Meet the residents of Hibiscus Buderim Meadows
Meet the lovely people that make Hibiscus Buderim Meadows retirement village such a welcoming community.
At Hibiscus Buderim Meadows, residents Michael, Torjborn, and Marilyn have found new ways to share their passions and enrich their community. From their illustrious careers dancing with The Royal Ballet Company and at the renowned Le Lido in Paris, to teaching Tai Chi and hosting cultural activities, their journey is a testament to living life on their own terms. "If there’s one lesson to live by, it’s to live as you want to live, not as somebody else wants you to live," says Michael.
Meanwhile, Marilyn, who moved from the UK, has brought her love for physical activity to the village, leading exercise and aquarobics classes. "Our lives have been so enriched with living here in Hibiscus Buderim Meadows, a special place to be," she shares.
Marilyn made the move from the UK
"Our lives have been so enriched with living here in Buderim Meadows, a special place to be."
When Marilyn moved to Hibiscus Buderim Meadows, she quickly became an integral part of the community. Initially, she joined the exercise and aquarobics classes led by another resident. "When we moved here eight years ago, another lady on the complex was taking the exercise class and the aquarobics class and I joined both of them," Marilyn recalls. Unfortunately, the previous instructor's health deteriorated, and she could no longer continue.
Marilyn, who had always been active and involved in physical activities back in the UK, saw an opportunity. "In the UK, I was active and physical, running lots of clubs for school children when I was teaching," she says. With her qualifications and experience, Marilyn decided to take over the classes. "I thought, well, I've got the qualifications, why not try it myself? And then my numbers flocked in and everybody was enjoying it, so I kept going with it."
Leading these classes has given Marilyn a renewed sense of purpose and wellbeing. "To come here and have that opening put in my hands, as it were, I just love it. It gives me a purpose for getting up every day and it's giving me a super sense of wellbeing," she shares. Marilyn's enthusiasm and dedication have enriched not only her life but also the lives of her fellow residents. "Our lives have been so enriched with living here in Buderim Meadows, a special place to be," Marilyn concludes.
Hear more from Marilyn in the video below
Michael and Torjborn teach Tai Chi classes
"If there’s one lesson to live by, it’s to live as you want to live, not as somebody else wants you to live."
From dancing with The Royal Ballet Company and at the infamous Le Lido in Paris, Michael and partner Torjborn have many stories to share. We spoke with Michael about his dancing days and the wonderful contributions he and Torjborn make to village life at Hibiscus Buderim Meadows.
Michael's journey began at his mother's ballet school in Sri Lanka. His talent took him to London, where he danced with The Royal Ballet Company for several years, and to Paris, where he worked at Le Lido for a decade. It was in Paris that Michael met Torjborn over 40 years ago. "He is Swedish and studied ballet in Sweden and Brussels," Michael shares. The couple is fortunate to still be in touch with many of their former colleagues. "They’re all grandparents now, but it’s lovely to keep in touch because we haven’t aged at all. In our eyes, we’re still teenagers."
Michael and Torjborn lived in Melbourne for 18 years before moving to the Sunshine Coast. "We had two Afghan hounds and when they went to heaven, we decided to start looking for something to retire into," Michael explains. After exploring about 20 towns and resorts, they chose Hibiscus Buderim Meadows. "It’s flat, on a bus route and close to everything, which suits us perfectly."
Michael and Torjborn taught themselves Tai Chi
Being dancers, Michael and Torjborn taught themselves Tai Chi and then shared their knowledge with the community. "We started with about 15 people in our free class, and now we have almost 40," Michael says. They teach two Tai Chi classes each week, which Michael describes as "a wonderful way to give back to the society we live within." Michael highlights the benefits of Tai Chi, noting that "Tai Chi movements use your muscles in a very gentle way. You don’t have to get out of breath. And because it’s in such slow motion and on such a regular basis, you build up muscles you’ve never used. It’s also a very good way of learning to breathe again."
Michael and Torjborn enjoy a vibrant lifestyle, filled with eating, drinking, listening to music, and watching films. "Torjborn also loves painting, so he paints a lot at home," Michael adds. They started a culture club within the village, showing a movie once a month, mostly featuring the ballets Michael danced in at Covent Garden. "We have about 40 people who come to our club. It’s another outlet for like-minded people." Michael's philosophy on life is simple yet profound: "If there’s one lesson to live by, it’s to live as you want to live, not as somebody else wants you to live. Always be true to yourself."
