Catch up on the latest news at Catalina

Meet Tony and Joan Abela

Tracey: Hello Tony and Joan, It’s great to have you here with us at Catalina Village. Tell us a bit about why you chose Catalina and when you moved in?

Tony & Joan: When we inspected Catalina Village, we felt it was brighter than the other places we had inspected and thought the Community Centre was absolutely beautiful. We moved in at the end of March this year from Port Macquarie.

We are delighted with our decision and so is our family as we decided on the location so that we could be closer to our children and grandchildren who live in Sydney and Port Macquarie.

Tracey: That’s wonderful – we find lots of our residents move to be closer to their families in retirement so they can be more involved now they are not working. Which home design did you choose and why?

Tony & Joan: We chose the Mascot design home because we loved the floorplan and the façade – it’s fresh, new and different to all the homes we saw elsewhere. It’s a beautiful modern, practical and spacious home and we love it. Also, Tracey and Kelsie helped us make a smooth transition and we couldn’t sing their praises enough!

Tracey: Sounds like you made the right choice. We have so many beautiful home designs, you couldn’t really go wrong. Tell us, what appealed to you most about Catalina Village?

Tony & Joan: Definitely the proximity to the freeway and lots of shopping centres including Tuggerah, Erina and Lake Haven (retail heaven for those who love to shop). Above all though, it’s the people. We have found a real community here who care about one another. We can’t wait to get involved in all the activities with our new friends, such as the Men’s Shed, crafts and exercise – there are just so many things to do!

Tracey: That’s great to hear! And what about your families – what do they think about your big move?

Tony & Joan: They are thrilled that we are looking after ourselves in our retirement and living life to the full rather than putting our lives on hold for their inheritance. They’ve seen the facilities and the lifestyle options here and are very happy for us. Plus we are living between both our kids’ families now, so it’s easier to visit them all.

So everyone’s happy!