FOR nearly 70 years, home for Bobby was measured in hundreds of thousands of acres. Now, at 88 he’s swapped that scale for a quieter, closer-knit life at Shepparton Gardens.
Bobby spent 45 years on a Merino sheep stud in the Riverina – 360,000 acres, 150,000 sheep. He started out maintaining vehicles and machinery, becoming maintenance manager. Later he moved to a small farm outside Shepparton, before selling up this year and downsizing into Shepparton Gardens.
He’d known of the community and met manager Jodie before deciding to make the move. Having not lived in a town since he was 15, the shift to close neighbours and daily meals took some adjusting to at first – but Bobby has since fully embraced community living.
The community has a Men’s Shed, a popular meeting spot for residents. Bobby enjoys playing pool every Thursday, and still drives himself into town – only five minutes from the community – where he enjoys walks by the lake and staying active.
His advice for those considering downsizing? “Go for it and give it a go – if you don’t, you’ll never know.” And if he could give advice to his younger self: “Enjoy the country while you’re there.”
