Older people in regional Qld ride into retirement with fun and fitness

It’s a crisp, winter morning, but the cool breeze isn’t stopping Caroline Holliday from hitting the water for a surf.

“For one morning a week, I can do something I absolutely love,” she smiled.

Ms Holliday, 68, is a member of the Gold Coast Granny Grommets, a fun-loving group for women over 50 who enjoy surfing and bodyboarding.

“It’s wonderful to do it in such a beautiful part of the world and with people that are like-minded,” she said.

Finding friendships through fun and fitness — and a boogie board — on the golden beaches of Queensland’s Gold Coast has become a new way of living for Ms Holliday.

“It’s winter now, so numbers are a bit small, but we’ve got a group of about five of us that come every week without fail and get in the cold water regardless of the temperature,” she said.

Age no barrier

According to the Granny Grommets, there’s no age limit on enjoying the ocean and forming new connections.

“You leave the workforce, I’ve retired recently, and all those connections you have there are gone.

“Having that [social] connection is very, very important … it probably outweighs the physical [benefits], though that’s really important too.”

Fellow Granny Grommet Lesley Vick, 64, echoed the importance of staying active as you age.

She said surfing had made her fitter and improved her confidence.

“I think you have to make it a priority every day. So for me, I train every day in some way or other and this is just a really good fun way of doing it.

“You get the social [side as well], usually you get breakfast after so it’s great.”

Masters rowing ‘like a men’s shed’

Away from the big cities, Australians living in regional and rural areas are also embracing healthy habits.

As the sun rises in central Queensland, a group of like-minded older men emerge in the distance on Rockhampton’s Fitzroy River.

They’re returning from their regular morning out on the water.

“We row two or three times a week,” Simon Irwin, 62, quipped.

“We’re so lucky to be here because as you can see, the kookaburras are singing and there’s not a ripple on the water … so you just can’t ask for better.”

The master rowers, who are over 60, jokingly nicknamed themselves the Fitzroy Fossils.

And apart from the usual banter on the boat, there’s a serious side that contributes to physical well-being and social connections.

“Rowing’s a team sport and you’re doing something that’s a collective endeavour and I think that’s really important too.”

Stuart Kininmonth, 60, has rowed in picturesque settings all around the world.

“I actually started rowing back in the early 80s … from a physical training point of view there’s nothing better,” he said.

According to Mr Kininmonth, what happens on the boat, stays on the boat.

“Every now and then we’ll stop and then we’ll chat and the conversations go all over the place,” he said.

It’s never too late to start

Queensland, like many regions around the world, has an ageing population.

In 2023, more than 926,000 Queenslanders were 65 or older and the Australian Bureau of Statistics projects that by 2053, more than one in five Queenslanders will be 65 years or older.

Stephanie Alley, a lecturer and academic researcher in Health Science at CQUniversity, researches the promotion of healthy ageing in communities through social engagement and physical activity.

“It also reduces the risk of most chronic illnesses, including diabetes, some cancers and heart health in particular, so it really has an impact across the board.”

Dr Alley said social connectedness was also an important factor for both physical and mental health.

She said there were some barriers to physical activity in regional and rural areas, such as geographic location and lack of access to resources like gyms or organised sports programs.

Nevertheless, ageing communities across the country are developing their own initiatives, such as fitness groups or walking clubs, to encourage participation in physical activity.

“When we’re trying to create a healthy habit we rely a lot on motivation and when our motivation drops it’s so important to have a community or a group of friends or a sporting group around us to help us keep on track,” Dr Alley said.

“The benefits of physical activity are beyond just the physical.

Whether it’s a daily walk, catching a wave or a weekend masters rowing regatta, there’s a growing awareness in older Australians to improve their health and well-being.

“I think it’s really important, you seize up, you just rust out,” Mr Irwin said.

This story is part of a five-part series exploring how regional Queenslanders are ageing well outside the capital city.