Melbourne Cup Lunch

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We had a beautiful day for the races and, given everything that has happened this year, we were so grateful to be able to gather together and celebrate the Melbourne Cup in person. Paul and Anna cooked a delicious BBQ lunch, with various meats, veggies, salads, fresh bread, fruit and ice creams. We had festive drinks to round it off – bubbly, wine, a big jug of PIMMS and lemonade, and a selection of non-alcoholic offerings.

The lounge was festooned with bright colours and horse racing themed decorations, and the beautiful dresses, hats and fascinators that the guests arrived with added to the atmosphere. After lunch Paul organised the sweeps, and we began to move into the games room to watch the TV coverage. The race itself was typically exciting, and this year the winner seemed to come from nowhere at the last minute! What a great finish! Jo was the big winner in the sweeps, by chance having two of the top three horses over two different sweeps.

Congratulations to everyone else who had a winning horse, and thanks to all those that came to keep a fun Astra tradition alive – celebrating the Melbourne Cup in style at Bondi Beach 😊🍹

What Do You Need to Think About When Downsizing?

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There are many benefits to downsizing, but also plenty of things to consider when deciding if it is the right move for you. This is by no means an exhaustive list, but we hope that it will give you a firm foundation for starting on your downsizing journey...

  • Pros and cons of downsizing:

    • More upfront capital from selling your larger home. The Retirement Village model of 99 year leases even removes stamp duty from the equation. When buying into a Retirement Village lease, you do not pay stamp duty on entry, but you do pay a departure fee (also known as a Deferred Management Fee) on leaving the property. Although having more money may affect your Aged Pension (please check with your financial advisor if this could be an issue for you), having upfront capital allows you to control how you live your life now and allows for better planning for the future.

    • Fewer ongoing costs and improved cash flow. Utility bills, insurance payments, council rates and other ongoing costs are often lower in smaller properties. This could free up money to invest, spend on goods and services, or save for a rainy day. Importantly, many retirees want more financial security for the future, knowing they may have less money coming in then.

    • Differences in space and flexibility. Living in a smaller home may mean you have fewer rooms and less space for entertaining than you are used to. However, smaller homes are generally much easier to maintain and clean, and downsizing might mean you have fewer areas in your new home that are unused or under-used. You also might not lose as much stuff!

    • Fewer material things - many downsizers will use their move as an opportunity to declutter and throw away, or sell, their unwanted things. And since there is plenty of evidence that decluttering is good for your health as well as your wallet, this could be beneficial on several fronts.

    • Emotional connections and memories. Often, when people are considering downsizing from their family home, they fear losing all the memories and emotional ties that go along with that home. It can be daunting to make the break, but don’t worry the memories come with you and you will make a connection to your new place or neighbourhood quicker than you think. The saying “a change is as good as a holiday” exists for a reason, and there’s nothing like making memories in a new place when it’s the right fit for your next phase in life.

    • More convenient. You can choose a layout and fittings that better meet your needs, or a location closer to family, transport and services.

  • Financial considerations:

    • Selling your existing property (marketing costs, agent’s fees, conveyancer, other legal fees)

    • Financial advisor consultation

    • Moving costs - furniture removal etc...

    • Cost of living in your new area

    • Reduced repairs and maintenance costs

  • Do your research and decide on what’s most important for you:

    • What are your financial goals?

    • What are your future plans, or what would you like them to be?

    • What are you hoping to gain from downsizing?

    • Are you currently spending your limited time doing things you WANT to be doing?

    • What are the available amenities in the new place, and will you feel safe and connected?

    • What are your needs for personal space, visitors, storage?

    • What do you like about your home?

    • What could you do without?

    • How many rooms do you need?

    • Do you want to move somewhere calm and quiet, or busy and populated?

    • Do you enjoy walks by the beach, shopping in city centres, or spending time in national parks?

    • Are there any particular amenities that you want or need close by?

    • Make sure to give yourself plenty of time to research and do everything you need to do before you have to move. If it seems like downsizing might be a good move for you, hopefully you will see it as writing an exciting new chapter in your life story. So before you start you should make a draft, a blueprint you can use to ensure your move will go as smoothly as possible.

  • Who to consult about making a move:

    • Family and friends

    • Legal advisors

    • Financial advisors

    • NSW Fair Trading (they have a handy guide to your rights and responsibilities).

Please make sure to speak to a financial advisor and/or a solicitor before undertaking any big financial decisions. If you have any further questions about Retirement Village living in general, or Bondi Beach Astra specifically, please ring or email, or visit our FAQs.

