On Friday the 22nd of May, our Yallambee community came together for a truly unforgettable Happy Hour celebration as we honoured Dorothy Castell on her incredible 100th birthday milestone.

The afternoon was filled with warmth, laughter, music, and heartfelt moments as residents, staff, family, and friends gathered to celebrate a century of Dorothy’s life, wisdom, and treasured memories. Reaching 100 years is an extraordinary achievement, and it was only fitting that the occasion was celebrated in a very special way.

One of the highlights of the afternoon was a delightful visit from the environmental team students of Stockdale Road Primary School. The children brought wonderful energy and joy into the room as they sang “Happy Birthday” to Dorothy, creating a touching moment that brought smiles to everyone in attendance. Their kindness and enthusiasm added a beautiful intergenerational connection to the celebration and made the day even more meaningful.

Dorothy was also deeply honoured to receive several special birthday letters recognising her remarkable milestone. Among them were heartfelt messages from Martin Cameron, Darren Chester, Samantha Mostyn, as well as a commemorative 100th birthday letter from King Charles III and Queen Camilla. These acknowledgements reflected not only the significance of Dorothy’s milestone but also the admiration and respect she has inspired throughout her lifetime.

Adding to the celebrations, Yallambee proudly presented Dorothy with a magnificent giant bouquet of flowers arranged in a beautiful porcelain vase — a gift as elegant and timeless as Dorothy herself. Our talented kitchen team also outdid themselves, creating a spectacular tiramisu cake in the shape of the number 100, which quickly became a centrepiece of the celebration.

Most importantly, Dorothy was absolutely delighted by the overwhelming love, kindness, and well wishes she received throughout the afternoon. It was a celebration filled with genuine affection and appreciation for a woman who has touched so many lives over the years.

At Yallambee, moments like these remind us of the importance of community, connection, and celebrating the remarkable stories of our residents. Dorothy’s 100th birthday was not only a celebration of longevity, but of a life well lived and the many memories shared along the way.

Happy 100th Birthday, Dorothy — may your special memories from this wonderful day continue to bring joy for years to come

On the 19 May the most prestigious festival in the world, the Cannes film festival, was not to be outdone by Yallambee's 1st inaugural Red-Carpet Awards. Residents experienced a Hollywood style afternoon featuring a red carpet, a designated media wall with the paparrazzi taking professional photographs, Residents and lifestyle dressed the part for the art deco theme, all dolled up in their tails, suits, dresses and fascinators. The atrium was resplendent and packed with residents, family members, and staff eager to see if their nominee's won. In the lead up to the event, staff were asked to nominate residents in 13 different categories. We were overwhelmed with the response. So many residents were nominated that we could only display the nominees with the most votes. There were also 2 special categories being the participation award for the resident who attends the most lifestyle activities and the Lifetime achievement award for the oldest resident. We started the award ceremony with a curated playlist, the nominees were exhibited and then the winner was announced to the adulation of many adoring friends and family. Winners were greeted by paparazzi and their flashing cameras as they walked down the red carpet to accept their award.

Thank you to the catering team for the tasty food, all our dedicated staff for their enthusiastic nominations, Fiona for her amazing slideshow and everything else you did and being our resident paparazzi, and all the families and friends for attending and supporting this fabulous event. Thank you for all the compliments and feedback. Lastly thank you to the lifestyle team for pulling off such an amazing, heartfelt, inclusive event that we look forward to doing again next year.