For the past 30 years Don lived a quiet life near Noojee. “I had been managing motels in Bright, Port Macquarie and Frankston and after that finished I wanted to get away from all the busyness.
“We moved to a dead-end road in the most beautiful countryside. It was a great place to live.”
Don was born in Mildura but his family moved frequently, following the demands of his father’s work in the air force. At 15 Don left school and embarked on a building apprenticeship in Ballarat, leading to several decades of work in construction.
Despite always working hard, when he moved to Bright to run a motel Don was dismayed at how puffed he felt walking uphill. Determined to remedy the situation, he started running at the age of 43 and kept at it for the next 40 years.
He ran marathons, entered trail running events and was an early competitor in the Alpine Climb, requiring participants to run up each of Mount Bogong, Mount Porepunkah, Mount Feathertop, Mount Hotham and Mount Buffalo over five successive days.
His running years are behind him, but Don continues to believe in the power of staying active, and takes a walk from Amberlea around the pretty streets of Drouin every day.
“ I enjoy being here, and the food is very good, but I’m not really a people person, so I keep to myself and do my own thing.”
His wellbeing practice also extends beyond the physical. “I meditate for between one and one-and-a-half hours every day. The meditation has been a long term thing. It is so subtle. You look back on yourself, there are things that have just dropped away, and you may not have realised that was happening at the time. It’s fascinating.”
Wide reading is another of Don’s great pleasures. “I have always been interested in spirituality, and still enjoy reading things towards it,” Don said. He has several books by Carl Jung close at hand in his Amberlea room.
“I’ve read them for years but still can’t understand them,” he laughed.
He revels in the access to the trove of books at Amberlea, and also spends time at the library, with Australian history and bush literature favourite categories, as well as the occasional Agatha Christie.
While Don enjoys his own company, he is also delighted that his room is next door to an old friend, Lesley.
“[Lesley and I] spend a lot of time together, go for our walks, and it is so special to have that connection with someone who has known you for a long time,”
Individuals have always lived their lives in different ways, yet there has been a long-standing false assumption that everyone should spend their older years in a similar fashion.
Acknowledging that ageing lifestyles are diverse and that agency and individualised experiences are important is the philosophy that underpins Baptcare’s Living Well Together model of care. It is also exemplified in Don McLennan’s individual and meaningful lifestyle at Amberlea.
Community news
-
Baptcare Harmony Day Cookbook
A little while ago, the Baptcare Diversity, Equity, Inclusion and Belonging (DEIB) Workgroup released a Baptcare Harmony Day Cookbook. How did it come about? What is the most exciting recipe in it? We asked DEIB Workgroup members Lana Davis and Inneke Bakker more about the cookbook and its origins. Keep reading to find out more.
- 29 Jul 2025
-
Ten signs your elderly parent needs support
As our loved ones age, it’s not always easy to know when they need extra support. They may be uncomfortable asking for help and changes in their habits can happen gradually, making them easy to overlook. Knowing what to watch out for can help you support your loved one in making confident, informed decisions about getting the right senior living support. Here’s ten signs that your elderly parent or family member may need some extra support to stay comfortable and confident at home.
- 21 Jul 2025
-
Tips for dealing with life in the sandwich generation
This is part two in our blog series on the sandwich generation. Here are some tips for dealing with the carer’s squeeze experienced by a growing number of Australians, particularly women. Key points: Summary of challenges facing the sandwich generation Tips for dealing with the challenges System reforms needed
- 11 Jul 2025