"Freedom Fest" Afternoon Tea

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With over 106 days in lockdown, and even more days since our last event, we were thrilled to be able to once again meet in person to catch up with friends and neighbours. Our heartfelt thanks go to every person who came along for our first afternoon tea back - looking forward to being able to gather again was what kept us going through the frustration of lockdown. We caught up on all the news, gossip and future plans over a glass or two of bubbly and some tasty snacks. It was a relief to be able to remove the mask for some food and drink, and to have a proper face to face conversation, albeit in a socially-distanced and cautious way. The novelty of being "out" prolonged the revelries until early evening, and we had lots of fun. It's wonderful to be back 😄

Perks of Living at Bondi Beach Astra

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What are the advantages of living at the Bondi Beach Astra Retirement Village? We are obviously a bit biased, but we think there are many amazing reasons to think about moving here. After reading our list we hope you agree…

Location

We are located right across the road from Bondi Beach, with easy access to Bondi Junction and Sydney city centre. The view of the beach from the Astra building is hard to beat. Being a beach suburb means many of our residents walk along the coast daily, and a fair number will swim or surf throughout the year. We are situated just across the road from Bondi Icebergs at the south end of the beach, and are a pleasant walk to the ocean pools at the north end. With this scenery on their doorstep, our residents are thrilled to spend time outdoors, keeping active and connected to their environment, and with family and friends.

Facilities

Our communal lounge is a comfortable, sunny area that is used by residents all year round. There are always a few jigsaws on the go on the tables closest to the kitchen (good for getting a cuppa and a biscuit too), and groups of residents get together to play games regularly throughout the week. In addition to the games, our lounge has a library, a table tennis table and a snooker room with a snooker table, flat screen TV and computer nook. Outside the lounge is a lovely private courtyard with tables and chairs and a BBQ for everyone to enjoy. The village also has a dedicated gym area and heated pool for those wanting to stay active. For those who like to drive we have a private basement car park with spaces for lease, plus two visitor spots for short-term use by family and friends.

Concierge Services

Our Village Manager is onsite weekdays from 8:30am to 4:30pm, and on hand to help wherever needed. All our staff are friendly and approachable, and are always willing to provide concierge services to residents and visitors. We help with resident wellbeing, handyman tasks, technology issues, administration, scheduled maintenance and welcoming visitors, plus many other ad hoc things to keep life in the village running smoothly. It is important for our community to have access to practical services; equally important is the role that our staff play in providing a smiling friendly presence as people walk in and out of the building, an ear to listen, or some time for someone who has stopped by for a chat.

Social Events

We have a full social calendar (out of COVID lockdown) of events and activities. These events, including lunches and teas, varied activities, and days out, are some of the highlights for many people living at Bondi Beach Astra. We try to put on a range of activities and events that cater for different tastes, and have regular gatherings throughout the year. For more information on what we have done, are doing, or will do, check out our What’s On and Blog pages.

Food and Drink

With so many fabulous coffee shops at Bondi Beach, it’s no wonder that we regularly see residents popping in and out for that caffeine hit throughout the day. And since Bondi is a multicultural suburb, we have restaurants of all different flavours in the area. There are so many great places to choose from, but a favourite of our residents is the Bondi Tratt which, conveniently, happens to be located just next to the main entrance of the Astra building!

Access to Healthcare

There are plenty of pharmacies, GPs and other medical centres in the area. In the village each apartment comes with a 24/7 medical alarm system. Even if you don’t need to access those services now, it is still a comfort to know that if you do there will be lots of options for you around. Our residents fully appreciate being this close to so many world-class medical facilities.

Shopping

With grocery stores and boutique shops at the beach, and larger shops and shopping centres along Bondi Road and at Bondi Junction, there are so many places our residents can go to shop. Bondi really has a small town community feel, while remaining connected to city amenities.

Local Events and Places of Interest

Venturing further away from home, libraries, RSLs and community centres offer a chance to make friends with people from all around the area. And with easy access to the city, Circular Quay, the Botanic Gardens, and the many cultural and artistic venues that Sydney has to offer are just a bus ride away.

If you would like to learn more about the Bondi Beach Astra lifestyle, please contact us or visit our FAQs. We, and our friendly residents, can’t wait to hear from you.

Bucket List for Retirees

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It’s never too early to start planning for your future, and it’s never too late to achieve your dreams. That is why so many retirees are embracing the bucket list trend. We’ve put together some fun bucket list items for retirees and how Bondi Beach Astra could help you to fulfil them. The key things to remember with any kind of bucket list are to plan early and set yourself a realistic timeframe with realistic goals. And, most importantly, have fun!

(Please bear in mind that some of these suggestions cannot be undertaken in a lockdown pandemic, but why not plan for them now and have something to look forward to?)

  • Live by the beach. This is on people’s bucket lists the world over! What a privilege to be able to wake up every day and walk along the sand, go for a swim or just breathe the fresh sea air. Residents of Bondi Beach Astra love the beach and the lifestyle that comes with being in such a beautiful part of the world.

