Samford Grove wins prestigious national award

Our village expansion has been recognised as Australia’s best retirement village development in prestigious 2024 industry awards announced this month.

Samford Grove won the National Retirement Living Awards category for best development by a village operator with more than 500 retirement dwellings in its portfolio.

The accolade follows the extensive 3-year redevelopment of our village in the picturesque Samford Valley that delivered more than 100 much-needed new homes for local retirees.

The redevelopment also included the construction of The Homestead – our luxury community centre with café, lounge, bar, cinema, indoor pool, gym, beauty salon, consultation room for visiting practitioners and alfresco barbecue areas and gardens.

The National Retirement Living Awards represent the industry’s most coveted and prestigious awards program, celebrating excellence across all parts of Australia’s retirement living sector.

The awards acknowledge and recognise the outstanding contributions and innovations made by organisations, individuals, and communities in creating exceptional retirement living experiences.

“We are delighted that Samford Grove has been recognised by our industry’s most prestigious awards program and we thank the National Retirement Living Awards judges for this honour,” said Reside Communities CEO Glen Brown.

“Together with our partner GreenFort Capital, we are very proud of the Samford Grove development and the opportunity it represents for local seniors to live their best lives in retirement,” he said.

“Our residents have worked hard their whole lives to build a nest egg and they a comfortable and secure retirement in a home that meets their needs now and into the future.

“Samford Grove exemplifies our people first approach to creating retirement living communities that offer a level of quality, service and connection for residents to thrive.”

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Community celebrates official completion in style

Samford Grove residents and special VIP guests have celebrated the village’s official completion in style with a special ribbon-cutting ceremony and lunch.

Local Federal Member for Dickson and Liberal Party Leader Peter Dutton was on hand to do the honours and say hello to residents, many of whom he has personally known for a long time.

Mr Dutton was joined by Bruce and Denise Morcombe of Reside’s charity partner, the Daniel Morcombe Foundation, and Reside Ambassador and leading journalist Kay McGrath.

Samford resident Olive Gilbey was asked to cut the celebration cake, alongside Reside Communities representatives.

Samford Grove is the only retirement community in the picturesque Samford Village and is now home to more than 160 residents after the extensive 3-year redevelopment.

Reside Communities CEO and Co-Founder Glen Brown said he was delighted to have Mr Dutton along to cut the ribbon to officially mark the project’s completion,

“Until now, the Samford Valley region has been very limited in terms of new housing options designed specifically for seniors, so the completion of our Samford Grove expansion is a great outcome for local community,” Mr Brown said.

“The overwhelmingly positive feedback we continue to receive from our residents is a testament to what Reside has delivered here and we are extremely proud of the new Samford Grove.”

Mr Dutton said communities such as Samford Grove allowed more people to live their best lives in retirement while enjoying the great lifestyle on offer in the Samford Valley.

“Call me biased, but there’s nowhere in Australia better to live than my electorate of Dickson and Samford has always been one of the most attractive locations within this great region,” he said.

“I congratulate Reside Communities on the completion of Samford Grove and wish all the residents a happy, relaxing and well-earned retirement.”

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Sunflowers in bloom at Samford Grove

Summer means sunflowers at Samford Grove, thanks to the amazing gardening skills of long-time resident Ernie Clark. 

Starting with seedlings planted before Christmas, these beautiful sunflowers added a burst of colour to the community, which soon had neighbours stopping by to visit and grab a photo.  

While Ernie is typically modest about his efforts, there’s no denying he’s got a special talent in the garden, having also previously nurtured the lawn at his home to bowling green-like perfection.  

 “I’m 6 foot 1 (185cm) and when I stretch up I can reach an 8-foot ceiling so these sunflowers were at least that tall,” he said.  

 “You can see them all the way down the street and from the office and people have told me they brightened up their day. I will probably do it all again this year – I like looking them as well!”  

Ernie has been a Samford Grove resident since 2010 so has witnessed the recent village expansion and development of a new luxury community centre.   

 “I’ve just adapted to the changes and am still meeting the new people coming in,” he said.   

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The Samford Grove community is now complete!

Three years in the making, the finishing touches are now complete to Samford Grove’s last ever homes within the community’s expansion.

An exciting milestone for the beloved community, Samford Grove’s latest residents celebrated Christmas in their fresh, new homes following the completion of Stages 3 and 4.

Since construction began in 2020, more than 100 new homes have been added to the village, including a mix of modern new apartments, single-level town homes and on-ground villas.

The expansion also included the construction of a new five-star, award-winning community centre, ‘The Homestead’, which features a range of lifestyle amenities including a library, café, hair and beauty salon and cinema. It’s great to see memories created in this vibrant community space.

