Tag: Murwillumbah

Self-Management is Complicated

My feet had barely hit the ground at Mountain View when the Annual General Meeting was called. I was too busy settling in to care about the politics of the place, but the agenda included a motion to terminate the Strata Manager. Self-management is complicated in a large scheme, so I wondered if that would be a wise decision to make.

There was a lot to be said at that meeting, and as a relatively new resident I listened to all the arguments, for and against. When I cast my vote in favour of self-management I was confident we could do it.

Just before the AGM I was nominated for a position on the Strata Committee, and I’ve been part of that great committee since then.

It’s a tough gig but someone has to do it

Giving time to be on the Strata Committee has been an honour and a privilege, but it hasn’t been without problems.

The legislation that governs Strata Schemes in New South Wales has changed, and the changes have increased the complexity of managing large schemes like ours. None of the committee members are trained Strata Managers; we’ve been a lot of things in our other lives, but not Strata Managers.

We are a large Strata Scheme and we need the expertise of a fully qualified Strata Manager to guide us.

David does an amazing job as our Community Manager, but the last thing he needs is the extra strain of helping us keep up with changes in the legislation.

What does the legislation say?

The Strata Committee put in a lot of hours in the lead up to presenting Motions to residents at a General Meeting, as per legislation.

The Owners voted on:

  • whether we need a Strata Manager
  • which of the two proposals to accept for the appointment of a Strata Manager (dependent on the outcome of the first Motion)

The Motions and two proposals from prospective Strata Management companies were presented at a General Meeting. And the residents of this great village voted in favour of a Strata Manager, and in favour of appointing BCS to manage this fabulous place we live in.

The Strata Committee is still relevant, but the hard work will now be borne by BCS generally, and Matthew (our new Strata Manager) specifically.

Yep! Self-management is complicated

So we can all relax, safe in the knowledge that BCS will handle the hard stuff. They know the legislation inside-out and can answer all those tough questions.

Do we still need a Strata Committee?

Mountain View is a Strata Scheme, even though we have an increasing number of Leasehold units. Until we are 100% Leasehold, we will be a Strata Scheme, and a Strata Scheme has to have a Strata Committee.

I would encourage Owners to consider nominating for a position on the Strata Committee at future elections. We sorted the hard stuff so you can have a much easier experience than the current committee has had.

And what about David?

David will now be able to focus on what he needs to do as Community Manager. The appointment of BCS takes a lot of pressure off him.

The majority of residents love where they live and want to live peacefully and harmoniously with their neighbours. There are a few residents who aren’t happy but that’s life; the rest of us just keep on being happy.

I often wonder how David survived all the hard stuff that went on behind the scenes, but he did. He handles it all without even breaking a sweat – he saves the sweat for the football field after work. There’s a lot to be said for a good physical workout after a stressful day.

If it isn’t working, call Dave!

Who do we call when a water main bursts? Dave! He knows which mains to turn off and what to do until the plumber arrives.

Dave is a man of few words – unless you ask for a progress report on his new granddaughter. Then out comes the modern-day brag book (the trusty smart-phone) with the latest photos and videos. And because we all know the mother (and father) of this beautiful baby, we can’t get enough reports of how she is growing.

Dave will still do what he does best – look after the everyday maintenance stuff.

Jason and the gardeners…

Nothing will change on the garden front. Jason will still manage his fabulous team to keep our gardens as beautiful as they always are.

One of the first things visitors notice are the gardens, especially in spring. We live in a kaleidoscope of colour, carefully planned and cultivated by our amazing gardening team, originally led by Eddie, and now capably managed by his son, Jason. Our twenty-eight acres of spectacular bushland are a credit to this amazing team.

So what happens now?

  • BCS will take care of the big stuff
  • David is still at the helm as Community Manager
  • the girls will continue to manage the office and call-outs
  • Jason and his team will still look after the gardens
  • Dave will fix everything that needs fixing (within his job description) and keep us updated on the progress of his beautiful granddaughter
  • the Strata Committee will liaise with the Strata Manager and continue to make decisions about Common Property

Mountain View is in good hands

Self-management is complicated, and that’s why it’s better to hand the management over to BCS. And we can all get on with what we do best: enjoy our retirement.

