Everybody Needs Good Neighbours

Judy and Adrian Cooper are the neighbours everyone wants — caring, welcoming and willing to go the extra mile to bring people together.

This friendly couple are at the heart of many a community get together at Mayflower Macleod, including coffee mornings and special bus outings.

Judy was born and bred in Shepparton, in the heart of Australia’s food bowl. She left school at 14 with her heart set on a career in administration and was delighted to land a job in the office of a farm machinery dealership.

Adrian spent his childhood in Melbourne before moving to Shepparton to start a panel beating apprenticeship. His new employer was located just a few doors away from Judy’s. While Adrian and Judy had seen each other around the traps, they had never been formally introduced. Adrian decided to take things into his own hands. One rainy day, Judy was standing outside waiting for some clear sky so she could ride her bike home for lunch. Adrian pulled up in his convertible MG and offered her a lift. Judy was impressed by the car, and his chivalry, and the sparks started flying.

Lunch dates became movie dates, and 61 years later, Judy and Adrian are still very much in love. They were married in Benalla then moved to Albury where Adrian started his own panel beating business. They had two children — a son and a daughter — who they eventually followed to Melbourne.

Prior to retiring in 2002, Judy and Adrian were talking about moving to a retirement village when a light bulb moment struck. They bought a caravan to spend a few months travelling, thinking that they would tire of the lifestyle soon enough. But they never did.

They travelled up and down the east coast, enjoying the warmth of Queensland winters, and were awestruck by the beauty of the Kimberley when they did their big trek around Australia.

Fourteen years later they made the big decision that it was time to settle in one place. It was hard giving it all up, but the time was right. Adrian and Judy celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in 2018, the year after they moved to Mayflower Macleod. They now have two much-loved grandchildren, and a cute little ‘grandpuppy’ named Chai that is a regular boarder when their daughter travels.

The village life of Macleod is perfect for Adrian and Judy, who love the great sense of community and have made many new friends. They enjoy bringing people together, with Adrian being part of a fortnightly coffee catch-up for the men of Macleod and Judy helping to organise bus trips, BBQ’s and a recent village garage sale with the other residents.

These kind and caring residents are always willing to assist neighbors who may need a little extra help around the village, and love making new members of the community feel welcome. Of course they are not alone, with many village residents going the extra mile to build community connections, because good neighbours make good friends.