  • Travel. Another item that is on many people’s bucket lists, and although it’s hard to do in the current COVID-19 climate, it can’t hurt to dream. Many of our residents are prolific travelers (one has even published a book about travelling in her retirement years), and appreciate that their home is connected to so many different transport hubs. Whether travel is by bus, train, plane or boat, our residents love to take the opportunity to visit friends and family and make new friends visiting new places. While they are away, they can feel relaxed in the knowledge that they have a concierge to collect their mail, a secure and safe building to protect their belongings, and a raft of neighbours willing to water their plants!

  • Find a hobby/learn something new. There are so many things to do and learn out there that the world really is your oyster. Write a list of things you have always wanted to do, or do more of, and then see if there is a way that you can do them in your area or online. Bondi Beach is a diverse and vibrant community, and has so many in-person and virtual groups to join. Bondi Beach Astra itself has resident snooker and ping pong experts, as well as music maestros, who would be happy to play with you. And if you want to learn a new language? Chances are that you will find someone here who speaks it and who would be willing to chat with you to practice!

  • Learn a new watersport. What better way to spend your retirement than at the beach swimming, surfing, snorkeling or enjoying any number of other watersports? Bondi is known for good surfing, as well as beautiful ocean pools. And if the closest you want to get to the sea is walking along the promenade, then Bondi is great for that too! Our residents love to swim, surf, walk and just generally enjoy the beach atmosphere. It is truly a highlight of retirement living at Bondi Beach Astra.

  • Exercise more. There are so many things that you can do with exercise, it’s hard to know where to start! Whether it’s setting goals for increasing your exercise, just living somewhere that has nice places to walk outside, or finding classes to attend, exercise is hugely important for physical and mental wellbeing. There are plenty of local exercise classes, gyms and swim/surf schools at Bondi Beach. Our residents love to have an active lifestyle, and one of our residents even runs an in-house Qi Gong class each week for residents and friends. Our heated pool and gym area provide extra motivation to exercise without even having to leave the building.

  • Read more or start a book club. In addition to the bookshelves that we have in our common lounge area for resident use, there are many libraries in the area for you to choose from (Waverley Library, Woollahra Library, Watsons Bay Library and more…) Waverley Library also holds author talks, history lectures, screens movies, and many other cultural events throughout the year. A book club is a lovely way to connect with people and can also be run remotely while in lockdown. At Bondi Beach Astra we run a monthly book club, and it has been a great success not only for broadening our reading material but also for bringing neighbours together to learn more about one another.

  • Try food you’ve never eaten before, or eat lots of different foods from different countries. Food is often on people’s bucket lists too, and given Bondi’s multicultural population there are so many varieties of food for you to choose from here. Many restaurants and cafes are within walking distance of Bondi Beach Astra, and still more are accessible by take away and food delivery apps.

  • Spend more time with your grandkids. This is something that is really important to a lot of retirees. If you live closer to your family, you are more likely to be able to spend time with them, and with lots of fun things to do in Bondi there are plenty of options for activities for all ages throughout the year. Many of our residents chose to live in this area to be around family and many of them enjoy spending regular time with their grandkids. What a delight to be able to do that once you are no longer worrying about full time work.

  • Get a tattoo! For some people this is something that they’ve always wanted to do! Well, who says retirement isn’t the time for that? And Bondi Beach has got you covered!

  • Become CPR certified. It’s never too late! With so many SLSCs in the area there are many and various courses to take. You never know when something like this might come in handy…

  • Get environmental. When you live in an area with so much natural beauty you want to try to help keep it that way, and make sure that it is still around for your grandkids to enjoy in years to come. Why not attend, or organise, a beach clean up, or go plastic free for a month? With farmers markets in the area and Waverley Council’s commitment to environmental causes, there is something in Bondi to suit every green-conscious person.

  • Write a novel, or just start to write more. Many people have ideas that they wish they had written down, so when thinking of things to do in retirement why not this? Several of our residents have written books, both novels and non-fiction books, and there are local writing groups for support. If you think you have it in you to write more, what better inspiration than a beautiful beach view and having a cuppa and a chat with a fellow writing resident!

  • Organise a wine tasting at home. Let’s face it, we’ve all wanted to run or attend a tasting event of some sort at some point, be it wine, whisky, coffee, chocolate, cheese, or anything else that takes our fancy. Well, at Bondi Beach Astra we have put on wine and cheese tastings, a coffee tasting, and even a gin tasting. Not to mention the many cake, chocolate, biscuit, bread and other food events that have involved our residents (and staff) trying different things out. Imagine if you could have this in your home all the time!

  • Hold a neighbourhood BBQ. There aren’t many more Aussie things than a BBQ, catching up with your community in the fresh air with some good food and a few drinks. Bondi Beach Astra has a communal BBQ for residents and their friends and families to use, and we run social events throughout the year. It’s a must have for those warm and breezy summer days. 

