Loving THE DREAM
For Linsey Bamping, retirement took her on a complete tree change.
“My favourite part of life right now is the freedom and no deadlines.”
FROM OCEANSIDE apartment living in busy Sydney to living among the trees in South East Queensland, Linsey Bamping’s life took on a completely different meaning once she put a successful career in marketing and publishing behind her.
“I wanted to get away from the noise, the crowds, and the busyness and intensity of the city. I wanted to slow down, breathe and stop running to schedules and timelines and deadlines. I was looking to be closer to nature and more connected to my surroundings.
“I heard that retirement would be boring, and I’d experience a loss of purpose. Well, that’s not true for me. I’ve slowed down, feel free and can focus on new things like building, growing vegetables, recycling, composting, and learning about permaculture. I’ve made new friends and they have generously shared their experiences and knowledge about this amazing valley.”
Like anyone thinking of retiring, Linsey wanted to be as financially independent as possible, which involved early planning way before she was ready to retire.
“I started thinking about this seriously about 15 years ago. I knew when I retired I wanted to be debt free and be able to travel and maintain my lifestyle. I wanted to retire around 2020 so I could enjoy this well earnt new phase of my life,” says Linsey.
“I engaged a good financial advisor and I worked to consolidate my assets. We set saving and investment goals to get me where I needed to be.”
Now she has settled into retirement, Linsey says there are unexpected benefits.
“I didn’t expect to feel at home so quickly, with such a strong sense of belonging. The community greeted me with such warmth: bowls of tomatoes, a pumpkin at my door, seeds and cuttings – all delightful surprises. “My favourite part of life right now is the freedom and no deadlines. I’m getting closer to my family and making memories with them. I also love the sense of connection I have to this, my new home – the green and the quiet is amazing. I smile a lot.”