A love for a cherry red mustang at Halcyon Glades

Barrie and Glenda Hill master the art of living at Stockland’s Halcyon Glades

Words by Barrie Hill, homeowner Halcyon Glades

It was 20 years ago that Glenda and I came across a 1966 Ford Mustang Coupe. When we first saw the car, it was just a shell ready for a full restoration.

The car was imported from the USA, and we decided to rebuild it from the ground up. The colour? LeMans Red. The Mustang replaced our MGB (it was red too).

It was exciting to see each stage of the restoration. Six months later, we brought the car home. It was love at first sight!

You see, there’s a deep love for classic cars in our family.  We like to joke that there is petrol in our blood.  Both of our sons have classic cars, and we are passing on the love of classic cars to our grandchildren.  Thinking back, my father and grandfather also loved cars.  If only we still had some of their cars, which would be classics today.

What I love best about classic cars is the nostalgia and appreciation for the craftsmanship, the unique style and the timeless experience that takes you back to the bygone era.  If you have a V8 like ours, it’s that unmistakable rumble.  Classic cars have a story to tell.  It’s quite a stark contrast to what we see these days!

Glenda and I always had a penchant for Fords, I guess because both of our fathers were Ford lovers too.  We’ve been to several car shows with the Mustang, but mostly love and enjoy going for scenic drives to our favourite places in South East Queensland.  Especially with our family and friends who also own classic cars.

When it came time to sell the family home last year, Glenda and I knew we wanted to be part of a community designed for over 50s.  We both love to socialise and wanted a lock-and-go lifestyle, but we had one problem.  We needed to make sure we had a garage big enough for the Mustang and our family car.

After inspecting numerous communities designed for over 50s from Brisbane to the Sunshine Coast, we found our home at Stockland’s Halcyon Glades at Caboolture. In July last year, we moved into our new home. With a big double garage, we have plenty of room for all the ‘toys’.

Road trips are a-plenty, and we won’t be stopping anytime soon.  Wind down the windows, feel the wind in your hair, and hit the road.  Being at Halcyon Glades means we are geographically right at the start of many great road trips.