And that’s how it should be!

Continue reading Self-Management is Complicated

Another Amazing Village Garden Market

The amazing team of Coral and Christine, with the help of a heap of fantastic volunteers, put together another successful Village Garden Market yesterday.

Garden enthusiasts and hungry residents stayed dry while they ambled through the tables full of plants and baked goods.

The girls did a great job as acting Bookies, selling tickets in next week’s Melbourne Cup Sweep.

Thanks Prue, Christine and Coral.

At these prices you could afford to fill your balcony with amazing plants.

When you weren’t buying plants, it was a great time to catch up with neighbours.

Plants. plants and more plants

The pool provided a peaceful backdrop, especially with the raindrops landing on the surface of the water, while shoppers pondered their potential purchase.

Cheryl, Tony and Anna stocked up on house-plants, while Kerrie and John, Wendy and Peter caught up on village news.

Margaret took care of sales and greetings. She had a huge smile for everyone who stopped to say hello.

Susan sold heaps of tickets for the beautiful butterfly decoration. If the person who won it is having trouble figuring out where to put it, I have the perfect spot at my place. Just saying…

Linda guarded the baked goodies. I bought some carrot cake, had it for lunch (yep – that’s what I do…), and it was so good I‘ve pre-ordered another one for next week (thanks Christine).

I don’t think Linda needed to up-sell any of the great variety of cakes and slices. Judy knew exactly what she wanted. The Brownies were really popular.

Am I the only one who thinks these plants are amazingly inexpensive?

I’ve resorted to buying plants that grow in water, not soil. So far the last lot I bought have survived.

The good old sanitiser and sign-in sheet greeted everyone on arrival. Where would we be without them.

I love those decorations that swirl around. I’m sure I’d just sit on my porch all day, watching them catch the breeze.

Mary didn’t waste any time working out which plants to buy for her balcony.

The day was a great success, and there were many more volunteers than the ones mentioned here.

To everyone who helped make the Village Garden Market another awesome success – Thank You!

Helping each other is what Mountain View residents do well, and it’s what makes this place the best place to live.

She Calls Me A B*tch At Least Once A Week

I was caught off guard when I asked Coral what makes the team of ‘Coral and Christine’ so strong. She looked at me and said, “She calls me a b*tch at least once a week”.

I wasn’t expecting that response, but the more I delved into the reasons for their longstanding working relationship, the more it made sense.

Christine and Coral sitting at a table in a friendly pose. Christine calls Coral a bitch at least once a week but it’s what makes it all work.

Coral and Christine assumed ownership of the little shop on top of ‘Administration Hill’ here at Mountain View a couple of years ago. The shop was already successful but with their recipe for magic, they transformed it into something even more successful.

Marion (the previous keeper of the shop) had opened the shop every morning for years, ready to greet whoever walked through the door. There was always a good supply of staple food items on the shelves and ice-creams in the freezer. And you could be guaranteed a chat about village life while you shopped.

But there comes a time in every volunteer’s life when they need to stop and smell the roses, or coffee (…whichever). Marion wanted to spend more time with Ray, and travel more often to catch up with family.

So when Marion called ‘Closing Time’ for the last time, she handed the keys of the shop over to Coral and Christine. The new team accepted the challenge and rose to the occasion.

Little by little the Craft Shop evolved; well, it’s still evolving. As fast as Coral and Christine think up new ideas, they find a way to implement them.

The Craft Shop became the Hub

2020 will go down in history as the year that stopped the planet. COVID-19 struck in February and brought us all to a grinding halt.

New regulations meant restriction of movement to within our own little bubble of the local shops, and only for essential goods and services. Most of us heeded the advice and were happy to go into full lock-down.

Coles deliver groceries, but only if you have the technology to order online. So every week, Coral drove to Tweed Heads to load up her car with groceries from Aldi to stock the shelves of the Craft Shop. Buying for less meant residents paid less.

Safety Plan

Coral and Christine baked throughout the restrictions, and kept the shelves stocked with everything we needed while at home (especially chocolate).

A COVID-19 safety plan was implemented within the shop to ensure all residents stayed safe.

