"The bushfires for me were one of the deciding factors. We had four, and I always worried when  my husband David had to get on the roof and clean the gutters every two months. We had a sloping site and the garden was getting to be a problem."

"Here we don't have to do a blooming thing; it's wonderful. We had gone through elderly relatives leaving it too late. Looking after my mother and my aunt...we were ready to move. The children had gone and we love to travel. David had been retired for two years. The alternative to here was a unit on the highway - terrible."

"David needed a bit more persuasion but agreed that we did not need the big house. We had lived in it for 42 years and it needed work; the kitchen, the bathroom. We thought someone would buy it and knock it down, but they didn't. It was a three year process for me - we had our name down here for 18 months. We were on holidays in Victoria when we got the phone call that a space was available. Everything does take time. It took us three months to sell the pianola!"

"Life is now so full. We travel a lot and here you can just close the door. They collect the mail and you know that everything is safe. We have done a lot of 4-wheel-driving; we are about to do a trip up to Central Queensland, camping at Carnarvon Gorge and then on to the Gulf country. Then we are going to Tasmania for a month. We told the children not to expect a lot of money. We are not travelling around the world, but we are having a great time."

"We are not convinced that this is the best financial proposition [for retirement] but it costs money to provide the facilities that we have here. For instance, they have lots of lights on all night. The paths and the garages. The lawns are mown every fortnight, which we would not have done at home."

"Everything is done the same day. If you want a globe changed, it is done. We had some big branches overhanging our balcony and told the office; they were instantly removed. What price do you put on this? Being here allows me to be very enthusiastic about life - I can be doing something every day in the village if I want. On Tuesday this week, I did Active & Upright, a physio style workout. On Wednesday, we did a bus trip to Mannells, a fashion outlet where they had a fashion parade and provided us with tea. We then had lunch at Sydney Rowing Club on the harbour - one of the best fish meals I have ever had - the month before we went to the Japanese Gardens up at Gosford. On Friday, I have Aqua Fitness and Saturday is morning tea. Once a month, we have a special luncheon or dinner and they always have 80 or more people."

"You can bring any friends you like. Then every Saturday there is a dinner - take away - it's very simple and social. Then there is Melbourne Cup Day - they have a big television for the sports events - and there is Market Day. Lots of people swim every day. Snooker is big and so is cards and mah jong. You can do as much - or as little - as you like. We also do volunteer work with Bush Care; David and I have taken responsibility for the areas around here to clear of weeds. And you can have your own garden if you like. We are also on the main bus route to the city, which gives us a lot of freedom and access to a lot more things to do."

"As I said, it is best to plan ahead. You do notice some people leave it until it's too late. The husband dies, mum comes to the village and there is double bereavement. You need to come in and settle. I am happy, relaxed and feel very much at home; this is home. I wouldn't want to live anywhere else and I want to live here for the rest of my life."

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