Plans for the good life

[Lee's fedora]

Forster Tuncurry 💯 is a great spot @Lee's fedora
But when you say you 'used to go up there a lot'.......it must be a looooooong time since you have been there, as getting across the bridge between Forster Tuncurry in any holiday time is a 🥵 nightmare now.

Yeah last i was up there was around 2013

 

[pawsandclaws1]

Just recently at the very ripe old age of 75, my marriage couldn't go down any further than it was, so I decided I just had to get out for good.
I had a comfortable caravan and a good tow vehicle but sold both about 12 months prev.
I had nowhere enough money to purchase even a very simple house on a rural property, and I wanted to travel around Aust. anyway.......so I went out and purchased a good quality air pole tent with all the bits and pieces to go with it and packed everything into my car.
Two days before I was ready to leave, there was a major and unexpected change for the better in my home life.
I have given up the 'travel around Oz' idea for good, as my wife and I have decided to move into a Over 55's Lifestyle Village on the Upper Central Coast of NSW.
And that's where we will be spending the remainder of 'Our Good Life Retirement'.

That's a nice story and good luck for the future!

 

[Demps]

Just recently at the very ripe old age of 75, my marriage couldn't go down any further than it was, so I decided I just had to get out for good.
I had a comfortable caravan and a good tow vehicle but sold both about 12 months prev.
I had nowhere enough money to purchase even a very simple house on a rural property, and I wanted to travel around Aust. anyway.......so I went out and purchased a good quality air pole tent with all the bits and pieces to go with it and packed everything into my car.
Two days before I was ready to leave, there was a major and unexpected change for the better in my home life.
I have given up the 'travel around Oz' idea for good, as my wife and I have decided to move into a Over 55's Lifestyle Village on the Upper Central Coast of NSW.
And that's where we will be spending the remainder of 'Our Good Life Retirement'.

Upper central Coast ?

Like Doyleson?

 

[tony soprano]

Energy, fuel, food, interest rates all going up could be a lean few years for us.

 

[TrueTiger]

Your right mate, people in them parts of NSW are a great bunch, we were bred there and in two cases died there.
You can take a bloke away from Cobar but you can't take Cobar out of a bloke.

Heres one for you Cobar....
I lived in Wagga Wagga for over 20 years...the traditional owners of the area the Wiradjuri people said the name meant "place of many crows"...
I also lived in Sydney during my business course days for 3 years....
I think the name meant "place of many "galahs"...hehehehahaha

 

[NT_Tiger]

Heres one for you Cobar....
I lived in Wagga Wagga for over 20 years...the traditional owners of the area the Wiradjuri people said the name meant "place of many crows"...
I also lived in Sydney during my business course days for 3 years....
I think the name meant "place of many "galahs"...hehehehahaha

No, that's Canberra.

 

[BZN]

That's a nice story and good luck for the future!

Thanks @pawsandclaws1
Your thought is muchly appreciated ✅.

 

[BZN]

Upper central Coast ?

Like Doyleson?

No, much further up north than that @Demps

 

[Demps]

No, much further up north than that @Demps

North Central Coast?

I'm struggling....

Like Summerland Point ?

 

[NT_Tiger]

I retired at 55.
I had lived and worked in remote outback NT most of my working life. A lot of my work was outdoors based and required me to be physically active.
My retirement plan was based around keeping fit doing outdoors work. Pretty much more of the same.
Joining the throngs of grey nomads didn't appeal to me and I couldn't countenance living in a city or suburban setting, We ended up buying a place on the Atherton Tablelands of a few acres. It's beautiful and cool here yet still in the tropics.
For the first two years of retirement, still in the NT, I was a volunteer, pre-school teachers aid working with disadvantaged kids. That was enlightening.
Now, on the Tablelands, I just work at home on the property.
I probably work longer hours now than I ever did in paid employment. I plant rainforest trees on the place when the season is right. There is an ongoing project of weed (trees and shrubs) removal that will keep me busy till I drop. I tend a very large garden and decent sized subtropical orchard that is now coming into production. I also do the random never-ending maintenance around the place, run the household and look after the kids.
Now and then when tides are good and the weather permits, I get out to the reef with the kids or a mate for some mackerel and coral trout.
That's me.
"you should be diggin' it while it's happenin', 'cause it might just be a one shot deal". FZ

