Australia's 1st LGBTRetirement Village coming toVictoria

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Fri 12th Aug, 2011 in Local News

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Australia is set to open its first retirement village for gay and lesbian residents in Ballan, Victoria.

A 120 unit complex is being built around 35 kilometers east of Ballarat.

Who can we thank for the “first-of-its-kind” development? Developer Peter Dickson, who has named the $30 million retirement village Linton Estate as haven for the over 55’s LGBT community. The complex will boast an Indoor Heated Spa, Bar, Cafe, Library, Croquet Lawn, Tennis Courts and much more.

However this isn’t the first time Dickson has attempted to start production on the complex. After being granted a planning permit from Moorabool Shire Council in 2008, the project unfortunately halted after a redesign delayed construction.

With the redesign complete, work is expected to start early next year, allowing interested parties to buy units off the plan in the coming months.

Dickson says expressions of interest have come far and wide from Turkey, England, the US, interstate and of course locally. The retirement village will be completed in five stages on the former farmland which was recently subdivided into 12 hectare allotments.

Ballan locals have welcomed the coming addition to their town which is growing rapidly, as more good news recently from the State Government with confirmation of a $2 million upgrade to Ballan Hospital. A Moorabool Shire Council spokesman stated that he could not recall any objections to the retirement village being built when first proposed back in 2008.

Linton Estate is offering something that Australia has never seen. A retirement haven allowing the over 55’s of the LGBT community with an environment where they can completely be themselves.

Check out the website at www.lintonestate.com.au.

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TheOldie

TheOldie said on the 12th Aug, 2011

badamj2000

badamj2000 said on the 12th Aug, 2011

Will poor people be welcomed?

Travis de Jonk

Travis de Jonk said on the 12th Aug, 2011

It's been a long time coming. Can't wait to see how it pans out. I hope we get more than just one.

badamj2000

badamj2000 said on the 12th Aug, 2011

im sure I cant afford to get too old.

Totka

Totka said on the 12th Aug, 2011

I doubt it will be subsidised Adam. Shame. It would be nice to at least have some of our tax money channelled towards services specific to the needs of our ageing population. Especially having paid taxes for most of our live without any real benefits.

Virgindirk

Virgindirk said on the 12th Aug, 2011

I find it abit ironic that this story is just a couple of threads above 'When are you too old for clubbing".

badamj2000

badamj2000 said on the 12th Aug, 2011

Irony mitigates the pain?

JayTee

JayTee said on the 13th Aug, 2011

then there's probably an opening for a community based aged care facility.

someone with experience in aged care should jump onto this. i'm sure there'd be plenty of funding that was available for aged care, all you'd have to do is cater to the glbt seniors and just get regular aged care funding.

something to look into.

shazzboy said on the 13th Aug, 2011

God can you imagine retiring with a bunch of Queens??

I cant stand it at my age, imagine living long enough to go to a retirement village!

Over the cliff at 50 for me!

ammonite

ammonite said on the 13th Aug, 2011

one of my greatest wishes is these places didn't exist.

but seeing as they do, it is good news that there is going to be one where lgbt will hopefully feel respected.

TheOldie

TheOldie said on the 13th Aug, 2011

one of my greatest wishes is these places didn't exist.

but seeing as they do, it is good news that there is going to be one where lgbt will hopefully feel respected.

Some old neighbours ( married couple ) moved into a retirement home and said it was the best thing they ever did.

Their old house/yard way to big for them . The Village had different levels of care but they had their own townhouse and do everything for themselves . They just liked the company and the ativities that were on offer.

ammonite

ammonite said on the 13th Aug, 2011

i'm glad.

my view of them is tainted by all the horrible ones my mum has worked in over the years.
i recall many times in my childhood when she came home distraught

Brightside05 said on the 13th Aug, 2011

Did she work at the public ones?

TheOldie

TheOldie said on the 13th Aug, 2011

i'm glad.

my view of them is tainted by all the horrible ones my mum has worked in over the years.
i recall many times in my childhood when she came home distraught

Those are probably the public ones or those really horrible nursing homes.

