even asked if they could buy our dog Millie.” Elaine said she doesn’t drink alcohol very often but had to ask Kris for a glass of wine. “She poured me a chardonnay and I had to sit down because we were in shock, it all happened so quickly,” Elaine said. The pair made a tidy profit from the capital gains from the sale of the home at Halcyon Greens and are now housesitting in Elanora while their new home at Halcyon Rise is being built. “Now we have to buy a house full of new furniture,” Russell laughed. “We went shopping yesterday and I don’t know if I’ll be allowed to go again.”

Rise surprise

CLICK HERE TO WATCH VIDEO

When he and wife Debra moved into Halcyon Rise in March, Graham organised for their daughter, Ebony, to fly up from Melbourne to take part in the celebrations. “I had no idea she was coming,’’ Debra recalled. “I just burst into tears when I saw her. I hugged her so tight, I wouldn’t let her go. “Because of COVID-19 restrictions, I hadn’t seen her apart from a really quick visit we made to Melbourne at Christmas.

“It was good for her to say goodbye to the family home at Calamvale and nice for her to see our new life at Halcyon Rise.’’ The McGeadys are foundation homeowners at Halcyon Rise, which is nestled conveniently between Brisbane and the Gold Coast at Logan Reserve. They moved in after 21 years in Calamvale and already love the country feel and sense of community that comes with living here. While Debra still works as an auditor with the Queensland Audit Office, Graham has been retired now for five years and spends a lot of time away exploring Australia in his caravan.

“I was in the big house at Calamvale by myself while Graham was travelling through Western Australia. He was worried about me being alone, so we decided to investigate the community living concept,’’ Debra said. “We booked in to look at five different villages. Halcyon Rise was the last place we visited. We knew straight away when we came up the driveway that Halcyon was the right fit for us. “The property has amazing amenities and a great vibe. I think I asked for the bank account details on the spot so I could put down a deposit,’’ Debra said. “The houses at Halcyon are not little boxes. Our Lillydale home has two bedrooms, really large living areas and a generous double garage,” Graham said. “There are a group of foundation homeowners here now and we all enjoy a chat out in the driveway. There already is a strong connection and we look out for each other.’’

Graham is about to embark on an 18-month caravan journey starting with a crossing of the Savannah Way. “I’m going to be the FiFO wife,’’ Debra said. “When I can, I’ll fly in and join him on the journey. It is easy to do that when you live in a community like this.’’

Debra, daughter Ebony and Graham McGeady

The “R” word

Words by Geoff Shearer

A stalwart journalist for News Ltd for 20 years and a former TV Week Features Editor, Geoff Shearer is one the country’s most admired arts and entertainment writers. He’s taken a step into semi-retirement to concentrate on his fiction writing, while relishing the chance to share his unique take on life with My Halcyon Days’ readers.

In my parents’ era, when you got a few years beyond the “life-begins-at” stage, you either worked or you were retired. There was no in-between, no semi-retirement.

Semi-retirement meant you’d given up driving trucks for a living. But it is the way today for more and more of us. Sometimes continuing to work past the “official” retirement age is out of necessity to help fund the type of lifestyle you want; sometimes it is out of simply deciding that “work” remains part of your self-worth, a sort of need to remain connected. For me, retirement came as an optional-extra to that other R-rated word: redundancy. I was considering grabbing that option by its cheeky red cheeks and smacking a sloppy kiss on its forehead and yelling “yippee”, until my GP informed me I was in good health (how dare she) and not likely to cark it anytime soon (exactly how soon?). You see, that’s when you start doing the mortality maths. What happens if I live to 100 and my retirement funds dwindle away to nothing by the time I turn 80? They say that between your kids leaving home to moving into a nursing home or some type of care, there are 8,000 days… That’s over 20 years to enjoy life and do all those things you never had time for. It is the sort of thing financial advisers love to rattle on about; whipping out graphs and pie charts with wild abandon. Good on them and good on the people who actually listen to them (they’re the ones reading this and going “tch, tch, tch”, before ordering another gin and tonic at the club), but I’ve always been one to fly by the seat of my pants, even if I won’t be able to afford pants in 20 years or so (wouldn’t that be a sight? The very embodiment of redundancy right there!). So, I’m not retired. Not even semi-retired when you add in all the free manual labour in the kitchen that invariably happens after you inform those smug MasterChef contestants on your TV screen that they should “toughen up, ’cause it’s not that bloomin’ hard … here, let me show you …” Ok, I best stop, I’m starting to rave – which is the other R-rated word that seems intrinsically linked (in my case) to redundancy and retirement.

Lush rainforest elegance in Buderim

CLICK HERE TO WATCH THE BBH RELEASE VIDEO In one of B by Halcyon’s most anticipated releases, 12 luxurious homes backing on to the 100-year old rainforest are now available.

