Redlands local thanks village life for new travel passion

Embarking on his fifth trip in the last two years, Bolton Clarke Moreton Shores retirement village resident Charles credits the village lifestyle for his newfound freedom to travel.

Charles, 82, has travelled to the opposite ends of the world since moving into the Thornlands village, including deciding at the last minute to take a trip to Antarctica in 2022.

“I heard a thing on the radio on the Wednesday and I decided to do it on the Friday and away I went to Antarctica,” he said.

“I really liked the Antarctic because it was just beautiful and so unique. It was only a small ship with 250 people and was more like an expedition because there were lectures onboard and we were on the ice every day.

“We saw seals, a couple of whales and so many penguins that were in big colonies together.”

He says the security of the village has made travelling without a worry possible.

“I love living here, I really do – I find it so secure and there are some really lovely people here.

“It’s always been a good area - my family and I actually bought this land as a farm in 1957.

“My wife and I had always done a lot of travelling because we used to do mapping in central Australia.

“But now that my wife is in the co-located residential aged care home, I’m on my own and along with village life, travelling is a good way to stay social.”

With Antarctica and the Arctic, Norway, United Kingdom and Netherlands ticked off his list since 2022, Charles has set his sights on travelling to the USA this year.

“I’ll be meeting up with people that I met during the Antarctic trip and I’ve done that on a few of my previous trips too.

“I’m not a planner so I never thought about how much I would be travelling in my 80s but now it’s whatever takes my fancy and on my way I go!”

October is Queensland Seniors Month celebrating the ongoing contribution of older people to the state.