  • Practise meditation. Many people love to meditate for their mental and physical wellbeing. No matter where you are you can meditate, but it helps to have a weekly Qi Gong class that incorporates elements of meditation, and other local residents who are experienced meditators to give you tips and encouragement!

  • Volunteer or work with a charity. Retirees often want to stay active, and volunteering is a great way to do that. Several of our residents volunteer regularly with different groups in the area, from churches to libraries to schools. It is such an encouraging and rewarding activity to engage in, as those residents will surely testify to.

And this is just the start… 

At Bondi Beach Astra, we are located in one of the most beautiful and engaging places in the world, have so many great facilities available to residents, and have an active and welcoming social community. To find out how you can share in this lifestyle, call or email us, or take a look at our FAQs.

What Residents Love About the Astra

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We are often told by residents that moving to the Astra was the best decision, and that they love it here. In this article we give you some reasons why, in their own words:

“We have loved being part of the lively community at the Astra over the last 17 years and enjoy the many benefits of being part of an independent living Retirement Village. Security is important to us, as is knowing we can call for assistance any time. While we still live busy lives, we love to participate in the wonderful social events throughout the year with lots of music, dancing and feasting. Of course a great attraction for us buying here was the beach location with its magical views and access to public transport. We are looking forward to many more years here.” Rob and Penny

“One of the big pluses is ‘location, location, location’ with the tremendous pleasure to be got from being near Bondi Beach and the happy vibe of people enjoying the beautiful seashore. Also, the friendliness of the residents and staff at the Astra.” Gillian

“22 years ago, I was looking to buy a unit in Bondi Beach. I was so fortunate to find exactly what I wanted at a price I could afford. I have never regretted my decision. For someone who lived their whole life on the land, it was a total sea change.” Noni

“After living in Bondi for decades, nine years ago, increasing crowds, noise and pollution forced a decision to move. Lucky for me I found the Bondi Astra Retirement Village and literally moved round the corner. It was a short distance but a world of difference. I was able to stay in Bondi, keep my independence and enjoy secure, peaceful living with the option of support, friendship and lots of fun. Best decision ever!” Ann

“I love living at the Astra because of its wonderful location, across the road from beautiful Bondi Beach, lovely parks close by and with transport almost on our doorstep. The Astra is a close, caring, and friendly community.” Darryl 

“My father came to live in the Astra 14 years before I did, and it was because he was so happy here that I decided to move here too. Dad was so happy to be back in the area of his childhood and to be able to enjoy the beach once again. He became involved in all the activities at The Astra and even instigated some. He was very popular and I was lucky to be included in the evening socials. The Social Club helped me organise both his 80th and 90th birthday parties and we invited all residents, friends and family. So, when I moved in after his death, I already knew everyone. Like Dad had done before me, I regularly meet friends in the City for lunch, movies, ballet, concerts and theatre, and travel to family celebrations for birthdays and other celebrations. All of which is possible because of the close access to excellent public transport. When Dad gave up the surf he became a regular in the Astra pool and I use it regularly too as well as the Gym. When this lockdown is over I look forward to resuming the excellent barbecues, lunches and socials we all enjoyed prior to Covid. Also, I will start meeting family and friends once again. The Astra is a wonderful place to live, because of its excellent management, beautiful location, proximity to many shops and cafes and frequent public transport, plus very friendly and pleasant residents.” Maureen

“How lucky I am to live in an elegant, Art Deco icon, overlooking the Sands of the beach, sitting above the trendy Trattoria Restaurant, spending my Retirement years in an Amazing, vibrant environment, at the ASTRA.” Cleo

“I love the location of the Astra, fabulous view from my open-space unit, and within minutes I can be walking along Bondi Beach and swimming. Help from Paul and Anna in the office is a big bonus. They are always willing to assist, whether it’s a technology issue, maintenance problem, receiving postal deliveries etc… The Astra community is friendly and sociable and I enjoy catching up with them at village events from time to time.” Alison

“I lived in Bondi for some years before retirement, at which time I decided to relocate to the Astra, where I bought a unit. It turned out to be one of the best decisions of my life. Where else could I walk literally across the road to a wonderful iconic beach, or to a bus taking 7 minutes to get to Bondi Junction or a bit longer into the City? How many other Retirement Villages enjoy the solitude of such establishments while being slap bang in the middle of a busily energetic shopping area with a vibrant cafe/restaurant culture? The best of both worlds! Added to this, importantly, are the caring, competent management of the village who do their best to make for a convivial comfortable atmosphere. I'm very glad I live at the Astra.” Andrew

If you are interested in finding out more about living in this historic, beautiful place please contact us and we will be happy to answer any questions you have. When we are able to safely conduct tours around the village, and hold events again, we would also love to introduce you to some of our friendly residents so they can tell you in person why Bondi Beach Astra is such a great place to live.

Social Highlights of the Year So Far...