If you or someone you know is considering retirement living, this is the final opportunity to secure a brand-new home at this boutique village community!

To register your interest or for more information, enquire now.

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The movers and groovers

Our sister village, Brookland Robertson isn’t just a flourishing community, the village also offers a range of exciting lifestyle initiatives including a dance class each Friday afternoon to shake off the week. Residents have been enjoying the new high-energy classes and learning a thing or two from Bollywood moves to Bee-Gee grooves, the Cha-Cha and everything in between!

While over at Samford Grove, the local ‘Samford Groovers’ played a sold-out show at The Homestead recently. The group have already built a loyal fan base in the village and recently played like rockstars, with not one but… two encores! The concert helped raise money for Dementia Research, raising $250!

Our communities aren’t just for retiring, they’re also a chance to enjoy the things you love, in a friendly environment, and with plenty of events and activities running across the calendar, you’re sure to find something fun to try!

Dance class at Brookland Robertson in the Clubhouse.

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The Faces of Reside: Meet Don and Daphne Greenhalgh

Samford couple and community pioneers, Don and Daphne Greenhalgh, are celebrating 66 years of marriage, a union built on a shared love for serving their local community.

Integral to the Samford community, the pair helped create a lasting legacy in Samford Valley with the establishment of the Greenhalgh Fire Station in 1986.

Now enjoying retirement at Reside Communities’ popular Samford Grove retirement village, Don and Daphne each dedicated more than 50 years of their lives to volunteering with the Samford Rural Fire Brigade.

“I was the First Officer of the Brigade and we needed to build a shed so we enlisted everyone in the district and got the place built,” said Don.

Built in 1986, Don said he was thrilled to see the community come together to help. About 100 volunteers from across Samford gave their time and skills to contribute to what is still a very useful facility.

The initial part of the station was completed in six months by volunteer labour and subsequently named “Greenhalgh Station” to recognise Don’s organisation of the project.

Later, a much larger kitchen, storeroom and a large training room were added as an emergency control centre for the District.

Daphne was also on the frontline to help the community, in charge of answering calls and setting up a management system for communications.

“I was in charge of the telephones, I was the Chief radio operator and secretary,” said Daphne.

“It was smaller back then. The firefighters came in when they saw smoke, but as the community got bigger, we had a to build something to support it.” said Don.

After loving their life in Samford for more than 54 years together, the pair are now enjoying their retirement at Samford Grove.

“We’ve been living at the Samford Grove village for 18 years and we really enjoy the people and the community here,” said Don.

“We love being in a tight-knit community, close to where we’ve lived for so long and enjoy the nice surrounds with the mountains close-by.”

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Samford Grove a finalist in national awards

Reside Communities’ luxury Samford Grove Retirement Village has been named a national finalist in both the Best Retirement Living Development and Best Redevelopment categories in the coveted National Retirement Living Awards for 2024. 

Recognised for its exceptional resident amenities and wide range of retirement living options, the community has undergone an exciting expansion and revitalisation over the past three years. 

In partnership with Greenfort Capital, Reside has added more than 110 new villas, townhomes and apartments to the community, together with a deluxe clubhouse and expansive green landscaping. 

The village’s location in the heart of the idyllic Samford community in Brisbane’s northwest, has offered a rare opportunity to downsize in a semi-rural location with a host of everyday services just a short walk away. 

Reside Communities CEO Glen Brown said the National Retirement Living Awards were the most prestigious awards program in the sector, celebrating excellence in new retirement living accommodation across Australia. 

“We are delighted to receive this incredible recognition and I acknowledge all the hard work, dedication and passion from the Greenfort Capital and Reside Communities teams,” he said. 

“Most of all, I would like to thank all our amazing residents and staff at Samford Grove, who have joined us on this journey and who together make this such a special community.” 

Mr Brown congratulated the other finalists in the 2024 National Retirement Living Awards, which were a testament to the outstanding quality of modern retirement living in Australia. 

Award winners will be announced at a gala industry event at the Gold Coast on the 27th of June 2024. 

Only limited opportunities now remain to secure a new home at Samford Grove with the final release now selling.  

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A cut above the rest

Have you visited the Samford Grove hair salon yet? Operating for over 12 years, the salon has always been a hit with our residents.

We caught up with senior hairstylist, Liza Kirk, for a chat about what’s been popular and the key trends for cutting-edge, over 60’s looks.

For over 36 years Liza Kirk has been helping women look and feel their best.  Since 2011, the hairstylist has been getting to know the residents at Samford Grove and adding her creative flair to hair.

“I love coming to work! I know not many people can say that, especially when Monday rolls around, but I do love what I do,” Liza said.

Born and raised in Samford, Liza is an expert in the area, and able to share her knowledge of local coffee spots and shops for residents.