My father and sister worked in one which was considered one of the best in NSW . My great Aunt ended up there and visiting her was heart breaking. No independence what so ever but she was suffering dementia and just got worse.

But a lot of the new retirement villages are really only just a new neighbourhood that pops up but with extras like the care facilities if you need them. Otherwise you are with other people in similar situation and I would think better than sitting home alone.

I have quite a few in my area and often see them on the mini bus heading out somewhere and they all look bright/happy.

mark_

mark_ said on the 13th Aug, 2011

^
They would be happy, they're on 'Day Release'.

My mother tells of a friend who paid $800,000 for a contract to get into one. (the children will receive NO inheritance)

shazzboy said on the 13th Aug, 2011

Lol, thats funny mark.

Really good luck to people who want to end their days like this. However I think I will just head into the bush and let the Dingoes have their way with my remains. It would be a far nobler way to end my existence.

ammonite

ammonite said on the 14th Aug, 2011

@Oldie

My Mum just quit one like that - a retirement village with in-home care available.

They were selling them to people who need care, and not explaining that the care is extra money.

So all day she would hear these poor people telling her they aren't getting what they were promised, and that they were being forced to pay extra money when they had already sold their house to move there.

Several of the people also needed a higher level of care than the place was able to provide, but were still sold one.

Also none of these people really completely own the home, even though they are advertised as 'your own home'. When the person dies or moves away this place (and a lot of other places) take a large percentage of the sales price.
So the developers basically get to sell it over and over again every 10 - 30 years.

The so called government regulation is pathetic.
As far as I'm concerned most of the developers and owners are evil money grubbing bastards, and no one watches them or protects the elderly people they prey on.

eurolad

eurolad said on the 14th Aug, 2011

Bad location to build this village I must say....
The Australian countryside is full of nasty creatures which can kill people such as spiders, snakes, etc

It would be better if they built a retirement village in Queenstown NZ

TheOldie

TheOldie said on the 14th Aug, 2011

Sure Ammi some places would be like that but because one is bad doesnt mean they are all bad.

And yes that it part of the deal as per Mark. Some get nothing back and others have a percentage taken but you know that when going in so its ultimately the persons acceptance of all this. More like the kids whinging about no inheritance.

After all nothing is free. Trade off is they get other like minded people living next door so they can socialise etc.

Also agree with Eurolad. Unsure of the location.

shazzboy said on the 14th Aug, 2011

Theres nothing wrong with the location. Ballan is closer to Melbourne then Ballarat, Ive been around that way and its perfectly safe. It is mostly farmland not the bush.

eurolad

eurolad said on the 14th Aug, 2011

Australia is generally unsafe due to all those creatures lurking around every corner
That is why I can't enjoy outdoor activities here since there is always that fear of something biting me! In New Zealand there are no snakes and no deadly spiders so I could sleep in the middle of the forest there and I would be sure that nothing would bite me.

shazzboy said on the 14th Aug, 2011

Oh my God you need to get a grip.

Ive gone hiking in to that big bad wilderness and I have never seen a single snake. Last Dec/Jan I spent a solid 14 days multi night hiking along the Great Ocean Walk, Overland Track and Grampians National Park and the most dangerous thing was slipping over in the mud while it was pissing down bucketloads of rain.

I would be so excited if I could actually see a snake in the wild!

meezon04

meezon04 said on the 14th Aug, 2011

This is so awesome

JayTee

JayTee said on the 14th Aug, 2011

Australia is generally unsafe due to all those creatures lurking around every corner
That is why I can't enjoy outdoor activities here since there is always that fear of something biting me! In New Zealand there are no snakes and no deadly spiders so I could sleep in the middle of the forest there and I would be sure that nothing would bite me.

some sheep could come and mount you though.

i won't even mention hobbits.

shazzboy said on the 14th Aug, 2011

The big danger with natural New Zealand is its lack of sustenance for Humans. Hardly any edible natural vegetation, no native mammals, tiny birds. No wonder the Maoris were cannibals!

eurolad

eurolad said on the 14th Aug, 2011

That's what supermarkets are for :cool: and I'd rather starve to death than being attacked by one of those vicious creatures that we have in Australia!

shazzboy said on the 14th Aug, 2011

Oh for fuck sake, you sound like Sheldon from the Big Bang Theory. Are you afraid to walk outside your house if you see a big Dog walking by?