Residents without transport simply phoned the shop, placed their order, and Coral delivered, leaving the items in a safe place at the door.

The strength of these two women during the worst of the pandemic was outstanding.

Either or both of them could have taken the easy way out and stayed home in isolation. But they didn’t. They armed themselves with masks and sanitiser and soldiered on. There was little thought for their own safety, apart from doing everything they could to protect themselves. Their concern was for the residents of Mountain View and what they could do to help them.

Refrigerator containing drinks, cheese, bread eggs, cream, milk helped residents during COVID-19

“So, what is it about you two that keeps you working together so well?” I asked.

Coral’s initial response to that question shocked me a bit.

“She calls me a b*tch at least once a week”, she said.

But then it made sense.

They don’t take life, or themselves too seriously. Perhaps that’s the secret?

So What Else Works?

  • There’s No ‘I’ in TEAM
    • They treat each other as equals
    • There is no boss – they are each the boss and the worker
    • Neither of them sees herself as the Queen Bee
  • They communicate
    • They discuss options before making a decision
  • Each respects the other’s strengths
    • Christine takes care of the banking and finances
    • Coral takes care of the shopping and stocking the shelves
    • They both bake and cook
    • Christine makes craft items to sell
  • There’s no tall poppy
    • A success for one, is a success for both
    • Tall Poppy Syndrome is something neither of these two suffer from; they’re too busy making Mountain View a better place

The most important thing that unites these two powerful women is the love they have for Mountain View. Everything they do is for the good of the community. When you have the right values and motivation for what you do, success follows.

And these two powerful women know no bounds; if they can dream it, they make it happen. Their energy is limitless. When you look at the shelves in the shop bursting with items for sale, you realise how much time and effort these two put into their day.

craft items on shelves that keep the store well stocked with items to sell

Christine and Coral are just two of the many powerful women who call Mountain View their home.

It’s time for all our powerful women (and men) to be celebrated.

Boy Babies Wear Blue Booties… Don’t They?

Mine was one of the generations raised with the gender defining notion that boy babies wore blue booties, and girl babies wore pink booties.

Fast forward to 2019 – those boy babies are now in their 60’s, 70’s and 80’s and blue has been ditched in favour of pink.

For seniors who attended the recent Project Pink function at Mountain View Retirement Village, the room was a sea of pink. Our now more senior boy babies wore pink shirts, pink ties, pink braces, and pink hats.

There was not a blue bootie to be seen… anywhere.

Pink bras were strung high and wide, along with the usual bunting and balloons.

So why would these trend-setters of the 50’s, 60’s and 70’s don their finest pink outfits, and assemble in the Community Centre on a fine day in October?

Because….

Mountain View Retirement Village puts on an annual event to raise money for the PA‘ s research into Breast Cancer.

Project Pink – Mountain View Style

Project Pink is our way of raising money for a great cause, and residents came out in full force to support it.

Food was plentiful and the drinks flowed.

Each attendee paid a nominal fee to attend, and then untied the purse-strings to buy heaps of raffle tickets.

You could be forgiven for thinking the cost of admission wouldn’t even cover the cost of lunch, let alone drinks and raffle prizes.

And it didn’t. We had some serious help with the funding.

Aveo supports Project Pink events in its communities across the country, with an aim to raise one million dollars for the cause.

Businesses in Murwillumbah donated generously to make sure there were enough raffle prizes.

And the staff and residents of Mountain View worked tirelessly on the day.

David, Dave and John flipped burgers and sausages on the BBQ.

Shanneen, Ellen and Kerrie took care of everything inside.

And Ray, one of the boy babies adorned in pink, greeted guests and helped sell raffle tickets.

Residents ate, drank and were merry – their participation making a difference to the families who have or will be affected by Breast Cancer in their lifetime.

Have you heard me say Murwillumbah is the best place to live?

Here’s why…

Resident volunteers took to the streets of Murwillumbah a few weeks before the event and ‘door-knocked’ businesses. I visited five places who all generously donated gifts or services, and the other volunteers had similar results.

There was no shortage of fabulous prizes donated by the generous businesses within the Murwillumbah community.

The table and notice board overflowed with the generous donations from Murwillumbah businesses.

