Some love stories span decades. For Annette and Les, what began as teenage romance paused for 30 years—only to be rekindled by chance and flourish in retirement.  

Today, they’re living their best life together at Woolooware Shores, where ocean views and close-knit community have made it feel like home for the couple. 

Les and Annette’s relationship is a remarkable love story. The pair first dated for a few years back in their teens, before each going on to marry someone else and having their own families. 

"We had no contact, no communication at all for 30 years,” says Les. 

Then a chance interaction brought them back together. Les’ brother was working in the service station he owned, when a customer came in, and he noted the name on the credit card used to pay. Les’ brother commented to the customer that his brother had once dated someone with the same last name—it turned out the customer was in fact Annette’s brother. It was enough to put the couple back in touch. 

“We re-met 30 years later, and we've been together 35 years now," says Annette. 

They lived together in Kiama for decades. When they started to consider their future, Les was keen to move to a retirement village, while Annette was more reluctant.   

"We have looked at retirement villages for 12 years. Les wanted to move for all that time, but I wasn't ready, because it was so beautiful at Kiama, looking over the ocean,” says Annette.  

“He was kind enough to say, I'll wait until you're ready." 

When the time did come to move, Les knew exactly what he was looking for. 

"I had a clear vision as to what I wanted. And I wanted ocean views, because in our Kiama place, we were right on the ocean. And I wanted a retirement village that had 24-hour help, [because] I could see that would be important in my old age. And the third thing that I wanted was a comfortable lifestyle and relaxing, and Anglicare and Woolooware Shores met those three requirements ... Now we're here, there's a whole lot more than what my three needs were," says Les. 

Now, a year into their life at Woolooware Shores, it has well and truly become home. They found the community quickly welcomed them with open arms, and they have embraced community life and all its activities, from indoor bowls and church to the gym and onsite beautician. 

While their move technically meant downsizing, their three-bedroom, two-bathroom apartment still allows plenty of space to host gatherings, and even have the family come to stay.

“When the family comes to visit, and we have a lot of family get-togethers and parties, we do have enough accommodation and bathrooms for everybody,” says Annette. 

“Sometimes we go to the cafe, sometimes we take the four-year-old grandchild to the playground, which is near us, and sometimes we all just go out to Cronulla beach.” 

Even in her 80s, Annette is the ‘hostess with the mostest’, and her passion for hosting themed events and gatherings for friends and family is legendary. Along with her partner Les, she brings warmth and vibrancy to the community, proving that age is no barrier to living a rich, social life. And that moving to a retirement village is no barrier to hosting the soirees of your dreams.   

“This year, my daughter's birthday was an Irish theme, and we had Irish food and Irish decorations. We all dressed in green ... had an Irish dancer perform, and we all did Irish dancing," says Annette.  

"Last year, her birthday theme was a French theme, because I'd been on a cruise and I'd learnt to make French food. So, I made French food, we decorated everything, and all wore French clothes. My son wore a beret, the grandchildren wore striped shirts, and I wore an outfit that had the Eiffel tower down the front." 

Now, Annette is already planning the next soiree—a Japenese-themed event for her neighbours.