From Foundations to Family: 25 Years of Fairview
“They were good days. It was wonderful. Looking back, some of our fondest memories were from those days when the village was just starting up and we all got into a lot of mischief.”
Even then, it wasn’t just about the buildings, it was about the people and the spirit of community they created together.
The Early Days: Foundations in Clay and Heart
In 2000, John and Mary Gardner were appointed as village managers just as construction began. For the first few years, they were the heart of Fairview – handling everything from sales and security to cooking and care. “We were everything in those days,” John says. “Office staff, security staff, sales, cook, show producer.”
They lived on site in a homestead that served as both their home and the village lodge. It wasn’t glamorous – the site was difficult to navigate due to the and remote location. As Mary remembers, visitors would often say it was “too far out in the sticks,” worried they’d be isolated. “I can remember the words one of the owners said to me, he said, Mary, one day this village will be in the centre of Albany.”
Today, that prediction has come true.
Plays, Pranks and Camaraderie: The Fun of the Early Years
Bev Barnes, 96 years and a founding resident remembers those early days with great fondness. “In the early days, even though we had few people here, we knew everybody else and we always worked out things to have fun with – we were resourceful.”
“It was mud, builders, mud, and we all had to have gumboots.”
“When a new resident came in, I was always on the welcoming committee. That was my job, making them feel they weren’t on their own.”
Mary and John weren’t just managers—they were the glue that held the community together. “Mary and John initially, because they were everything—salespeople, managers, nurses. Often cooks, they put on all the initial entertainment.”
John was known for his wild sense of fun. “John’s a very—he was a very—what would you say—he’s a person who wanted to have fun and I liked to start the fun. I was quite mischievous in the early days so I joined in. I still could be if given the chance!”
“John used to put on mad, mad plays and we had Stalag 21 in production one time—and I was a German guard. The costumes were incredible. All made by Mary. It was such a funny play. It was quite like Monty Python.”
“Every April Fool’s Day we knew John would come up with something (a prank) and you never knew what it would be.”
“And the care was always personal”.
Laying the Foundations of a Special Village
From the very beginning, it was the people – not just the buildings – that made Fairview special. In John and Mary Gardner, along with residents like Bev Barnes, the village found its earliest champions. Together, they laid the foundations of a community infused with care, fun, and laughter.
John and Mary brought dedication and heart to every task, from hosting dinners to providing entertainment.
Residents like Bev Barnes, who moved in back in 2002, brought their own energy too.
A former school principal and competitive hockey player, Bev helped form the first residents’ committee, hosted bingo nights, and starred in John’s plays
Building a Village, Building a Community
This spirit of care and fun created a culture that continues today—a place where everyone feels at home from day one.
Their legacy isn’t just in stories; it’s in the culture that lives on today. The community they helped build still thrives – a place where people look out for one another and joy is found in the little moments shared.
The physical village slowly took shape – villas, community spaces, and gardens all emerged from the mud – but it was the people who truly built Fairview
A Night to Celebrate 25 Years
On Wednesday 25 June, residents came together for a very special dinner in honour of Fairview’s 25th anniversary. Chef Noris and the Relish Café team served a three-course meal, including poached salmon à la salsa verde and wine-braised beef medallions. Traditional date pudding with butterscotch sauce rounded out the night.
The dining room was beautifully decorated, and residents arrived dressed for the occasion. Music by Jim Joll filled the air as speeches reflected on Fairview’s journey and enduring spirit.
No anniversary at Fairview would be complete without a cake by Mary Gardner. For this milestone, she designed one that wove together past and present—combining the original sunflower logo and the current leaf motif with her signature handcrafted flowers. It was a beautiful tribute to how far the village has come.
Still a People Place
At 96, Bev Barnes still paints, reads, plays the piano, and takes part in village life. She describes Fairview as “a warm, caring place to be.” When surgery left her unable to drive, her neighbours Jim and Natalie stepped in, and five years later, they still help with her shopping.
“This is a people place,” she says. “Each home is a home. Right from the word go, I said to my children, ‘I’ve done the right thing.’”
John and Mary now live at Fairview themselves, enjoying the very lifestyle they helped to build. “Living in Fairview as a resident has been marvelous,” Mary says. “Just as we promised to all those who moved here.”
Looking Ahead
Fairview has changed over the past 25 years, but its heart remains the same. It’s a place shaped by its people, built on laughter, friendship, and care. And if you ask those who helped lay the first bricks or stirred the first pot of soup, they’ll tell you: the best part of Fairview isn’t the buildings. It’s the feeling of belonging that’s grown here.
As Mary puts it simply, “Our hopes for Fairview are that it stays just as it is.”
Why 25 Years Matters When Choosing a Village
Fairview’s 25-year journey isn’t just a milestone; it’s a reminder of the quiet strengths that come with an established village. While newer villages may dazzle with their modern fit-outs, there’s something deeply reassuring about walking into a place where the community is already thriving.
- Mature gardens, established trees, and park-like grounds offer a sense of peace and timeless beauty
- Wide walkways, open-plan homes, and generously spaced communal areas create comfort and ease of movement
- A culture of care and connection has been nurtured over decades – not invented overnight
The truth is, choosing a retirement village isn’t like booking a hotel—it’s choosing a home. And once the initial excitement of something new fades, what will make the biggest difference day-to-day is how the place makes you feel.
So many Fairview residents have said they knew immediately that this was the right place for them. There’s a pull, an unspoken warmth, and a sense of belonging that’s hard to define—but easy to recognise.
When it comes to retirement living, the unseen things often matter most. As one resident put it, “This is a people’s place. It’s a place where people care.” That’s the kind of home Fairview has been for 25 years—and continues to be today.
