SOME of the inmates (as they like to call themselves) of Lincoln Place’s Portland Lifestyle Estate are sick to death of pumpkin soup.

With a bumper season earlier this year, the gardeners among the residents harvested kilos of the stuff, keeping the cooks among them busy churning out litres of the heart-and-soul warming goodness. All for free.

But the group of gastronomes, while not wanting to appear ungrateful, have had enough, even going so far as to say, “that’s the last time we do pumpkins”! Whether the gardeners will or won’t try to emulate the abundance of their vegetable plot next winter remains to be seen, but in the meantime, they’re keeping an eye on new, spring crops and ensuring every green thumb in the estate has an opportunity to get involved if they want to.

And while it might take longer for some newcomers to the estate to adapt than others, on the whole they’re loving their new lives.

King of the pumpkins and one-time mayor of Portland is resident Max Oberlander. Already experienced in managing food plots, looking after 68 of them at the local community gardens, Mr Oberlander has been instrumental in getting management to put in more vegetable plots at the estate so any interested household can have one allocated to them.

But that’s just a taste of what new residents of this 18-month-old Lincoln Place estate can look forward to if they decide to buy into it; where the living does, indeed, appear to be easy.

With only three houses on the site in June 2022, the property has completed the first of its three stages and now boasts 23 homes and 32 residents. After completion, the homes are expected to number 119. So until then, this small band of (very happy) inmates have all the luxury facilities to themselves.

The community living space looks more like a resort. Featuring possibly the biggest TV monitor outside a commercial theatre, there is, also a pool table, a bowling green, an electric barbecue and outdoor setting, a gym, and a resident’s shed, which the group insists is NOT a men’s shed. Anyone interested in dabbling in some woodworking or just coming along for a chat can use the equipment, they said. This was donated mostly by ex-engineer John Dorman from his own workshop, and includes a drop saw and a woodworking lathe.

And with access also to a 15-metre heated and indoor saltwater pool, the 32 existing inhabitants certainly can behave as if they’re permanently on holiday. They’re enjoying the exclusivity while they can. But even when the estate is at capacity, these early adopters of this new community will no doubt still be making the most of their lives. The more the merrier, it seems.

The homes come in one, two, and three bedroom modules, built by Yarrawonga Manufactured Homes, and are transported to site usually in two and three pieces, said Debb Biender, community manager of the estate. Ms Biender spends a lot of time doing back-of-house management but is also always there to support the residents when they need it.

With a choice of three external colours, four internal colours; different carpet, floor, tile and kitchen choices; and with the owners’ own furniture and décor installed, the homes all look quite different on the inside. 

Mr Oberlander’s partners in crime, like the rest of the estate community, all come from quite different backgrounds, yet are pulling together to embrace this new chapter of their lives.

There’s Julie Hampshire, long-time Portland resident who sold up her seven-acre property on Trangmar St after her husband died and it became too much to manage alone; Graham Hare (and his dog, Jess) – an ex-real estate agent who’s lived in NSW, WA and Geelong and who wears a cap emblazoned with “Old Fart” with pride; and Mr Dorman (and his dog, Emma), an engineer from Hamilton who lost his wife only recently – all embracing this new chapter in their lives; meeting new people and creating new friendships.

“The residents are all very supportive of each other,” said Ms Biender.

They have get-togethers every Friday night, with everyone contributing meals and snacks, with the last Friday of each month being a special fund-raising event (for their end-of-year champagne-crayfish-and-prawns Christmas, they laugh) and just generally getting to know new people. Clearly there are some jokers in the pack, who come up with activities such as guess-the-weight-of-the pumpkin ($1 a lift and if you lift twice, it’s $2), the suck-and-blow Smarties race and much more.

The things you can do when you retire!

Sounds like a tough life, but someone’s got to do it. “I love it,” said Ms Hampshire.