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At Bondi Beach Astra we love to get social. And until June we were making the most of our relatively COVID-free environment, holding events and activities each month for residents to attend. With a range of different people from different backgrounds, we try to cater to a range of different tastes. Here are our highlights from the first half of the year:

Jazz lunch - we were absolutely thrilled to welcome local jazz band Sax Appeal to our lounge for a live music event, with a Ploughman’s lunch. We had such fun and it was a wonderful atmosphere. Good food and wine, great music, and dancing to cap it all off, this was mentioned in our recent resident surveys as being one of the best events we’ve had.

Gin tasting - also a winner on the resident satisfaction scale was our gin tasting afternoon. We had to postpone this in 2020 as lockdowns and restrictions hit, but it was worth waiting for. We had four gins to taste, along with varied and numerous mixers and garnishes, and a cocktail menu. For those drinking and not drinking alike we had a lovely selection of snacks, cold meats, flat breads and sweets. Even non gin drinkers were delighted by the interesting flavours of the different gins we had on offer - and a big shout out to the Four Pillars Bloody Shiraz Gin, which won the most votes for best gin!

Special afternoon teas - this year we partnered with the Residents Committee to put on one big afternoon tea a month, with a special theme. At one we raised over $600 for the Cancer Council; at another we had a posh high tea with sandwiches, petits fours and bubbly. Fabulous!

Speaker talks - throughout the year we’ve had speaker talks from both residents and people in the local community. Helene Gonski’s visit was a particular highlight, with residents and visitors enjoying an insight into this special lady’s wonderful life. 

Astra Book Club (ABC) - once a month we run a book club, encouraging us to read more widely and to share our thoughts about, and experiences with, each text. We have read authors from Australia, the UK, the US, Europe and Africa, with themes as widespread as colonisation, the LGBTI+ community, feminism, historical fiction, murder mystery, the Gold Rush and the dictionary! The lovely thing about a book club is you don’t read in isolation, and even if you don’t agree with the opinions of your fellow readers, it is still interesting to hear what they have to say. Members of ABC love it, and we all get a lot out of our monthly meet ups.

Foodie fun - from the resident-run Australia Day BBQ, to pancakes, strawberries and cream, and a St. Patrick’s Day celebration, our community loves to get together over some good food. It’s the perfect opportunity to chat, have fun and get to know your neighbours better. It’s always a highlight when tasty food is on the menu.

You too could be a part of this vibrant, fun-loving community! Our full social calendar is truly one of the best parts of living at Bondi Beach Astra, according to many of our residents. To see what you’re missing out on visit our Blog and What’s On pages, and if you have any further questions about life in a Retirement Village, please contact us.

6 Common Hesitations When Choosing a Retirement Village

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We speak to many people about retirement living, and over the years we have noticed some trends in common hesitations to taking that final step. We also know that many people we speak to who live in a Retirement Village tell us it was the best move they ever made. So here is a list of common hesitations that regularly come up in our conversations with people considering downsizing to Bondi Beach Astra, and our reasons why we think you should still think seriously about making the move:

  • I’m not retired yet. You do not need to be fully retired to move into a village, just over 55 years old. At Bondi Beach Astra we have a number of residents who are still partially working and of those that aren’t, many volunteer on a regular basis. Still more play a vital role in actively helping with their grandkids.

  • I’m not ready yet. This may well be the case, and we would never presume to know your circumstances as well as you do. However, we do believe that it is never too early to start thinking about what you will do in the event that you need to downsize, move to be closer to family, or require more help around the home. It certainly can’t hurt to have the conversations now to prepare yourself for when you do feel ready. Retirement Villages are not aged care facilities, they are vibrant, active communities of like-minded individuals. They provide greater security and opportunities for social connection than non-retirement housing alternatives. It is worth considering Retirement Villages for many very good reasons, but please don’t count them out because of a perception that they are full of inactive and unsociable seniors. The majority of Retirement Village residents are lively and active members of the community, making the most of their retirement years.

  • I want two or three bedrooms. If this is what you need, then of course many of our one and two bedroom apartments won’t be suitable. However, most of our residents have friends and family who they meet up with regularly, and many will have people to stay in their apartments. Our apartments are a variety of sizes and shapes, to fit different needs for different people. Before you reject the idea of a one bedroom property outright, consider whether it is actually necessary to have the extra bedroom. For example, will the hassle of cleaning a room you don’t use to its potential for much of the year be more or less than the hassle of having a flexible living space that could accommodate visitors? Remember that downsizing has its advantages – smaller apartments are easier to clean and upkeep, having fewer things could make you feel less stressed and more able to focus on the important things in life, and of course downsizing usually comes with a lower price tag.

