Alan and Anne go from losing everything to having it all

In 2009, retired couple Alan and Anne were living in the tiny town of Steels Creek in the Yarra Ranges, when the Black Saturday bushfires hit their property, turning “pretty much everything” they owned to ashes.

According to Anne, this terrible experience was enough to persuade them to move to the seaside.

After living in a house in Clifton Springs for five years, they decided to start exploring local retirement villages.

“We started thinking about a retirement village because we want to feel confident that each one of us will have the support we need if we end up on our own one day,” Anne explained.

“So we started looking at options that would give each of us that community support to rely on.”

The couple first heard about Drysdale’s Bellarine Springs retirement village when they were visiting a friend in the Yarra Valley whose mother lives in Tudor Village, Lilydale which like Bellarine Springs, is owned and managed by Pinnacle Living.

“When the lady’s husband passed away, she felt supported and able to carry on with her life thanks to the community she had around her,” Anne said.

“We knew that’s what we wanted for each other – to live in a close-knit community so we’ll feel completely secure and looked after, no matter what happens.

“We saw that in action at Tudor Village, and we had every confidence that Bellarine Springs would foster the same sort of community spirit and support… and we were right!”

Members of golf and bowling clubs in Clifton Springs, Alan (a playing member) and Anne (a social member) love how they can maintain their existing friendships outside the village, while making lots of new friends within it.

Alan said they also appreciated the warm welcome Bellarine Springs provided to their two beloved pet dogs.

“Being able to bring our two border collies was essential.

“With Bellarine Springs welcoming pets, we simply couldn’t resist moving here.

“There are plenty of beautiful walks nearby, and it’s become quite a social activity with lots of other new residents bringing their dogs with them too.”

Since the couple moved to Bellarine Springs in early 2016, Alan said the village has “definitely” lived up to their expectations.

“We wanted to live in a community where we’d feel welcome and secure, and that’s exactly what we’ve got.”

Anne said while the community was definitely the biggest drawcard, they loved the location, and the village has become a place of which they were very proud.

“The wonderful village community centre was completed soon after we moved in, and we’ve all been enjoying the facilities and making good use of the gym, heated swimming pool, spa and billiard table.

“The standard of furnishings and finishes is absolutely first-class, with no expense spared, which has been making an impression and turning heads among our visitors.

“Friends from our bowling club have come to visit us here, and it definitely delivers that ‘wow’ factor!”

Bellarine Springs is located at 101 Central Road, Drysdale.

You can join staff and residents for a cuppa from Monday to Saturday at 10.30am, or phone 5253 0111 to book a village tour.

For more information about Bellarine Springs, head to bellarinesprings.com.au

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