A fresh new chapter for Lady Allum

Refurbished Inverlochy apartments coming to Milford in early 2027

Tucked away just off the main road in Milford, Lady Allum by Oceania has always had the feel of a well-kept secret.

Many residents have lived most of their lives on the Shore, so moving in feels a bit like coming home. Milford Beach is a short stroll away, and some have childhood memories of riding horses, or kicking a football, on the land now home to North Shore Hospital or the nearby Smales Farm commercial hub.

That sense of familiarity is, according to Village Manager Caroline Harrow, what makes the changes taking shape so exciting: bringing a fresh, connected heart to a place that already feels like common ground. ”Lady Allum is small enough that no one is a stranger, yet there’s enough space and scope to do whatever brings you joy,” she says.

Top location and generous green spaces

Originally founded in the 1960s, Lady Allum’s newly refurbished apartments in the Inverlochy Building offer modern apartment living within extensive heritage grounds, a rare find in such a central location. ‘We’re so lucky to have all this beautiful green space,’ says Caroline.

There are 16 refurbished apartments taking shape on Level 1 of the Inverlochy building, with one-bedroom priced from $590,000 and two-bedroom priced from $690,000, a competitive offering for a premium Auckland location.

Lady Allum offers a range of living and care options, from independent living through to rest home, hospital and dementia care, providing real peace of mind, especially to couples with different health needs. “Even if one partner moves into care, the other can still be close by, enjoying a more active lifestyle,” says Caroline.

Learn more about aged care at Lady Allum

Alongside the refurbished apartments, a range of brand-new communal spaces are being created, giving residents more places to stay active, get creative and spend time together.

Sunny light-filled lounges open directly onto the beautifully landscaped gardens, for that effortless indoor-outdoor flow. There’s a dedicated gym and exercise studio, craft room, a library, and a games room complete with a pool table, and card tables for those competitive rounds of Rummikub or Mahjong.

With a nurse practitioner onsite in the Medical Centre, and regular visits from the physio and the podiatrist, residents’ everyday health needs are easily taken care of too.

Coming full circle at Lady Allum

When Rod and Judi Barber sold their big family home Lady Allum just made sense: a prime location with family nearby, reasonably priced apartments and one very special family connection. “My elderly father lived here in the 1980s and was very well looked after at a difficult time in his life,” says Rod. “Although it was a completely different complex back then!”

The couple moved to Lady Allum in late 2025 and say the shift to village living has been relatively easy. “We lived in a similar-sized apartment in Canada in the 1960s, so it feels like coming full circle,” says Rod.

They've maintained their independent lifestyle: walking often, making good use of the local library, and taking care of their own cleaning - “I vacuum and she’s the wiper downer” - though it's reassuring to know extra help is on hand should they need it.

Rod and Judi didn’t know any other residents before they moved in, but say they’ve been welcomed by a “lovely group of people. There’s always someone to chat to, or to help you out. And we all enjoy a drink in the dining area on a Thursday evening.”

Rod's looking forward to continuing his fitness regime in the new downstairs gym, kitted out with a new rowing machine, at the request of those long-time Shore locals.

Discover independent apartment living at Lady Allum

Movement that makes residents “feel like a million dollars”

Rod’s not the only one excited about the new exercise facilities. Fitness instructor Yulia Koudinova can’t wait to lead her optimal movement classes in the beautiful new exercise studio, with mirrored walls and a barre for that dance studio feel, and a big screen for on-demand workouts. “It’s going to be so good!” she says.

Yulia’s weekly classes blend strength, balance, mobility, flexibility and co-ordination all in the aim of fall prevention. Nothing beats the feedback she gets from class regulars, who tell her it’s easier to get up and down, they are experiencing less pain, and in one case, “nearly lost her footing but remembered something from class just in time.”

Between sessions, residents can keep building strength whenever it suits, thanks to Yulia’s pre-recorded, on-demand classes. “They can choose the activities they want to work on, press play on the big screen in the exercise studio and follow along.”

For Yulia, the friendships made in her live classes are just as important as the physical gains. “Connection is a huge part of class,” she says. “We always have a laugh. My goal is for people to leave feeling better than when they walked in.”

That might already be a mission accomplished: “Residents often tell me Yulia’s classes make them feel like a million dollars,” smiles Caroline.

Learn more about life at Lady Allum

Outdoor spaces designed for fun and connection

Out on the grounds, residents are already enjoying the outdoor gazebo, and the newly opened golf croquet lawn, where resident Jane Praine has been teaching others to play the sport she loves. So, does it get competitive?

“With golf croquet you’ve got to be quite strategic, thinking about what ball is coming next,” she says. “Then you can beat all your rivals out of the way!”

Jane has lived at Lady Allum for the last 8 years and says that no matter what your interest, there is always “plenty to do.” Alongside her favourite Born Again Bodies exercise classes, she is a regular on the Lady Allum mystery trips, a monthly outing to an unknown destination that could be a museum, an exhibition or an historic homestead.

“The location here is brilliant. I can walk to the beach, Farro, the hospital or the shops, and the buses all go past here too. I have no complaints.”

Caroline says having the freedom to do more of what you love, with home and garden maintenance taken care of, is at the heart of retirement living at Oceania. With so much space to enjoy, Caroline likes to keep things spontaneous, with a pop-up football goal for the FIFA World Cup, and the occasional appearance of a cornhole board (or bean bag toss) for fun with the grandkids.

Other seasonal surprises are in the works, and creating opportunities for friends and family to connect is a top priority.

“Recently I snapped a photo of one of our residents, mid-petanque throw, with his son on one side, and his granddaughter on the other. It was such a beautiful moment to see the whole family laughing and having fun together at Lady Allum.”

With 16 refurbished Inverlochy apartments arriving in early 2027, it’s a fresh new chapter for a village that already has a strong sense of community.

One-bedroom apartments from $590,000 and two-bedroom apartments from $690,000. Talk to the Lady Allum team to find out more.

Ready to discover life at Lady Allum?

Inquire now to book a tour, speak with one of the friendly team, or learn more about the village.

* Article sponsored by Oceania Healthcare. Interviews and written content by the Village Guide team.