You could have heard a pin drop when David started calling out the raffle winners. Eyes focussed on lucky (or not..) tickets, as each attendee waited with much anticipation to hear their lucky number called out.

There may have even been a bit of skullduggery going on between winners because I’m sure I noticed a couple of deals going down.

I know Wendy and Ray came to some kind of arrangement.

“Love your new haircut, Ray”.

“Nice new pot-plant, Wendy!”.

Those who didn’t win were grateful that the purchase of their tickets helped raise much needed funds for research into Breast Cancer.

We raised a little over $1500.00!

That’s a mammoth effort for the little community up on the hill.

And we could not have done it without the support of Aveo, and our Murwillumbah community.

A Huge Thank You To:

The amazing Aveo Mountain View management team for their dedication and energy in organising the event, food, drinks and BBQ.

Shanneen, for orchestrating the event from beginning to end.

The residents of Mountain View Retirement Village who:

  • helped cook the great BBQ lunch
  • attended the function
  • bought heaps of raffle tickets

Thank you to all who attended and made the day a huge success, and most importantly, those who delved deep into their wardrobes to find something pink to wear.

And an even bigger Thank You! to these amazingly-generous Murwillumbah businesses for opening their hearts (and wallets) to donate the amazing prizes that helped us raise a whole lot of money.

Your generous donations have made a big difference and we thank you, sincerely.

  • Australia Post
  • B Spoilt Hair Salon
  • Balcony Restaurant
  • Beverley’s on Main Street
  • Bottle-O Bray Park
  • Bi-Rite Electrical
  • Bray Park Butchery
  • Cafe 81
  • Chantilly Boutique
  • Country Style Barber
  • Con Varella Pharmacy
  • Dinki Di Discounts
  • JH Williams
  • Juju’s Cafe
  • Katrina Hair Salon
  • Keith’s Cafe
  • Lavender Blue
  • Mapp & Hession Pharmacy
  • Mother Js Nursery
  • Murwillumbah Cellars
  • Murwillumbah Golf Club
  • Murwillumbah RSL Club
  • New Leaf Cafe
  • Office Choice
  • Opal Nails
  • Outdoorism
  • Priceline
  • Rumour Has It
  • Soul Pattinson Pharmacy
  • Sports World
  • Sutto’s Floor Coverings
  • Sunnyside Meats
  • Take a Break Cafe
  • The Foundry
  • The Style Shop
  • Tweed Fruit Exchange

And at the end of the day, our boy babies…..

….. hung up their pink shirts, dusted off their pink hats, and folded their pink ties and braces. Will the pink gear be kept in a dark cupboard until next year’s Project Pink, or will our boy babies show up in their finest pink garb at other events?

That is the burning question that only time will tell.

Come back and visit this page often, and if you can support any of these local businesses, it would be a great way to thank them for donating to the PA’s Research into Breast Cancer, through Mountain View’s Project Pink function.

Did we miss knocking on your door this year?

If you would like to support Mountain View’s Project Pink next year by donating goods or services, make sure you leave a comment on this page, or contact the office at Mountain View Retirement Village to have your name added to the list for 2020.

Bring on the Pink!!

Day Two – Tenterfield Trip

At the end of Day Two, fifteen weary but happy travellers were delivered safely back to our beautiful village. So with Part One of the Tenterfield Trip done and dusted, here is a pictorial account of Day Two.

Day Two

On Wednesday morning we woke to a beautiful crisp Autumn morning in Tenterfield (that’s code for FFFFF – Freezing Cold!). The sun was shining in a clear blue sky and all was right with our world. 

Our Home-Away-From-Home…. for one fantastic night…

Breakfast was cooking at the School of Arts Cafe and the fabulous team of Marion and Amanda were waiting to greet us. Marion and Amanda had started work early so that we could eat and be on our way. We still had some sightseeing to take care of – oh – and maybe just a little bit more shopping. 

Marion and Amanda got up extra early to accommodate us, and still had a welcome smile for us when we arrived. What an awesome team!

Breakfast!

Who wouldn’t want to go back for more, once they have eaten at the School of Arts Cafe at Tenterfield? That’s how it happened for us… lunch one day – breakfast the next. These girls, (and the lovely Kylie), made sure our dining experiences were met with a smile, and every detail attended to. Thank you, Amanda, Marion and Kylie for contributing to our first overnight bus trip.

