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Amanda Robertson

Month: November 2023

9 Gloucester region activities you’re never too old to enjoy

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9 Gloucester region activities you're never too old to enjoy

I don’t know about you but I find the older I get, the more fun I can have. However, some activities don’t appeal anymore. In this article, I give you some ideas for activities we can enjoy at any age.

1. Pilates
Yes, I did say ‘enjoy’, didn’t I? Well, while Pilates may not be your definition of ‘fun’, regular gentle exercise like Pilates can help you enjoy other activities by improving your core strength, helping with mobility, posture, strength, balance and flexibility.

Where to find Pilates classes in Gloucester
Mandy Tomlinson Pilates ‒ 0427 264 764

2. Yoga
Again, for all the reasons above, plus yoga helps mindfulness. Hey, holding that pose occupies most of your senses; no time to worry about anything.

Where to find yoga classes near Gloucester
Natalie’s Yoga Classes ‒ 0428 119 811

3. Cricket
If you don’t play yourself, have a lazy afternoon and watch the locals. Grab a picnic and a blanket, head to the oval and check out our Bushman team battling it out against other regional sides.

Where to find cricket in Gloucester
Ovals and nets are off Thunderbolts Way
To see if you can get a game, contact gloucesterdca@gmail.com.

4. Dancing
While I’d love to hear of some Dancing in the Dark sessions in Gloucester, for now I have to be content with the occasional dance at the local hall.

Where to find dancing in Gloucester
Gloucester Bowling & Recreation Club hosts live music that’s sometimes danceable. Otherwise, look out for the regular dances advertised at Barrington Hall, where you can even go to their learn-to-dance classes.

5. Watching the stars
If you’re a local, you might be used to seeing the stars but perhaps not the wonder of stars away from town lights. To see stars as you’ve never seen them before, head out of town to a lookout point in the Barrington Tops and revel in the majesty above.

Where to get find lookouts at Barrington Tops
We’re spoilt for choice but try Thunderbolts Lookout or Devils Hole Lookout first or check the Barrington Tops website for other stargazing locations.
Barrington Tops stargazing

Dusty’s Telescope Views of the Night Sky, located in Stroud; organise a street party or a backyard barbecue and book Dusty’s Telescope views ‒ 0413 631 824

6. Wine appreciation
Our own Faulls Ridge Winery is just a few kilometres out of town. Talk to the growers, learn about the different characteristics of wine and enjoy a tasting plate of local produce. You’ll sharpen your senses of smell and taste and feel more confident next time you head into the bottle shop.

Where to find Faulls Ridge Winery
611 The Bucketts Way, Tugrabakh

7. Volunteering
Helping out in the community is a wonderful way to keep learning and stay connected. Studies have shown one of the main predictors for a longer life is how many social interactions a person has during their day. In Gloucester you’ll find opportunities to get involved. Your first stop should be the VIEW (Voice, Interests and Education of Women) Club. Among other activities, our local branch sponsors five The Smith Family Learning for Life students.

How to connect with VIEW in Gloucester
Connect on Facebook: Gloucester NSW VIEW Club

8. Lawn bowls
Once the domain of the retired, the sport of lawn bowls now embraces all ages. Bowls Australia believe bowls is an excellent way to improve mental health and happiness. What are you waiting for?

Where to find lawn bowls in Gloucester
Gloucester Bowling Club & Recreation Club
Cnr Boundary St & Thunderbolts Way

9. Learning new things
If you still have a thirst for knowledge, the University of the Third Age (U3A) has courses in Gloucester. You can try anything from mahjong to conversational French, chess for beginners to croquet.

Where to find the Gloucester U3A
Email secretary.gloucesteru3a@gmail.com

Need advice on selling your Gloucester region property?

As a proud local, I’m here to guide you through the process of selling your home. I specialise in lifestyle, rural and residential properties. I’ve done it myself and helped many families over my career. So give me a call; I’m here to help.

What is the property market doing in the Gloucester region?

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What is the property market doing in the Gloucester region?

One of my priorities is to keep an eye on what the property market is doing in our region so I can advise my clients and give them realistic appraisals if they’re ready to sell. This year has been interesting to say the least.

Despite predictions of massive property price falls, the property market has proved as resilient as always.

In this article, I’ll run through some of what I’ve learned recently. First I’ll give an overview of capital cities then drill down into what’s happening in regional markets.

Property prices rebound in Sydney

While interest rate rises are certainly making investors more cautious, this hesitancy has proved to be a bonus for owner-occupiers. However, smaller supply has seen property prices rise 10.6% since January 2023.

Auctions up by an impressive percentage

Likely due to the slump over the October long weekend, property auctions overall bounced by over 30% for the week ending 8 October. In Adelaide and Canberra, auction numbers surged by more than 50%. Clearance rates were lower than the previous norm of 70%. However, it’s worth noting that most properties handed in are sold within a week after the auction.

Regional markets

Gloucester region owners should take comfort in the news that while regional sea-change property values have undergone a large correction, falling sharply by up to 21% (Byron Shire) the tree-change regions have remained more resilient. While growth over the last 12 months has slowed in the Gloucester region, the loss is just 2.8%. Property prices are still higher than they were in October 2021. However, following the recent warning by the Reserve Bank of Australia warning that further rate hikes might be needed, we need to be mindful that regional areas would not be immune from softer market conditions.

Median home price and yield in the Gloucester region

The median house price in the Gloucester region is $520,000. However this figure doesn’t take rural/ lifestyle properties out of town into account and hides the lower prices of older-style three-bedroom homes in town. Some recent sales in the region include:

Wallanbah Road: $1,855,000
Callaghans Creek Road: $1,200,000
Henderson St: $830,000
Barrington West Road: $820,000
Manning Street: $565,000

Rents are increasing

According to a recent report in The Sydney Morning Herald, asking rents across most regional councils are on the rise. Over the past five years, every regional council has seen at least 20% growth with some seeing 60% or more. This is possibly due to reduced supply and owner-occupiers rather than investors buying homes. Until we see investors starting to move again with home purchases, we will continue to see low rental supply, which translates into higher rental prices.

Is now the right time to invest in Gloucester?

Having been around the (real estate) block a few times, I’ve worked through all the property cycles. One thing I’ve learned is that it’s generally a good idea to buy when the market is predicting the worst. Of course, this depends on individual circumstances. There’s no point picking up a bargain if you won’t be able to service your loan should interest rates rise again. However, if you have the capital and can manage loan repayments without stress, you should be rewarded with the capital gains of real property.

Need advice on selling your Gloucester region property?

As a proud local, I’m here to guide you through the process of selling your home. I specialise in lifestyle, rural and residential properties. I’ve done it myself and helped many families over my career. So give me a call; I’m here to help.