Meet Graham & Maureen Baxter 
For almost four decades Graham and Maureen Baxter were dairy farmers and in the last few years changed over to growing lucerne. “We have been farmers all our lives and had never lived in suburbia”, said Maureen.
So when they first thought about leaving the farm and retiring to a village, they wondered how they would manage after all the space they had been used to, with no neighbours close by.
They need not have worried; they took to life in a retirement village like the proverbial ducks to water.
“We moved here to The Elms from another retirement village”, explained Maureen. They had originally looked at The Elms but at the time there was nothing available so they moved down to their old stomping ground at Warragul. But as it turned out their family needed them to be closer so they headed back north again.
The Baxters had only been at The Elms for a few months and were not letting any lucerne grow under their feet - they became members of the village’s bowling club. “It’s a really good team– we have 25 players now and are looking at branching out and playing against other retirement villages”.
“We love our sports”, said Maureen. Apart from being keen bowls players, this fit pair enjoys golf, love tennis and beach fishing
and cycle most weekends exploring the old disused rail trails of country Victoria.
Despite all their commitments Maureen and Graham still find time to help out around the village whenever they can.
“I am more a pick and shovel man than a handyman”, said Graham. “I help the gardeners around here when there is a bit of muscle needed”.
“The beauty of a retirement village is that we all look out for each other”, concluded the Baxters. “It’s a really lovely feeling.”
