The lifestyle move that changed everything for this couple

When former Torquay home owners Mike and Debbie Cox began thinking seriously about their next chapter, it was about reimagining how they wanted to live.

“We were living in a retirement village for two years after selling our suburban home in 2021, but it was too cold and we wanted somewhere warmer with a more active lifestyle,” the couple say.

Their search for a quality, low-maintenance, lock-and-leave lifestyle led them to Stockland’s B by Halcyon, an over-50s land-lease community in Buderim on the Sunshine Coast.

Nestled in the foothills of rainforest surrounds, the architectural community combines resort-style living with a strong sense of connection. Home owners have access to premium wellness and lifestyle facilities, including a gym, yoga lawn, 25-metre heated magnesium lap pool, sauna and steam room, tennis and pickleball courts and a golf simulator, as well as hobby groups and social clubs.

“I enjoy mosaics, water aerobics, lawn bowls and mahjong, while Mike swims laps and uses the gym to keep fit,” says Debbie. “We also both love playing tennis.”

According to Melissa Baillie, sales manager for Stockland Halcyon Communities, today’s over-50s buyers are increasingly seeking lifestyle-led living.

“Many of our home owners – whether retired or still working full-time – want the opportunity to be active, social and engaged,” she says. “Our facilities are designed as an extension of the home.

“At the same time, people can do as much or as little as they like. It’s about creating a genuine sense of belonging and connection. We don’t talk about downsizing – we call it rightsizing.”

When the numbers make sense

While lifestyle was the initial drawcard, the financial model was equally compelling.

“What appealed to us about the Halcyon model was that there’s no stamp duty, no council rates, no entry or exit fee, and no body corporate or administration funds,” says Mike.

Residents own their homes while leasing the land they sit on under a site agreement and paying a site fee. This structure is designed to provide a lower entry cost than traditional home ownership, with ongoing maintenance of the streetscapes, shared spaces and community facilities included.

Two years after moving into Stockland’s B by Halcyon, however, the couple began reassessing their priorities once again.

The pair realised they could unlock the capital growth they had achieved at Stockland’s B by Halcyon by buying into another Stockland community during its early stages of development.

The move also allowed them to remain on the Sunshine Coast, close to their established friendship circle, while upgrading to a larger home featuring two bedrooms, a theatre room, a multipurpose space and an expansive patio overlooking protected reserve land.

Living a dream lifestyle 

Now settled into their new community, Mike and Debbie recently purchased bikes to explore the extensive pathways and surrounding countryside, while Mike is preparing to join a local motorbike group.

“There’s never a shortage of things to do,” he says. “We’ve made wonderful friendships within the community, but we also enjoy getting out to festivals, theatre performances and heritage towns with friends.

“I was heavily involved in the library at Stockland’s B by Halcyon and I’m helping establish one here as well.”

Stockland’s Halcyon Coves is part of the wider Aura master-planned development, one of several Halcyon communities integrated into Stockland’s master-planned communities across Australia. It means a suite of future retail and lifestyle amenities planned for the area for Mike and Debbie. 

For Baillie, the story reflects a sentiment she often hears from home owners.

“The most common thing people tell us after making the move,” she says, “is that they wish they had done it sooner.”