When Deidre Henham first put down a deposit on Cedar on Collins, she wasn’t entirely sure how things would unfold.

Now, settled into the newly built retirement complex in Kiama, she couldn’t be happier with her decision. “It's wonderful,” she says. “The people here are just lovely, without exception.”

Deidre’s journey to Kiama began with a different plan.

She and her daughters had purchased a house in Bong Bong Street, intending to create a multi-generational home where they could live separately yet together. 

But the uncertainty surrounding the property’s potential heritage listing dragged on for years.

This process took more than 3 years to confirm whether it would be heritage listed,” she explains. “By then, I had already started looking at Cedar on Collins.”

What was once an uncertain step turned out to be a perfect fit. One of the first residents to move in, Deidre quickly took the initiative to build a sense of community.

“At first, it was just me and one other gentleman. We decided to meet on Friday nights for drinks, and slowly, more people joined in.”

Many of the residents are local, making it easier for newcomers like Deidre to settle in.

“They already know all the best places,” she says. “The only downside is that when the bus trips are planned, they have already seen most of the sights.”

Originally from the Riverina, Deidre spent years in Wagga Wagga before making the move to Kiama in late 2023.

A former rice farmer, she speaks with pride about the industry’s evolution.

“Farming teaches resilience. If you are married to a farmer, you learn to do everything, from driving between paddocks to helping with livestock,” she says.

Her connection to rice farming runs deep, and she still holds shares in SunRice, a company she praises for its success and support of growers.

For Deidre, Cedar on Collins is more than just a retirement complex. It is a new chapter filled with companionship and opportunity. “It feels like a hotel,” she laughs. “But you bring your own drinks.”

As Kiama’s newest retirement community grows, stories like Deirdre’s highlight what makes it special, a place where people can feel at home, surrounded by friends, and supported in a way that makes ageing an exciting new stage of life.