Make sure you stop in and say Hi! to these lovely ladies next time you are in Tenterfield.

And leave enough time to read the walls leading through to the cafe. You’ll come away with a deeper knowledge of our Prime Ministerial History. And yes, they have had to add a bit more wall space to accommodate our revolving-door Prime Ministership of recent years.

Photos from the early years to…..
…what the heck!
Funny how we were more subdued over breakfast than we were at pre-dinner drinks the day before…

With breakfast done and dusted, the early birds opted for a walk while waiting for others to finish, before meeting back at the bus.

Joan, Elizabeth and I opted for a quick dash to the Haberdashery store we had spotted the previous afternoon. What an experience that was!!! It was like finding Aladdin’s Cave unlocked, and with the lights on.

We each settled on our own version of obsession – mine was more wool for yet another scarf, as well as some awesome quilting fabric for yet another cushion (I don’t have the skill or patience for a big project yet).

  • Aladdin’s Cave of Quilting and Craft!

Country Curtains was a lot more than we expected.

In real friendly Tenterfield style, the saleslady approached us, started a conversation about our warm headgear and scarves, and immediately put us at ease. She showed us different wools and what they would look like as a finished product. To say we were impressed would be an understatement! And the best news? You can phone Country Curtains and they will post items to you.

Apparently, they are very used to hearing visitors say ‘we don’t have a haberdashery store in our town’.

Joan found a great souvenir for a friend, and the last we saw of Elizabeth, she was immersed in a mass of colourful wool and fabric. She eventually caught up to us – looking as happy as we felt.

Meanwhile, back at the bus…

Bags were loaded and travellers resumed their seats for the next leg of the journey.

First stop: The Tenterfield Saddler House

Don’t ever go to Tenterfield without visiting the home of the Tenterfield Saddler. But don’t expect to only see saddles and whips. This tiny cottage is overflowing with history.

  • Just love this door!
  • Yes, youngsters, this is a telephone!
  • Recognise the remake of the old string bag?
  • There’s nothing like wearing a hand-crafted belt
  • Yep… this is a saddle

I was fascinated to see the handwritten note from Hugh Jackman, thanking the Saddlery for the whip he used in the film about Peter Allen. But you will have to make the trip to Tenterfield if you want to see it.

I dare say Keith, the amazing volunteer on duty that day, was sick of hearing ‘Oh Wow!’, every time I turned around and discovered another memory from the past.

We owe a huge thank you to the unsung heroes who keep the history alive for those who lived through it and those born too late to be part of it. To the Volunteers who keep the Tenterfield Saddler Museum running – Thank You. You are all Legends.

Back to the bus…

The next ‘must-see’ item on our itinerary was the Cork Tree.

Not bad, considering the cork tree came to Australia in a jam tin in 1861…

The Cork Tree is reported to have magical powers if you walk around it three times while reciting a special chant. If you make a wish while chanting, it is supposed to come true. If only we could have walked around it!

And finally, the Railway Museum

Old trains and railway stations conjure up images and memories of the past. And the Tenterfield Railway Museum provided a nostalgic snapshot of how travel used to be.

They just don’t make buildings like this anymore…
Part of the happy-travellers group

Murwillumbah Calls….

Ted navigated us back to the highway and we were homeward bound. But not without thoughts of lunch. We had our sights set on a Pie Shop we had seen advertised on the highway the day before. But to quote a famous line from Robert Burns – To A Mouse, “The best laid schemes of mice and men….”. Our pie-shop plans went sadly ‘awry’!

A short detour from the highway should have delivered us to the door of the pie-shop. Instead, we stared blankly at a door that was closed, despite a sign at the front and on the side wall blatantly advertising the promise of a cafe inside.

Doubling back we headed for a hotel we had passed moments earlier. A reconnaissance team was dispatched to see if the hotel could feed fifteen hungry travellers, but returned with ‘mmm – we might keep going…’. They also reported that the cafe down the road had been closed for about ten years.

The final leg of the journey continued.