  • It’s too expensive. Again, we can’t speak to each individual’s circumstances, but generally Retirement Villages are cheaper than non-retirement living options. Equivalent Bondi Beach non-retirement properties are on average 42% more expensive. To reduce costs by more than 3% further, if you buy a long-term lease (which most Retirement Villages offer) rather than a strata title, you won’t have to pay stamp duty on your purchase. Moreover, the Deferred Management Fee is set up to ensure that you have more capital upfront on purchase, then pay a percentage on re-sale to cover ongoing costs associated with the time that you have lived in a village. For many people this is a model that is well-suited to them at this stage of their lives.

  • Bondi Beach is too busy, and the crowds are too young. It is true that Bondi Beach is one of Australia’s most visited areas. However, many of our residents love the vibrant culture and opportunities that come with living in a small community that has international renown. They don’t want to live in a sleepy quiet town where nothing ever happens! Bondi, for them, has just the right blend of amenities, environment, activity and community, and they like to be around people of all ages. This may not be for everyone, but if you are considering this area you should definitely come for a visit and see for yourself what they love about Bondi Beach.

  • Where are the men? This is a question that gets posed a lot on Facebook, and sometimes in person too. Well, just under 30% of Bondi Beach Astra’s residents are men. We do have men who are active in the community and also on the Executive Committee, but on average more of women attend social events than men which accounts for the difference in photos on our blog and social media pages. We encourage residents to bring friends and relatives with them to events when they can, and anyone is welcome to visit the village. Retirement communities in general tend to have more women than men, and we are no exception, but actually living here you might find that there are more men around than you had previously thought!

We always love to chat with people about their options, so please do contact us for more information. We are on the phone, email, and online. We look forward to hearing from you.

What is a Retirement Village?

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Many people think that Retirement Villages and Aged Care are the same thing. I work in a Retirement Village and still my friends and family ask me on a regular basis “how are things going in the care home?”

But there are some key differences. You must be able to live independently to live in a Retirement Village. That doesn’t mean you can’t be reliant on people for help or care, but it does mean that generally you need to be able to look after yourself and move around independently.

Essentially, a Retirement Village is a community of homes and facilities designed for over 55 year olds. There is not even a requirement that you must be fully retired to move into a village. Anyone who is over 55 and able to live independently can live in a Retirement Village.

There are a number of benefits to moving into a Retirement Village. Most villages offer shared facilities – Bondi Beach Astra has many facilities for residents to use including a gym, indoor pool, common lounge and kitchen, courtyard with BBQ, and communal computers. Many villages also often offer added security, a community environment, and customisable services. At Bondi Beach Astra we have a daytime concierge (Village Manager) to help with any resident issues, a 24/7 emergency medical alarm system for any help outside of office hours, and we run regular community events and activities.

It has been shown in numerous studies that being social and connected is good for your health and happiness and may even help people to live longer.

Downsizing into a Retirement Village may benefit both financially and physically. Having a smaller space to keep clean and tidy is an upside for many people choosing to downsize at this point in life and may be generally more convenient. A smaller living space often means lower utility costs, and with more disposable income from having sold your larger house, you may be able to better plan for the future.

We would love to talk to you further about any questions you may have, to help you decide whether living in a Retirement Village is right for you. Please give us a call on 02 9365 3344, email us at sales@bondiastra.com.au or have a look at our FAQs. 


Resident Lockdown Activities

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We’ve been doing it tough here in Sydney the past couple of months and sadly, for those of us at Bondi Beach Astra who like to come together and socialise, we have been unable to meet up in person and run events and activities. However, we asked a few residents what they had been up to in lockdown to keep them sane and here are some of the responses:⁠ ⁠

“This is Choc, a beautiful, very friendly Cocker Spaniel, he lives next door to the Astra and I have been taking him for a walk across the road to the park every day since lockdown. He is a wonderful companion and he looks forward to his walks as much as I do.”⁠

“A friend told me about this method of drawing. You get a picture of a face and put it upside down, then draw it upside down. It’s fun.”⁠

“Went for a walk to Watsons Bay in glorious weather. Moved quickly past Camp Cove, (too many people) and circled South Head. Photos are view from Watsons Bay, Lightkeepers House, 1858 with North Head east and city west.”⁠

“One of the positives I have found with lockdown is that I am taking the time to send emails to family overseas and friends here whom I haven’t contacted in a while. Connecting again.”⁠ ⁠

We even had a response in poem form:⁠

"LOCKDOWN⁠

Locked-in days slipping into weeks, months⁠

Brief distractions of culinary and cleaning routines ⁠

Walks in the haunts of paperbarks ⁠

Magnificent, majestic⁠

Birthday celebrations postponed⁠

Next month? Next year?⁠

Remote conversations with friends⁠

Mourn the Covid casualty of a cancelled holiday ⁠

Stream megabytes beyond allowance⁠

Make a virtue of virtual⁠

Pen family Christmas gifts ⁠

Memoirs perhaps unread⁠

Until the author is no more⁠

Lulled into acceptance⁠ Of this surreal, liminal time."⁠ ⁠ ⁠

Things to Do in Lockdown

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In the latest edition of our village newsletter I came up with some ideas of things to do in lockdown, and so I thought it would be fun to share them here too:

  • Spend time outside. Just to get outside and breathe the fresh sea air, walk along the front, or even walk to the shops, makes such a difference to a day of otherwise being stuck at home. You are allowed to exercise outside with one other person, so long as you keep your distance. If it's your sort of thing, take advantage of the sun on warmer days and go for a swim. Take some time whenever you go out for a walk to go down a street you haven't been down before. Just to keep things interesting!

