After looking at almost every retirement village from Brisbane to the NSW border, recently retired couple Graeme and Janet Douglas moved into the 150th home in Arundel’s multi-award winning Seachange Village.

The couple moved to Hervey Bay from Victoria nine years ago and retired there in 2010, but found it too isolated to be able to regularly see family.

Arundel suits them just fine.

“The location is fantastic,” said Graeme. “It means we’re close to the supermarket, medical centre, vet, tavern and a number of other specialty stores.

Their experience supports findings in the 2011 McCrindle Baynes Village Census which shows just how important community is in retirement, and how people are happy to move some distance if it means they will enjoy the right lifestyle.

Personal, financial and physical security are found to be the biggest drivers for anyone looking to move to a retirement village.

“We’ve only been here a few of weeks and everyone within the community without exception is so friendly, including staff,” said Graeme.

The Douglas’s can be counted among the 97% of residents who have found happiness in their retirement village.