Full circle: Alan and Jean Mason at Abervale.
By John Van Klaveren
ABERVALE resident Alan Mason has come full circle in his 30 years at the retirement village.
He started as a handyman, graduated to manager and now happily calls the place home.
For 30 years 79-year-old Mr Mason witnessed Abervale transform from eight hectares of a Grovedale paddock to a thriving community of more than 300 residents.
“When the development at Abervale started some 30 years ago they needed a handyman,” he said.
“Being a local guy and having only just recently retired from farming, I was in a position to offer a spare hand when needed.”
In a few years Alan’s responsibilities at the village began to change as Abervale expanded from a community of just 10 units to more than 100.
“I was no longer needed for just the odd job,” he laughed.
“During the late 1980s my wife Jean and I moved to the village so I could take on the permanent role of village maintenance manager and she could take up a position with the village care staff.
“In the early 1990s the village manager had to resign due to poor health, so I was asked to take on the role. I stayed on as manager for around three years.
“It was a privilege to lead the village. It also introduced me to many more interesting people in the community who had helped create the Abervale we have come to know and love.”
Alan officially retired from duties in 2000 but kept active, even penning a book about Abervale.
“I feel truly blessed to have been a part of Abervale’s rich history and found it only fitting to document the story.
“Initially we only printed 200 books. However, I still get requests for it from time to time, so I guess I might have to commission a reprint.”
Now that the Masons have retired they are enjoying the next chapter in life at Abervale, spending more time with friends and family.
“Looking back to those first few years when work began on that paddock, who would have thought we’d still be here 30 years later,” Alan said.