 

[tony soprano]

I retired at 55.
I had lived and worked in remote outback NT most of my working life. A lot of my work was outdoors based and required me to be physically active.
My retirement plan was based around keeping fit doing outdoors work. Pretty much more of the same.
Joining the throngs of grey nomads didn't appeal to me and I couldn't countenance living in a city or suburban setting, We ended up buying a place on the Atherton Tablelands of a few acres. It's beautiful and cool here yet still in the tropics.
For the first two years of retirement, still in the NT, I was a volunteer, pre-school teachers aid working with disadvantaged kids. That was enlightening.
Now, on the Tablelands, I just work at home on the property.
I probably work longer hours now than I ever did in paid employment. I plant rainforest trees on the place when the season is right. There is an ongoing project of weed (trees and shrubs) removal that will keep me busy till I drop. I tend a very large garden and decent sized subtropical orchard that is now coming into production. I also do the random never-ending maintenance around the place, run the household and look after the kids.
Now and then when tides are good and the weather permits, I get out to the reef with the kids or a mate for some mackerel and coral trout.
That's me.
"you should be diggin' it while it's happenin', 'cause it might just be a one shot deal". FZ

Can you recommend any particular areas or things to see at NT for a family going there for the first time for a holiday?

 

[BZN]

North Central Coast?

I'm struggling....

Like Summerland Point ?

Sorry @Demps I probably gave you a bum steer when I first described the area of NSW, but It's between Forster and Coffs Harbour. I'll let you know when we get there and settle down.

 

[stryker 69]

As for travelling in Australia, would love to see Uluru, the Kimberley's and as a bit of dark tourism, visit Wittenoom (the now ghost-town that inspired the Midnight Oil song Blue Sky Mine.)

Get a bit of asbestos into ya…

 

[Demps]

Sorry @Demps I probably gave you a bum steer when I first described the area of NSW, but It's between Forster and Coffs Harbour. I'll let you know when we get there and settle down.

Ah very nice.
Passed through the other day.

Lovely areas.

 

[NT_Tiger]

Can you recommend any particular areas or things to see at NT for a family going there for the first time for a holiday?

Hi, The most obvious place for a family visit is Uluru, it is such an Australian icon. It has been many years since I've been there but I believe now they have good tourist infrastructure.
I lived most of my working life in Kakadu and spent most of my holidays there as well so I'm biased. I could easily spend an entire holiday there again. Time of year to visit is the big decision because the place changes dramatically through the seasons.
Wet season is beautiful but access options can be very limited by flooding. The build up was my favourite time of year because of the storms, but heat and humidity aren't for everyone. High tides at Cahills crossing in October you get an unbelievable show of many many large crocodiles (I've seen 25 at a time) feeding as the incoming tide flows across the crossing. June and July, the dry season, it's cooler and usually all access is open. There is enough to see to keep you in the area for a week or longer if you get out and about on foot. The afternoon (last cruise of the day) yellow waters boat cruise is a spectacular must do. A lot of the more remote access is 4wd only. If your kids are old enough to bushwalk I strongly recommend walks into the escarpment country, although it's map and compass territory and you'll need your navigation skills as none of the really remote tracks are marked.
Katherine Gorge is beautiful as are many of the smaller parks across the top end.
I like Darwin as a big town although it calls itself a city. Mindil beach markets were a thing when I lived up that way and it's a good place to get a feed and sit on the beach and watch the sunset.
A trip into Arnhemland is worthwhile in the dry season. Most access is 4wd although there are some good tours that operate there.
That's all I can think of at the moment. There are plenty of tours that get you out and about but to get to places at your own pace you need to be set up for it. It really depends what you're into and how much time you have.

