Central Otago

Why choose a retirement village in Central Otago?

While the 1860s lured many hopeful gold miners to the region, Central Otago is just as attractive these days if you’re looking for a diverse region to spend your retirement years.

For those seeking outdoor adventure, Queenstown and Wānaka offer just that. From Queenstown’s four world-class ski fields to the numerous mountain bike trails of Sticky Forest in Wānaka, this region is definitely for those who don’t want retirement to slow them down!

Heading inland to Central Otago, you’ll find lifestyle villages, some with care options as well, in Arrowtown, Wanaka and Cromwell. You can enjoy closeness to nature and a bit of history too with walks through early goldmining areas or cycles along the Central Otago rail trail.

Whether golf, skiing, cycling or tramping is your passion, this is the place for it. Or enjoy the beautiful scenery from indoors, curled up by a crackling fire with a good book!

No matter your choice, this region offers a variety of options – from the long established to brand new, modern facilities – where you can experience the community spirit and ‘lock and leave’ lifestyle of village life.

A retirement village is a community specially built to cater for the needs and lifestyle of older people. Choosing to live in a retirement village can be a great option for those wanting to maintain their independence while living among a like-minded community of people.

Research shows most people enjoy a high level of satisfaction when living in a lifestyle or retirement village. For residents, the benefits can be numerous; these may include giving you peace of mind, new and varied activities and interests, new friendships, and time to be able to spend on the things you most enjoy.

Villages vary greatly – you’ll notice different-sized villages, from very few units to some with hundreds; different types of units within the same complex; newer villages and older villages. You will discover the community offering a wide range such as swimming pool, bowling green and café. Eligibility age differs across villages too – some villages may allow residents to enter at 55 while others commonly have an entry age between 65 and 75.

As well as providing a range of different accommodation options, many villages now offer alternatives, such as care suites, which combine village offerings and residential care components. Make sure you visit a village more than once before you make a decision, and if possible visit more than one village to get a feel for how each has its own culture.

When you are ready to visit some retirement villages, our checklist may help you with your assessment.