{"id":5400,"date":"2026-06-10T23:50:24","date_gmt":"2026-06-10T23:50:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.villages.com.au\/?p=5400"},"modified":"2026-06-10T23:57:31","modified_gmt":"2026-06-10T23:57:31","slug":"holiday-favourite-to-become-home-for-retired-doctor","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.villages.com.au\/health\/holiday-favourite-to-become-home-for-retired-doctor\/","title":{"rendered":"Holiday spot to become home for retired doctor"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t<div data-elementor-type=\"wp-post\" data-elementor-id=\"5400\" class=\"elementor elementor-5400\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-3d3afff elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"3d3afff\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-f489428\" data-id=\"f489428\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-f7c2b4d elementor-drop-cap-yes elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"f7c2b4d\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-settings=\"{&quot;drop_cap&quot;:&quot;yes&quot;}\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.15.0 - 20-08-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-stacked .elementor-drop-cap{background-color:#69727d;color:#fff}.elementor-widget-text-editor.elementor-drop-cap-view-framed .elementor-drop-cap{color:#69727d;border:3px solid;background-color:transparent}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap{margin-top:8px}.elementor-widget-text-editor:not(.elementor-drop-cap-view-default) .elementor-drop-cap-letter{width:1em;height:1em}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap{float:left;text-align:center;line-height:1;font-size:50px}.elementor-widget-text-editor .elementor-drop-cap-letter{display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t<p>B<strong>urnett Heads, a coastal town in the Bundaberg Region, has long been a favourite holiday spot for Dr Martin and Lindy D\u2019Arcy.<\/strong><\/p><p>It is a place where lifelong friendships have grown, caravans have gathered and good times have been treasured traditions.\u00a0<\/p><p>Soon, it will be their home.\u00a0<\/p><p>After years of holidaying in the charming coastal town, the couple knew they had found somewhere special. When they discovered the <a href=\"https:\/\/www.theweeklysource.com.au\/gemlife-breaks-ground-on-its-latest-323m-coastal-lifestyle-resort\/\">$323 million GemLife Lighthouse Bay<\/a>, close to the places and people they already loved, the decision felt like a natural next step.<\/p><p>\u201cThere\u2019s always a full tribe at the caravan park at Burnett Heads with our good friend Dr Neil,\u201d Dr Martin said.<\/p><p>\u201cHe and his wife Sharon have five children. Three members of their family have already moved to the Bundaberg region, including Neil\u2019s identical brother John, who is also a doctor.<\/p><p>\u201cDr John has been a long-standing GP in Childers, and his other son David is a GP in Bundaberg. Keeping it all in the tribe, son Luke is a firefighter who lives right next door to GemLife Lighthouse Bay!\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-19f64c7 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"19f64c7\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-80cd330\" data-id=\"80cd330\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-e0af2ad elementor-widget elementor-widget-image\" data-id=\"e0af2ad\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"image.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t<style>\/*! elementor - v3.15.0 - 20-08-2023 *\/\n.elementor-widget-image{text-align:center}.elementor-widget-image a{display:inline-block}.elementor-widget-image a img[src$=\".svg\"]{width:48px}.elementor-widget-image img{vertical-align:middle;display:inline-block}<\/style>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<img loading=\"lazy\" decoding=\"async\" width=\"768\" height=\"513\" src=\"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Picture2-768x513.jpg\" class=\"attachment-medium_large size-medium_large wp-image-5404\" alt=\"\" srcset=\"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Picture2-768x513.jpg 768w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Picture2-300x200.jpg 300w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Picture2-1024x683.jpg 1024w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Picture2-600x400.jpg 600w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Picture2-585x390.jpg 585w, https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/Picture2.jpg 1503w\" sizes=\"auto, (max-width: 768px) 100vw, 768px\" \/>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-a0fb3b4 elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"a0fb3b4\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-10eab70\" data-id=\"10eab70\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-d17371f elementor-widget elementor-widget-text-editor\" data-id=\"d17371f\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"text-editor.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<p>Currently living in Ningi near Bribie Island, Dr Martin and Lindy are preparing for a new chapter after remarkable careers in healthcare spanning more than 45 years. Dr Martin worked as an obstetrician and gynaecologist, while Lindy built a career as a midwife, supporting families through some of life\u2019s most important moments.