Residents celebrate 20 years of Elliot Gardens

The Lendlease Elliot Gardens Retirement Village is home to 320 retirees, 165 of whom attended the birthday celebrations on Friday, May 20.

Village Manager Vicki Neilson said the night was a great success and residents enjoyed the party.

She explained the evening kicked off with a rolling video montage, which showed the early days of the village and highlighted how much it had changed over the last 20 years.

Special guest Gordan Hazzard, who was one of the builders who helped create the village, made an appearance and spoke about how the village came to be.

Then Robyn Laurie, who, along with her husband Tom, is the village's longest standing resident spoke about her early memories of Elliot Gardens and how things have changed since they moved in, in December 2002.

Mrs Laurie said she enjoyed the lifestyle Elliot Gardens gave her and her husband.

"I think it's just a good place to live, it's well run, it's well looked after, our manager Vicki looks after us and the staff look after us," she said.

She remembered how the now beautiful gardens and landscaping within the village started from nothing.

"There were no trees, gardens, nothing, and that's gradually happened over the years, to what it is now," she said.

"You drive in the front drive and all the water lilies are in the pond and it really just looks good.

"There are lovely gardens, and it's just a lovely place to live."

Once formalities were over, attendees were able to get up and dance to live music by the Flaming Sambucas.

Mrs Neilson said the village often held celebrations and events for residents and the Elliot Gardens Social Committee was always busy planning the next big thing.