Regional Project Director Chris Carley said the Rainforest Series prime location is enhanced further by sites that are 25 per cent bigger than the average home site at B by Halcyon. “These homes will be our most coveted yet as they are built on larger blocks and are designed for the most discerning buyers,” Chris said. The Rainforest Series is all about homebuyer choice and flexibility, along with an impressive list of extras. “All of these homes come with a stone façade and a Tesla Battery, further cementing B by Halcyon’s commitment to our greenest homes ever. Buyers can choose between a bigger home with a media room and study or have more outdoor space with a bigger yard and atrium,” Chris said. The Rainforest Series comes with the option of selecting from three Home Choices Packages. The Chef’s Selection Package offers Gaggenau appliances or further upgrades to the stone benchtops, sinks, fixtures and fittings. The Gardener’s Paradise Package gives the buyer the ability to work with Halcyon’s landscaper and landscape architect to design their 8m backyard. Thirdly, the Lifestyle Package provides the option to expand the master bedroom and rear patio, which will include an outdoor kitchen with wine fridge. Priced from $979,000, the luxurious lowset homes will set a new standard for over 50s living on the Sunshine Coast.

On the road again ROGER AND JULIE’S NEXT BIG ADVENTURE

When Roger and Julie Buttenshaw put their Halcyon Landing home up for sale, they were delighted to sell it in two days.

Even though their new home at B by Halcyon won’t be ready until early next year, they are using the time and the capital gains they made to head off on an eight-month road trip. “We will be travelling to Cairns to see the children and grandchildren,” Roger said.

“Spending some time at Sorrento on the Gold Coast with Julie’s mum, visiting friends in country New South Wales and taking a trip down to McLaren Vale in South Australia.

“Our address for a while will be ‘no fixed abode’ as we will be doing a bit of couch surfing.’’ The Buttenshaws had originally planned to take the trip in their new Horizon Banksia Fiat Ducato motorhome but had to make alternate arrangements when they were told that it would not be ready until November, hence the need for couch surfing. Roger (biology teacher for 41 years) and Julie (medical receptionist) retired six years ago and bought their first motorhome.

“One of the first things we did after retiring was to buy an existing home at Halcyon Landing,’’ Roger said. “We realised living at Halcyon made it so easy to lock the house – know that it was safe and secure – and hit the road. We were travelling for about six months of the year, every year. We did 125,000 kilometres in that motorhome.”

Roger said that the current booming real estate market meant that making the move to a new architect-design house at B by Halcyon was financially easy. “The block we have chosen points north, and this time we get to have input into the customisation of the new house, and we have chosen a design with a more open plan and bigger patio. “The fact that we don’t pay entry or exit fees, or stamp duty, makes this move economically viable for us.’’ Both Roger and Julie agree that so far, the highlight of their past travels has been a five-month journey around Australia in 2016 and 2017.

“The best part was seeing The Kimberley in Western Australia. The red dirt there is amazing as was the drive down the west coast,” he said. “During the trip we caught up with seven other groups from Halcyon Landing at Streaky Bay, on the coastline of Western Eyre Peninsula in South Australia. That was pretty special too.”

Living next door to Tricia … again

GOOD NEIGHBOURS MAKE GOOD FRIENDS

Brian and Anne Keys lived at Halcyon Landing for nearly eight years in a house next door to Tricia Taylor. Earlier this year Tricia sold her house and announced that she was moving to B by Halcyon.

The Keys had been looking at B by Halcyon for some time and decided that the prospect of a new house was very appealing. “We have built a lot of new houses during our married life,” Anne said.

“It wasn’t by plan - or by design that we ended up buying the block right next door to Tricia. We looked at all the land options at B by Halcyon and it just so happened that the block of land next to Tricia suited us best.”

“We are all happy about being neighbours again.” The Keys, originally New Zealanders who have been in Australia for more than half their lives, are currently living in rented accommodation outside of Halcyon Landing while their new home is being built. They hope to move into B by Halcyon in October. “Now that we are on our own, outside of Halcyon Landing, we really appreciate how good it is living in a Halcyon community. It really hits home when you don’t have those same friends around you every day.” “Over the years living next door to Tricia we have been able to help each other on many occasions and have become close friends. It’s important to have good neighbours.’’ “We don’t tend to hold on to things – apart from each other. Life changes and you have to keep looking forward. “The number one thing for us with this move to B by Halcyon is the quality of the house. We have chosen the openplan Grand Kuranda design. It is similar to what we had at Halcyon Landing, it’s just that everything will have that new look and fresh feel again, and of course, living next door to Tricia!”

Brian and Anne Keys