With 35 villages of all shapes and sizes, from the tip of Lake Macquarie in the North to Umina in the South, the Central Coast presents the largest concentration of retirement communities in Australia.

Sydneysiders are discovering they can sell their homes and move 45 minutes up the expressway with a substantial amount of cash left over. What comes as a surprise to many is the generous ratio of open space to housing in Central Coast villages – it is common for housing to take up just 30 percent of the total village area. Blue sky, mature gardens, trees and abundant birdlife remind many new residents of their early years in suburban Sydney. Now they can enjoy a garden environment whilst being freed of the chores, water
restrictions and expense.

We asked some new Central Coast residents what the attraction was for them.

Trish & Warren Paul, formerly of Carlingford

Trish: "We had been thinking of moving out of Sydney for some time. The neighbourhood atmosphere in Carlingford had changed with neighbours and friends moving away and people going about their business. We decided we needed this change of scenery. We looked at the Blue Mountains and then we came across this village at Wyee Point. It's really green, very relaxing and pleasant. We found that the perfect ambience for us."

"We have three bedrooms, but we use one as our ‘play room' – I have my grandmother's beautiful piano in one corner, and can now practice my cello. Warren is absorbed in making videos, so he has his set-up as well."

"We hadn't factored into the move that its maintenance-free here; everything around the house is done for you. You can't wipe the smile off Warren's face, he is so pleased that he doesn't have to mow the backyard anymore! We love the water, so being on the lake we are looking at kayaks to allow us to get out and explore. I still get to Sydney regularly - it's very easy and the road is fabulous from our doorstep. I meet friends for coffee at Wahroonga."

Pat & Don McDonald, formerly of Miranda

Don: "We printed out a list of villages to visit off the Internet [from villages.com.au]. We were having lunch with friends at a pub when Pat said one of the villages on the list was nearby. We drove in the front gate and said, ‘This is it.'"

"Our new villa is great. We have a nice outdoor area where Pat can do her gardening. Our interest is in computers and socialising - we are set up with our computers, and already have VIP cards at the local pub which we can walk to. I like to play golf and can either do that here [Belmont North] or go down to Sydney; it's an easy drive."

Jef Leonard, formerly of Sydney

Jeff: "With my job, we lived in Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane and then Sydney again. We moved into this village [at Wamberal] in 1999. Margaret was perhaps not ready to make the move, but I knew I was. I was finished with hard work houses. Being here gave us the freedom to enjoy life. We could look back on 51 years and know that we did everything we wanted - we rounded off a great life together."

"I was very careful in choosing this village. We are off the beaten track - which I like - and we have an easy walk to both Wamberal and Terrigal beaches. Many residents take a 45 minute walk every morning."

"Size was also very important to me. This is a boutique village with 62 units and about 80 residents. There is no room for expansion."