Home sweet home, sweet home, sweet home

Bribie Island locals David and Pamela Aitchison, Roy Sycamore and Margaret Lambert each live at Bolton Clarke’s Bongaree retirement village – but this is not the first time they’ve shared a home, each having lived in the same house around the corner on Norman Street.

In fact, not only have they each owned the house – but they purchased it from each other!

Roy was the first to move in when he bought it in 1999.

He lived there for nine years before he and his second wife Willa sold the house to Margaret and her late husband Barry in 2008. They in turn sold it to David and Pamela in 2013.

“I didn’t know Margaret until we sold her the house – now we’re good friends,” said Roy.

“And I didn’t really know Pamela, but we had a mutual friend,” said Margaret. “In fact, we had been at a party together not long before they bought the house from me – but we didn’t know it at the time.”

It wasn’t long before Margaret and Pamela were officially introduced by their mutual friend, Christine.

“Christine invited Pamela to a party after she and David bought the house from me,” Margaret said.

“She bought Pamela over and re-introduced us. It was quite a surprise to find that I’d already met her! We’ve been great friends since then.”

David and Roy had met 20 years prior because of their shared connection through the Bribie Island RSL Subbranch.

“I’d been over to the house when Roy still owned it,” said David. “He’d been assistant secretary at the time, and I was on the committee.”

He and Pamela were on their way to view a different property when they passed by.

“As we were driving past, I went ‘Roy’s house is for sale!” he said.

‘Well we called up the agent and next thing we knew – we’d bought it!”

Over the years, each made their way to Bongaree retirement village.

“We’re all even better friends now that we live here!” said Pamela.

“It’s less than six degrees of separation!” adds Margaret.

“I love it here, I really do. I think all of us are really happy here – Tuesday night happy hour is always good fun!”

“Cheers to that,” they chorus.