Brightside05 said on the 14th Aug, 2011

Australia is generally unsafe due to all those creatures lurking around every corner
That is why I can't enjoy outdoor activities here since there is always that fear of something biting me! In New Zealand there are no snakes and no deadly spiders so I could sleep in the middle of the forest there and I would be sure that nothing would bite me.

You probably never ate dirt as a kid and now get sick at the drop of a hat, sucks to be you. Blame your mother.

eurolad

eurolad said on the 14th Aug, 2011

I love dogs and cats more than I love people!

Fahed said on the 14th Aug, 2011

Eurolad I think you just haven't allowed yourself to have enough exposure yet. It's not as dangerous as you're making it out :). Actually, nobody has died of a spider bite in Australia in something like 20 years (don't quote me on that, but I believe that is the accurate figure). May I ask if you've migrated here from a European nation? I'm assuming based on your username.

Still, maybe we're all just crazy in this country! I have a friend from the NT who claims it was common up there for people to swim in croc-infested waters so perhaps we're all just completely bananas!

shazzboy said on the 14th Aug, 2011

Anyway, as initially stated this retirement home is like only 70-80km from the Melbourne CBD and only about 50km from the suburban fringe.

mark_

mark_ said on the 14th Aug, 2011

:)
I'm sorry that you —Shazz and Euro— are disagreeing on this issue.

I know that both of you are highly-principled, dog lovers involved in higher learning and that both of you love a cold climate.

I was hoping there might be some Aotearoan amour.

shazzboy said on the 14th Aug, 2011

I just dont think he understands what the wilderness really is. Ballan is basically like Picton or Bowral in the Sydney region.

eurolad

eurolad said on the 14th Aug, 2011

Eurolad I think you just haven't allowed yourself to have enough exposure yet. It's not as dangerous as you're making it out :). Actually, nobody has died of a spider bite in Australia in something like 20 years (don't quote me on that, but I believe that is the accurate figure). May I ask if you've migrated here from a European nation? I'm assuming based on your username.

Still, maybe we're all just crazy in this country! I have a friend from the NT who claims it was common up there for people to swim in croc-infested waters so perhaps we're all just completely bananas!

Oh it's not just about the act of being bitten which frightens me , just coming face to face with a snake or a spider will cause me irreparable psychological damage and probably a life long trauma. I just don't want to come across them ever and that is why I live in the CBD and not in the suburbs and I only travel to cold places generally (although there are some hot places with no snakes i.e Hawaii)

Fahed said on the 14th Aug, 2011

I can pretty much assure you you won't be irreparably psychologically damaged if you come face to face with a snake or a spider. You just have a phobia, it's normal, heaps of people have it. If you care enough about it, or it worries / inconveniences you enough, you can go to a psychologist to get exposure therapy and most of the fear will go away. Just, when you're arguing with Shazz, who doesn't let any of his patience show, recognise that your fears might be considered irrational by someone who's not phobic :).

Personally, I really love spiders. They fascinate me. I never kill them and I *love* to watch them. But I know I'm strange. Snakes, meh, I don't care much either way.

Topher said on the 15th Aug, 2011

The village sounds like a great idea, but not for us yet. My partner and I of 33years live on 20acres and would find it hard to have a neighbour in site. Lovely bushland we have been living in for 21years and we have only seen 4 snakes in that time. red bellied blacks, will hurt but not kill if you're healthy. Australia, the best place in the world to live in!