Village Vibrance at Keyton
From bold brushstrokes to lively laughter, locals are proving it’s never too late to spark fresh connections. John Caruso discovers how new passions and shared moments are weaving joy into every day.
Time has a way of getting ahead of us – often leaving unfulfilled dreams and opportunities behind us. However, in Keyton’s vibrant Sunshine Coast villages, residents are striking a match to monotony, turning late chapters into brand-new beginnings where creativity and community are front and centre.
Ignite Your Passion is more than a clever name; it’s become a mantra for over 17,000 residents across 75 Keyton villages. Each year, this program fans the flames of curiosity and camaraderie by funding resident-led activities, projects that don’t just fill a calendar; they provide a spark.
In 2025, 240 projects across all Keyton villages were powered into existence, offering everything from bowls and art sessions to dance, snooker, and bonsai gardening. There’s a new hum about these communities, and it isn’t just the whirr of bingo balls or the tuning of guitars.
Tamara Rasmussen, Head of Resident Operations at Keyton, lights up when she talks about the initiative.
“It’s an award-winning program where residents can apply for grant funding to support activities, events, and initiatives that provide a positive impact at their village,” she says
Bellflower Retirement Resort art group convenor Gordon Scott sums up the impact saying that his community has been very busy.
“The grant allowed us to have two workshops with a professional local artist, Don Milner from Buderim,” he said. “While we started off with the same subject to paint, by the end of the session, everyone’s interpretations were completely different! But we were all proud of the end results and were excited to grow and explore our skills. Some of us were new to painting, others were seasoned and we were able to try oils, acrylics, or pastels.”
Gordon said he moved to Keyton’s Sippy Downs retirement village three years ago and hadn’t painted since he left school more than 50 years ago.
“Don’s expertise improved our painting methods and reminded us that time is precious, and so is this community,” he said. “Since the workshops, the group has grown and so has our admiration for one another.”
At Keyton’s Hibiscus Buderim Meadows, Jacqui Nilsson coordinates another art collective, a microcosm of connection and reinvention.
“Our submission was about giving residents another option to connect, and art became our anchor,” Jacqui said. “Some had never painted or sketched before so we funded an art teacher to come to the village, and ended up with our first art show where people even sold their work, allowing us to put money back into more lessons.
“Even at this stage of life, we discovered a brand-new passion, and that’s made us all feel like the next chapter’s just begun.”
It’s not all about paint and pastels. Bellflower’s Gail Gilder and her troupe, Ladies, Ladies, Ladies, put their grant money to use on cooking sessions with
a local chef and monthly morning teas with laughter, games, and conversation.
“We’re just about giving people a reason to get out for a bit,” she said. “Married or not, sometimes you can feel lonely, and these mornings help. We do trivia, bingo, and celebrate Pink Ribbon Day each year.”
What stands out at every turn is agency: these projects aren’t top-down directives. They’re initiatives that the residents design, launch, and participate in – and they redefine what retirement living looks like.
Alongside fundraising, learning, and laughter, Ignite Your Passion fosters that unmistakable rush, the buzz that comes with picking up a brush, a golf club, or a recipe book for the first (or fiftieth) time. The guidelines, like the ethos of Hello Sunshine Magazine are for projects that are savvy, surprising, and spirited!
At Keyton, those traits are stitched into the everyday knowing glance between neighbours over a cuppa or the gentle encouragement before a first exhibition.
Maybe that’s what’s most valuable about Ignite Your Passion. It’s not really about what you’re doing with your hands, but what it does for the heart and mind. Whether it’s a painting that’s drying in the sun, the aroma of a new dish, or applause after a group meditation session, these small sparks become the ongoing glow that makes the Keyton story more than a headline. It’s the warmth rising from every person who’s found the courage to try, share, and belong all over again.
To learn more about Keyton retirement villages, including eight on the Sunshine Coast, visit www.keyton.com.au or call 1800 550 550.
