- Frank Noble, 86, retired from his demanding job in forestry in Australia when he was in his 50s.
- He said having hobbies, taking on part-time work, and traveling have helped him feel fulfilled.
- He also attributes his successful early retirement to having financial stability and no mortgage.
This as-told-to essay is based on a conversation with Frank Noble, an 86-year-old retiree and avid gardener from Porepunkah, Australia. It has been edited for length and clarity.
At 86, I’ve now been retired for roughly the same amount of time as I have worked. Looking back, I wouldn’t change a thing, and I still would’ve chosen to retire early.
After high school, I decided to pursue a career in forestry. I went on to work for the Forest Commission and was in charge of assessing pine plantations in many parts of Victoria, Australia.
At the pinnacle of my career, I managed a team of up to 250 people, including four assistant regional managers who were exceptionally good at what they did.
I didn’t find my job stressful, but it was complex. I loved interacting with staff, but I always thought I’d retire early because the job was extremely demanding.
Eventually, the Premier (what we call the heads of the state governments in Australia) offered incentives for senior staff to retire.
The year I turned 55 in 1993, I accepted one of its packages.
Hobbies, part-time work, and travel helped me adjust to a slower pace of living
At first, I felt a bit depressed after retiring due to the changed pace of life. Suddenly, I went from having a very busy work schedule each day and a lot of responsibility to a slower, quieter life with little stress.
So, during my first year of retirement, I spent a lot of time taking care of the 5-acre block of land I owned in Tyers, a rural town in central Gippsland.
I enjoyed the responsibility. That, plus feeling uncomfortable not having a job, led me to start a garden maintenance and lawn-mowing business.
Working part-time during retirement helped with my mental health, and I did so for about two years.
At the same time, my wife and I spent much of the winter going on road trips and camping in the Outback. We saw most parts of Australia and took several overseas trips to North America, Europe, and Southeast Asia.
Later, I sold my land in Tyers and relocated with my wife to be near her family in Porepunkah, a town in northeast Victoria. We were able to buy our new home in cash, so we wouldn’t have a mortgage.
Once there, I started my own vegetable garden, which gave me a great sense of purpose. I began going to the gym a few times a week and leaned into hobbies like golf, where I challenged myself to get my handicap down.
My financial situation made retirement comfortable — but having interests has made it pleasant
One of the big reasons I was able to retire so early and successfully was through having adequate financial resources.
I was fortunate to have some private investments on top of my superannuation (pension) when I retired. Plus, we own our land.
Retiring with a mortgage could’ve made life terribly difficult. It also would’ve given us less freedom to travel and take on hobbies or choose whether to continue working.
There’s no doubt that having adequate financial resources is important. However, so is having interests and hobbies to pursue.
At 86, I still walk 18 holes, chop all my own wood for the winter, and go to the gym three times a week. For me, gardening, golf and travel have been (and are still) an important part of my sense of fulfillment in retirement.
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