Downsizing from a large, art deco home in Castlemaine has given new GemLife Woodend residents, John and Margaret Pizzey, more time – and funds – to pursue the things they enjoy.
The first residents to move into GemLife Woodend Stage 2, John and Margaret loved the verdant charm of their former garden but not the endless and costly maintenance.
“Large gardens are beautiful but they take up so much time, not to mention the expense of it,” said John. “Also, by selling a larger house we have more money to do whatever we want.”
When house hunting, the couple shopped around, looking at several other places – none of which ticked all the boxes – before settling on GemLife Woodend.
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“We walked into one of the display homes and I said to Margaret ‘I could live in this’. We both liked it straight away,” John said. “The houses are fantastic. We love the higher ceilings, the nice clean lines and the bedrooms are a good size too.”
“We’re closer to friends and family and Woodend is such a lovely little village,” he added.
The couple enjoys being social and one of the main draw-cards is developing friendships within a new, growing and like-minded community.
“We are social and outgoing people but because we’ve moved around a lot, it’s been a bit like ‘a rolling stone gathers no moss’. We wanted the opportunity to make some good friends. By moving
to GemLife, most people here are starting again so they’re in the same boat as us.”
Margaret, who enjoys crafts like embroidery, spinning and knitting, is already busy starting up a craft group at the resort. John, who used to be a member of a wine appreciation group in Castlemaine, is keen to explore setting up something similar at Woodend. The Macedon Ranges region is renowned for growing some of the finest cool-climate grapes in Australia. It has a reputation as an outstanding wine region with numerous boutique wineries producing exceptional quality wines in small quantities.
“There are some incredible wineries in the region, the fine pinot noirs are especially good,” he said. The Macedon Ranges’ cooler conditions are perfect for fine chardonnays, pinot noirs, shiraz and sparkling wines, but it also produces many award-winning rieslings and cabernet sauvignons.
The Pizzeys are looking forward to the resort’s country club opening, seeing it as the community’s social centre. They also plan to become part of the wider Woodend community.
“There’s lots of great stuff to do and see in Woodend, and good restaurants too. We’re slowly working our way around our new neighbourhood.”