<\/p><p>The couple met in the UK, where Lindy was a midwife on the special care baby unit in Wolverhampton and Martin had just arrived in England to further his medical training.<\/p><p>\u201cWe met over an incubator,\u201d Dr Martin joked.<\/p><p>One career highlight was working at the historic St Bartholomew\u2019s Hospital, affectionately known as Bart\u2019s, recognised as the oldest hospital in Britain.<\/p><p>With a move to sunny Queensland, Dr Martin started as public specialist at Redcliffe and Caboolture Hospital. It was here that he met colleague Dr Neil, forming a close bond of friendship. After a decade in teaching and assessing training registrars, both then transitioned to private practice in Brisbane.<\/p><p>\u201cHe and Sharon live in Redcliffe, but also have a holiday home at Burnett Heads,\u201d he said. \u201cI\u2019m sure I\u2019ll be able to persuade him to spend even more time up north, knowing about the resort facilities at GemLife Lighthouse Bay. \u201c<\/p><p>The couple first heard about GemLife through friends at Bribie Island.<\/p><p>\u201cLindy is a member at Woorim Golf Club, and a lot of the members there live at GemLife Bribie Island,\u201d Dr Martin said.<\/p><p>\u201cSo, we\u2019ve heard plenty about the quality of the homes and the lifestyle people enjoy.\u201d<\/p><p>For Dr Martin, maintaining an active and connected lifestyle remains incredibly important. He manages Parkinson\u2019s disease symptoms through physiotherapy and the PD Warrior exercise program and still enjoys regular games of table tennis through U3A in Beachmere.<\/p><p>\u201cI picked up the sport at university and played in regional competitions,\u201d he said. \u201cI don\u2019t move so well anymore but I still have the knack!\u201d<\/p><p>Looking ahead, Dr Martin and Lindy are excited about building new friendships and continuing the hobbies they love. A future table tennis group is firmly on Dr Martin\u2019s wish list, along with finding fellow book lovers to start a book club.<\/p><p>\u201cThe Moreton Bay mobile library visits once a month with books for our group,\u201d he said.<\/p><p>\u201cThen we get together the next month to return them and chat about what we thought. And if there isn\u2019t an interesting new release, we simply pick our own topic instead.\u201d<\/p><p>Travel also remains part of their plans.<\/p><p>\u201cWe still have our caravan,\u201d Dr Martin said. \u201cThere are definitely more holidays planned.\u201d<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p><p>\u00a0<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t<section class=\"elementor-section elementor-top-section elementor-element elementor-element-beda98d elementor-section-boxed elementor-section-height-default elementor-section-height-default\" data-id=\"beda98d\" data-element_type=\"section\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-container elementor-column-gap-default\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-column elementor-col-100 elementor-top-column elementor-element elementor-element-e30508a\" data-id=\"e30508a\" data-element_type=\"column\">\n\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-wrap elementor-element-populated\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-element elementor-element-834ebdf elementor-button-success elementor-align-center elementor-widget elementor-widget-button\" data-id=\"834ebdf\" data-element_type=\"widget\" data-widget_type=\"button.default\">\n\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-widget-container\">\n\t\t\t\t\t<div class=\"elementor-button-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t<a class=\"elementor-button elementor-button-link elementor-size-lg\" href=\"https:\/\/thedcmgroup.createsend1.com\/t\/y-e-fljady-l-v\/\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-content-wrapper\">\n\t\t\t\t\t\t<span class=\"elementor-button-text\">Return to Newsletter<\/span>\n\t\t<\/span>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/a>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t<\/section>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Burnett Heads, a coastal town in the Bundaberg Region, has long been a favourite holiday spot for Dr Martin and Lindy D\u2019Arcy. It is a place where lifelong friendships have grown, caravans have gathered and good times have been treasured traditions.\u00a0 Soon, it will be&#8230;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":1,"featured_media":5401,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"content-type":"","om_disable_all_campaigns":false,"_mi_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[72],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-5400","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-health"],"aioseo_notices":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5400","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/1"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=5400"}],"version-history":[{"count":5,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5400\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":5408,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/5400\/revisions\/5408"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/5401"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=5400"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=5400"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.villages.com.au/blog\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=5400"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}