When software developer Ian Deacon, 68, moved to GemLife Moreton Bay in Burpengary East in late 2025, he had no plans to retire.
“I keep working because I enjoy it,” he said. “My mind is still active and, in my role, I’m learning new things all the time.”
It’s been five months since Ian and his wife, Suzanne, 67, relocated to GemLife Moreton Bay Over 50s lifestyle resort, and those plans haven’t changed. Instead, the couple is busy enjoying their spacious home, first-class amenities, and new low-maintenance lifestyle.
“We lived in our house at Ferny Grove for 20-odd years, and weekends were lost keeping on top of the lawn, the garden, the pool, and doing repairs,” Ian said.
While entering your sixth or seventh decade has traditionally been seen as a time to slow down, today’s Over 50s are flipping the script.
Like Ian, many of GemLife’s residents are still employed, with 20% of all homeowners working either full-time or part-time. According to GemLife Chief Operating Officer Andrew Coulter, this figure (up from 5% a decade ago) points to a wider trend.
“The over-50s of today are redefining what this stage of life looks like,” Andrew said.
“Many are still working, travelling or starting something new, and they’re seeking a lifestyle that supports that. GemLife communities are designed with this in mind, offering modern, low-maintenance homes alongside high-quality facilities like wellness centres, tennis courts, golf simulators, and country clubs.”
Thanks to GemLife’s reliable infrastructure and secure setting, Andrew said residents can focus on their careers without the distractions that come with conventional homeownership.
What attracted Ian and Suzanne to rightsizing?F
When the Deacons visited Ian’s brother at GemLife Bribie Island, they were immediately impressed by the homes and facilities, so they decided to look at properties a little closer to home.
“Suzanne was due to retire soon, and we wanted to live somewhere that valued community and gave us our time back,” Ian says. “My impetus was no household maintenance, and at GemLife Moreton Bay, we achieved all that in one hit.
“We have gardeners and the house is new, so there’s nothing that needs looking after,” he adds. “It’s completely low maintenance, which makes it easy to enjoy life and to enjoy my work.”
Ian works from home for a company based in New Zealand.
“I’ve been working remotely for around 20 years, and it can be quite isolating,” Ian admitted.
“Since moving to GemLife Moreton Bay, I’ve had more day-to-day social contact than ever before. It’s a different sort of place – people have time to stop and talk and get on with each other,” he said.
While his job still requires intense concentration, Ian says he’s noticeably more relaxed at GemLife. “It’s just a better physical environment,” he said.
“I have a bigger study, ducted air-conditioning and excellent internet speed. Being close to the motorway, it’s also a great place to base yourself if you work outside of the home.”
The Deacons are counting down to the launch of GemLife Moreton Bay’s waterfront Country Club – an architecturally designed space that will span more than 4,000 square metres across two pavilions.
“Suzanne is looking forward to the bowling alley and craft room and I’m looking forward to playing pickleball and pool,” Ian says.
With more than enough room to host their children and grandchildren, the couple often enjoy catching up with family, and they plan to do a lot more travel, too.
“We’ve been to Fiji, we’re going to Vanuatu next year, and we’ve been thinking about going to New Zealand as well,” Ian says. “Travel has become more available to us at GemLife, whereas before it would have been something to consider a bit more.”
As GemLife is a land lease community, residents own their homes but rent the land, and this cost is covered by a modest weekly site fee. Under the land lease model, there are no entry or exit fees and no stamp duty to pay.
Homeowners also keep their capital gains. Not only does this give residents more visibility over their finances, but it also provides a sense of flexibility. For Ian, this means (eventually) retiring on his own terms.
“I’m planning to reduce my workload at the end of next year, so the job can work around what I’m enjoying here,” he says. “I might retire in five years, but it’s not something I need to do.”