Yes, we all had a fantastic time away – but there was something magic in seeing Mt Warning in the distance on the homeward-stretch.

We were almost home!

Casino – Next Stop

It was just before 2.00 pm by the time we pulled up in front of the Commercial Hotel in Casino. Google assured us the Commercial Hotel was the place for lunch. Except – lunch has prescribed times at the Commercial Hotel – and 2pm isn’t one of them. We were politely directed to a coffee shop at the end of the building, so coffee and cake would have to do. Surprisingly, there was more on offer than just coffee-shop fare, and fifteen hungry travellers were fed.

The best part of our impromptu change of plans was the garden seating – as long as you could find a seat in the sun.

Some of us even found time for a short walk before regaining our rightful places on the bus.

The sun was setting on Day Two…

Desley’s calculation that the sun would be setting as we came over the Burringbar Range was spot-on. The sun-visors did little to deflect the blinding light of the sun as the earth began its journey towards darkness.

The sight of the Tweed Regional Art Gallery signalled our return to Murwillumbah. Back to familiarity – back to routines.

At 4.48pm, the bus stopped at the first drop-off point.

We were home!

One-by-one, well-worn travellers retrieved their luggage and said their goodbyes.

As Day Two closed around them, the fifteen adventurers probably relived the highlights of their two-day trip to Tenterfield. They may have had a few chuckles at the memorable moments – like – trying to count the votes for where to have breakfast (after a few drinks), finding the cafe that had closed ten years earlier, and meeting the most colourful character of Tenterfield.

And sleep found them all, probably a little earlier than usual that night.

We would like to thank the following people for making our first overnight trip to Tenterfield so memorable:

  • Desley, our fabulous bus-driver
  • Ted, our brilliant navigator
  • Alan from No Bull Vintage and Collectables Kyogle
  • Shelley and Staff at The Sugarbowl – Kyogle
  • Luke – the perfect host – Peter Allen Motor Inn Tenterfield
  • Marion & Amanda – School of Arts Cafe Tenterfield

And the fantastic team of travellers!
Let’s do it again – soon!!

Four Days Until…!

The countdown is on! Only four days until Aveo Mountain View’s Seniors Expo. That’s just four sleeps and a wakey – until Friday the 22nd February. We’ll put the coffee machine in overdrive, crank up the kettle, and make sure the biscuit tin is full. So take a drive up Byangum Road (from Murwillumbah), turn left into Ingram Place – we are at the end of Ingram Place (1 Ingram Place). Let us know you are coming so we can put enough beans in the coffee machine.

We are really excited about showing you our place.

You’ll see:

  • inside one of our fabulous units
  • the lake
  • the Bowling Green
  • our community centre – the Hub for most of our activities
  • beautiful birds
  • bin chickens ibis (sorry – couldn’t put them in the beautiful birds category)
  • water dragons
  • happy retirees enjoying life
  • presentations from outside agencies – providing information about all things ‘ageing’
  • presentations from residents – to show what we do all day

If retirement is on your horizon, or the horizon of someone you know, come and talk to us. We’ve (nearly) all hit the retirement button – some of us are new at it – others are old-hands – but we can show you some of the options available. Even if your retirement plans feature foreign shores, you might pick up some valuable tips from someone who has been there and done that. Some of our residents split their retirement time between Aveo Mountain View and a resort on a tropical island. Can it get any better than that?

Come and see Julia’s beautiful quilts

Click here to see the Timetable for the day. Come for the full day (11.30 – 3.00) or just an hour or two. Oh, and don’t forget the cooking demonstration at 2.00pm. You won’t want to miss it!

Just remember though, the roads throughout Mountain View Village are shared roads. That means, we share the road with cars, trucks, seniors (some of us don’t move as fast as we used to) and our wildlife.

Our speed limit is 15 km/h!

Please slow down while in the village.

Our beautiful lake…

Well, what are you waiting for?

Pick up the phone and call the office to let us know you are coming.

The phone number is: 02-6672-4800 (Office Hours)

Or you can email me: retired@mountainview-living.com

Or, fill out the RSVP at the bottom of this page

Remember, there’s only four days until the Aveo Mountain View Seniors Expo – so….

We’ll see you at our place on Friday!!

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