“The residents are lovely, I like meeting new people and catching up with those I’ve known for a while and providing that personalised service, I like being creative and it’s not too far from home for me.”

While residents pop in for a cut, colour or a refresh, the Samford local says the experience is more than just cutting hair, she learns a lot from her clients too.

“Our residents have really interesting backgrounds, from where they’ve worked or where they’ve lived, they have interesting lives and it’s great hearing that.”

Hairdresser Liza holding a phone and taking a selfie in the salon.

After owning her own salons and even working on weddings, Liza has a wealth of knowledge and has truly made her mark at Samford Grove.

“I worked from home when my kids were younger but over the past 12 years, I’ve been able to really grow with the salon,” she said.

As for the cutting-edge trends? Liza says there’s a wide variety of looks emerging from the salon.

“There’s a few foils and modern hairstyles for the early 60’s and a few perms, which takes me back to my apprenticeship days!

“There’s a real variety of looks, we also offer brow waxing and tints in the salon too,” she said.

While no two days are the same in the salon, Liza says she has a love of both hairdressing and the Samford Grove village.

“I love hairdressing, I like the atmosphere and the staff: Bronwyn, Cathie, Des and Jacqui are all great to have, it’s a real feel-good place.”

The Samford Grove hair and beauty salon is just one of the many exciting amenities for residents to enjoy, open Wednesday, Thursday and Friday.

To book an appointment give the salon a call or pop in and see Liza!

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Samford Grove’s final stage is here

Eight premium villas have just been launched at Samford Grove – the final new homes to be built within the popular northern Brisbane village – with predictions they’ll be snapped up quickly!

These final homes make up Stage Four of Samford Grove’s expansion, with only a handful of homes still left for sale in Stage Three.

The latest release was celebrated in the village with more than 130 retirees invited to explore community at a special information panel session hosted by Reside Communities Ambassador, Kay McGrath.

Following the panel discussion, guests enjoyed a delicious morning tea before taking a tour around the village and picturing their future life in the display homes.

Samford Grove’s final stage promotional panel including journalist Kay McGrath, Reside Communities CEO Glen Brown, Reside Communities Chief Operating Officer Craig Syphers, Five Good Friends CEO, Simon Lockyer and future Samford Grove resident.

If you’re considering downsizing to Samford Grove in the stunning surrounds of Samford Village, don’t delay! For more information or to see a virtual tour visit: samfordgrove.com.au/for-sale/

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Spring brings blooms to Samford Grove

Whether you’re a keen green thumb or prefer the low-maintenance lifestyle, you can still enjoy a beautiful garden at Samford Grove.

Village Manager, Bronwyn O’Brien, said the community’s gardening and maintenance team look after the communal areas so residents can enjoy the beauty without the maintenance.

“Residents have their lawns mowed fortnightly, the front gardens are tidied, and the team also assist in replanting small plants,” she said.

“They also maintain all the common areas for the residents to enjoy on their daily walks or outside events and the team give their time freely with some gardening tips.”

Bronwyn said the team are also mindful of the environment and garden sustainably.

“The team are sustainably conscious and will utilise propagated plants from around the village to enhance and update other areas.”

For those looking for a passion project or to get their creativity flowing, residents like Margaret Crombie grow their own fruit and vegetables and share the produce with fellow residents.

Margaret has lived at Samford Grove for three years and found she can still follow her passions and get creative in the garden.

“At the moment the citrus seems to be doing well: grapefruit, lime, lemons mandarin and passionfruit are all growing well,” she said.

“I also have a raised veggie garden bed and a few green leaves for salads. I’ve got carrots, zucchinis, herbs and parsley and curry leaves around the place too.”

Before making the move to the village, Margaret lived off acreage and always had a love for gardening.

“It gets me outside, rather than being inside moving dust around,” she jokes.

“Gardening is a healthy thing to do, even if the fruit is cheap at the supermarket, it always tastes better if you’ve grown it yourself.”

For those who don’t have much luck gardening, Margaret says it’s all about trial and error.

“Every place is different so it’s a lot of trial and error especially living somewhere new, like a new build you have to be mindful that you need decent soil. I buy mine from the local hardware store and it’s enough for plants to thrive on. Then I build it up with more compost and give the plants a decent drink,” she said.

“Keep on trying and try seasonal growing. While something might grow well in Tasmania or somewhere near the beach, it won’t necessarily grow well somewhere else like Samford, for example.

“But you learn, here the tomatoes are grown in winter, not summer because we have fruit flies in Queensland, so it’s a lot of trial and error, but you’ll get there.”

For more information on Samford Grove or to discover the lifestyle on offer for yourself, contact our team on (07) 3289 3372.

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