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George Pimlott has discovered many treasures in his life. There was Margaret back in the 1950s, the many antiques he found and restored in his business and then there was Currie Park three years ago. Each of his ‘finds’, though very different have led to great times in his life. George, 89, and Margaret, 84, moved into one of Currie Park’s independent cottages at just the right time. They needed to downsize, slow down and look after each other. And that’s all going according to plan.

While the Pimlotts cannot pursue their love of travel as much as they did in their earlier years, they still love to get out in the car for a drive or on the train for longer journeys. One of their great pass times as they pass through towns is to visit local opportunity and junk shops, browsing for quirky or valuable antiques. It’s an occupational hazard that is hard to shake after decades as antique restorers and dealers with several successful businesses around Victoria.

Their final antique business, before retiring to Euroa, was Musty and Dusty in Mornington. George was Dusty! Margaret, the treasure he found in the 1950s, was the Musty half of the business.

George met Margaret a few days before he was due to return to London where he had been born. His beloved mother had died, and he had no reason left to stay in Australia so he decided to return to his homeland. His bags were packed and he had his ticket, but a new girl began working in the office of Australian National Airways where he worked and within a short time George had cancelled the ticket.

“It was the best thing I ever did in my life,” George said. “Marg has kept me on the straight and narrow all these years.”

The young couple had little money when they first married and began picking up bits of old furniture and restoring them for their home. Before long their own house was full of lovely pieces and they had a sale.

“Someone suggested we should open a shop, so we did. It was Ashton’s Antiques in Hawthorn and it was very successful.”

The couple had four children, Phillip, Graham, Karen and Brian, and after spending many holidays at Lake Eildon, they decided on a tree change and moved to Alexandra, opening up an antique shop in the small Victorian town. The couple worked hard restoring furniture, mostly Victorian, Edwardian and art deco pieces. George found that his early training in precision tool making and his wartime service in the Royal Australian Air Force was invaluable.

After a few years the family moved to Mornington where Musty and Dusty was established. And from there it was to Euroa, a town they had come to know on their travels. It was also where one of their son’s Brian had a farm. Sadly, their eldest son, Phillip, was one of the 35 people killed in the Kempsey bus crash on December 22 1989.

Their unit isn’t the right place for many of the larger antiques they restored, so they downsized. These days it is smaller antiques that catch their eye, including a recent find in an opportunity shop – a Vaseline glass compote valued at $600 which they picked up for $12.

“We have learnt a huge amount about antiques over the years, but you never stop learning,” Margaret said.

The couple now lives happily in the Currie Park village they describe as a ‘small family’. They participate in as many activities as they can, such as weekly mahjong and movie afternoons. Marg, a keen sewer, loves the craft days planned throughout the year. They were keen bowlers and bridge players in Euroa, but both have had major health problems in the past few years and can no longer bowl.

Margaret loves the convenience of everything to Currie Park. Last year George spent some time in the local hospital, which is very close to Curry Park, making it easy for her to visit him.

“It’s lovely here and the pace here really suits us. We can go slowly or we can have days out,” they said. A valuable find indeed!