 

[mikey]

I retired at 55.
I had lived and worked in remote outback NT most of my working life. A lot of my work was outdoors based and required me to be physically active.
My retirement plan was based around keeping fit doing outdoors work. Pretty much more of the same.
Joining the throngs of grey nomads didn't appeal to me and I couldn't countenance living in a city or suburban setting, We ended up buying a place on the Atherton Tablelands of a few acres. It's beautiful and cool here yet still in the tropics.
For the first two years of retirement, still in the NT, I was a volunteer, pre-school teachers aid working with disadvantaged kids. That was enlightening.
Now, on the Tablelands, I just work at home on the property.
I probably work longer hours now than I ever did in paid employment. I plant rainforest trees on the place when the season is right. There is an ongoing project of weed (trees and shrubs) removal that will keep me busy till I drop. I tend a very large garden and decent sized subtropical orchard that is now coming into production. I also do the random never-ending maintenance around the place, run the household and look after the kids.
Now and then when tides are good and the weather permits, I get out to the reef with the kids or a mate for some mackerel and coral trout.
That's me.
"you should be diggin' it while it's happenin', 'cause it might just be a one shot deal". FZ

Atherton Tablelands is amazing - pity I didn't see more of it when I was there 5 years ago.
Did two drives - first the loop from Cairns to Kuranada, Atherton and back down to Cairns via Gordontown.
The second was up the mountain from Port Douglas and back to Cairns via Kuranda.

Couldn't believe how much the scenery changed from tropical lushness to basically dry desert (savannah I guess) and then to rolling green hills and back to rainforest. On the second loop the savannah treess were just beautiful.

 

[Cultured_Bogan]

Get a bit of asbestos into ya…

I thought they had done a clean up there.

 

[Cobarcats]

Heres one for you Cobar....
I lived in Wagga Wagga for over 20 years...the traditional owners of the area the Wiradjuri people said the name meant "place of many crows"...
I also lived in Sydney during my business course days for 3 years....
I think the name meant "place of many "galahs"...hehehehahaha

A bit of history to the name Wagga Wagga TT.
In terms of the contemporary use of the words Wagga Wagga it translates as 'the place of many crows'.
Local Aboriginal historian and local Elder Uncle Stan Grant said the true meaning is Many dances and Celebrations.
Recently the Town's Mayor recognised this as the true meaning but the crow will stay on the council's logo and various organisations because of the abundance of crows in the area.
The word wagga is one of a set of words associated with the word ‘waganha’ (dancing now). These include ‘waganhi’ (danced), ‘wagagirri’ (will dance), ‘wagadha!’ (dance!), ‘wagambirra’ (play or dance about), ‘wagadyi’ (a dance), ‘wagawaga’ (dances (plural)) and ‘wagadhaany’ (dancer)

When I did my Army basic training in Wagga in the early 70s, there were more magpies than crows which was an indication of changing times. 👍

 

[Long Term Fan]

I retired at 55.
I had lived and worked in remote outback NT most of my working life. A lot of my work was outdoors based and required me to be physically active.
My retirement plan was based around keeping fit doing outdoors work. Pretty much more of the same.
Joining the throngs of grey nomads didn't appeal to me and I couldn't countenance living in a city or suburban setting, We ended up buying a place on the Atherton Tablelands of a few acres. It's beautiful and cool here yet still in the tropics.
For the first two years of retirement, still in the NT, I was a volunteer, pre-school teachers aid working with disadvantaged kids. That was enlightening.
Now, on the Tablelands, I just work at home on the property.
I probably work longer hours now than I ever did in paid employment. I plant rainforest trees on the place when the season is right. There is an ongoing project of weed (trees and shrubs) removal that will keep me busy till I drop. I tend a very large garden and decent sized subtropical orchard that is now coming into production. I also do the random never-ending maintenance around the place, run the household and look after the kids.
Now and then when tides are good and the weather permits, I get out to the reef with the kids or a mate for some mackerel and coral trout.
That's me.
"you should be diggin' it while it's happenin', 'cause it might just be a one shot deal". FZ

I appreciate you had a very physical job during your working life however 55 years old is relatively young age to retire these days.

I am turning 53 years old this year, clerical job so don't have the wear and tear to body and thinking about retiring at 56 years old. I will still have my twins in Year 11 at that stage.

I live in the suburbs of Sydney and will stay here once retired as twins still have HSC to complete then Uni or work and given the prices of houses will be with us for a while you would think.

Interesting to hear your positive and negative comments about retiring at 55 years old and lessons learnt over the years.

Thank you and sounds like you are living the dream.

 

[pawsandclaws1]

It is great to read about plans for the future. Just remember do not leave it too late to go on that adventure.