  • Read a book or a magazine, or listen to an audiobook. I personally love my subscription to Audible, which gives me one audiobook a month and also access to lots of free listens (www.audible.com.au)

  • Grow something - how about sowing some seeds, or tending to some herbs? I am currently trying to keep some basil alive at home, with mixed success!

  • Buy or make a present for, or write a letter/email to, someone and send it, to let them know you are thinking of them.

  • Take new photos or organise your existing photos. Take photos on your phone when you are out and about, or of interesting things you see at home. Make sure you look at them afterwards and smile, and maybe play with the editing features on your phone if you're in the mood. Organise your physical photos in albums/frames or your digital photos on your computer. I have thousands of photos that I've been meaning to organise better on my computer...

  • Spend a short time each day spring cleaning or tidying your house - and if you find anything of value that you don't need anymore, why not sell it on Gumtree?

  • Make something

    • Food

    • Craft (I've just re-acquainted myself with my sewing machine and started sewing a quilt!)

    • DIY - fix up something in the house that you've been meaning to get to

  • Share book or TV suggestions with friends. And if you like to chat online, organise for a video chat with your family or friends.

  • Plan a holiday or something to look forward to when restrictions ease. This may seem counterintuitive, but I think it can be a positive thing to plan and have a goal to look forward to.

I’m sure there are many more things out there that you can think of to do in your lockdown. The important thing is to have something to keep you occupied if you are struggling, and that you continue to be as physically active as you are normally. Set yourself goals, but make sure they are realistic, and definitely don’t beat yourself up if you don’t achieve them all. And most importantly, have fun, stay safe and take care.

The Senior Article: Retirement Communities are a Healthy Choice

/ Bondi Beach Astra/

According to an article in The Senior, “Research conducted by consulting company Grant Thornton in 2014, shows that [retirement] village residents visit their GP less often and spend fewer days in hospital than their peers in the general community. They also enter aged care five years later on average.”

If that wasn’t enough to encourage you to think about a move to a retirement village, “The DCM Longitudinal National Resident Survey conducted in 2020 found that 43% of residents experienced improved mental, physical and financial wellbeing since moving into a village or resort. Additionally, 50% experienced improved happiness and life satisfaction three years after moving in, 83% felt safer in a village, and 90% would not move back to their previous home even if home care were provided.” You can read the full article here.

Wow! That’s a pretty strong case for retirement village living. We always say that the best people to talk to when thinking about moving into a village are the residents. They know what it’s actually like to live in a place, what the social environment is like, and how easy it is to do all the things that they want to.

We would love to show you around and introduce you to some of our friendly residents when lockdown has ended and restrictions have been eased. Please contact us to book a tour now.

Gin Tasting

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

Well we waited a year to have our gin tasting event, and thankfully this year managed to get it in just before there were any locally acquired cases in Sydney. And you know what? I think it was worth waiting for! We had four beautiful craft gins to taste, all Australian made, along with a wide variety of mixers and garnishes. Cheers to our wonderful gins: Ink Gin, Antipodes Pink Gin, Manly Spirits Coastal Citrus Gin and Four Pillars Shiraz Gin.

I turned the lounge into a pop up bar and put on my bartender hat for the afternoon, making cocktails as well as helping residents to pick things to go with their chosen gin. There were elderflower cocktails, lime cocktails, ginger cocktails and warm mulled apple cocktails to taste – so good! Plus a veritable feast of cured meats, veggies, cheese, flat breads and sweets to compliment the drinks. Even a gin and tonic cheese, which was universally enjoyed! We had tasting score cards for the different gins with space for comments - “refreshing”, “delicious”, “couldn’t resist” and “want more” were just some of the things people wrote! The Four Pillars Shiraz came out on top with the most positive comments of all.

We had a really great turn out and it was lovely to catch up with friends for a couple of hours. Thanks to everyone who helped us make this such a fabulous event - it will go down in Astra history as a great success and give us a happy memory to hold on to while we are all stuck at home for the next few weeks.

Sax Appeal Jazz Lunch

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

On a rainy miserable Thursday in early June we had the best pick me up in the form of local jazz band Sax Appeal coming to play for us over lunch. What a fun time was had by all! After the food was eaten a few of us got up to dance, while everyone else enjoyed the wonderful music, had a wine or two and chatted with friends.

Thanks so much to the beautiful band for putting on a great show for us – it was uplifting and joyous and always great to hear live music in the lounge. All the residents who came loved it. Hopefully we can put on more live music events in future, when the COVID situation improves. We feel very lucky to have enjoyed this event before we had any new cases in Sydney. Thanks Sax Appeal!

To find out more about the band, visit their website, or Facebook page.

Cancer Council Biggest Afternoon Tea

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

Our second big formal afternoon tea was a great success, as we gathered together for food and drinks in support of the Cancer Council’s Biggest Morning Tea fundraiser. We had such a great turn out for the event, and everyone enjoyed eating our beautiful goodies and having a glass or two of bubbly to get into the party spirit. As well as refreshments, we had a raffle with prizes totaling over $400, and a lucky door prize. After we had eaten we were treated to some live music and a singsong with Cess playing on the piano. Thanks so much to Darryl for masterminding the event, and to Eva for baking some fabulous treats for us. Thanks too to Lore and Elena who helped on the day. Last, but definitely not least, massive thanks to the Bondi Tratt, Chapter One and to Sam and Bondi Beach Astra for providing some amazing raffle prizes. Congratulations to our three raffle winners – we hope you enjoy your prizes. Thanks to everyone who bought raffle tickets and who donated to the cause.

So far we have raised over $600, which is such an amazing result. Congratulations everyone!

Strawberries and Cream and Biscuits at Morning Tea

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

Last month was both Strawberries and Cream Day and Bake a Biscuit Day, and we couldn’t pass up the opportunity to celebrate both in a delicious end of the month morning tea extravaganza!! There were strawberries galore, with lashings of cream for those who wanted it. And I baked a range of biscuits for tasting – shortbread, ANZAC biscuits, chocolate chip cookies and ginger biscuits.

Thanks to everyone who came, and also to the rest of the residents who helped to finish of the biscuits throughout the course of the day!

Meditation Morning

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

We had a beautiful relaxing meditation morning a few weeks ago, run by resident expert Noni. She has been teaching meditation techniques for many years, and it was lovely to hear all about her experiences in different communities and cultures. She spoke initially about her life and work, and her relationship with these techniques. We then asked questions of her, as well as sharing our own stories. After this Noni took us through a short guided meditation. What a nice, positive and refreshing way to start the day.

High Tea Afternoon Tea

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What a fabulous afternoon tea we had this month! This was the first of our monthly bigger afternoon teas, where we hold a special event with a nice range of nibbles and some drinks and have the opportunity for a great catch up with friends in the village. This month we had a high tea theme; sandwiches, petits fours, fruit sticks, veg with dips, and a glass of bubbly to top it all off. The food looked absolutely beautiful (as well as being delicious to eat), and the atmosphere was vibrant and fun. It also happened to be Mary's 94th birthday, so we sang to her and made her feel special. It truly was an afternoon to remember. Huge thanks to Darryl and Eva for organising and preparing on the day, to Cess for providing some impromptu musical entertainment at the piano, and to everyone who came for supporting our new tea initiative. What a lovely way to spend an afternoon at the Astra – fun, food and drink, friends, a singsong and plenty of laughter.

Morning Tea Author Talk - Cleo Lynch

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

Thanks so much to resident Cleo for giving us a fascinating insight into her life and career in the NSW Department of Corrective Services, where she worked in a variety of roles including correctional officer, probation and parole officer and a trainer at the academy, over morning tea and cake last week. The talk was both interesting and inspirational, and it was lovely to hear some more life stories from members of our Bondi Beach Astra community. Many of our residents will know Cleo from her role as Residents’ Committee Chairperson for a number of years, but this event was a great opportunity for some of us to get to know a different aspect of her life and work. She was involved in so many different roles with different people, and many that were pioneering employment opportunities and social help for women. Thanks to Cleo for spending time to share her story with us, and to all those who came to take part in the event. I had baked some cake for morning tea, and we all had lots of opportunity to chat and ask questions over a cuppa and a cake after the talk. Several of us bought remainder books, with all proceeds being given to charity. What an extraordinary experience for us and an extraordinary story of an extraordinary woman.

Hearing Loss Talk

/ Bondi Beach Astra Lounge/

It was World Health Day at the beginning of the month, and in keeping with this theme we had a representative from The Shepherd Centre, Sam, come to talk to us about the effects of hearing loss and the work that her organisation does with young children. Sam was a great presenter and a lovely warm person and it was good to have her with us. She showed us lots of photos and gave an interesting presentation on hearing loss, the Shepherd Centre and Cochlear. She touched on the effects of ageing, and the links between hearing loss and dementia. We rounded off the presentation with a cuppa and a biscuit, and an opportunity for questions. Thanks to Sam for coming along, and to those residents who came down to hear what she had to say.

For more information on The Shepherd Centre, go to www.shepherdcentre.org.au