Along the waterfront in Queenscliff on Victoria's Bellarine Peninsula, is a restaurant where customers are more likely to be served by someone over 60, than someone in their 20s.
All because one day, owner Barry Iddles had an innovative idea.
Like thousands of other restaurant owners in Australia, Mr Iddles was struggling to fill shifts.
Out of desperation he sent hundreds of postcards specifically asking retirees to come and work for him.
They didn't need a resume or experience in hospitality. They just had to turn up for a chat to see if the work was something they would enjoy.
Now, he has 12 people on the books aged over 50.
"We've got two 74-year-olds, a 70-year-old, and then we've got [people aged] 57, 60, 64, 66 and 67," Mr Iddles said.
"There is a labour shortage and a labour crisis, [but] I don't have one. I have five too many staff at the moment. And I could actually open another venue to keep them all gainfully employed."
One of the new recruits is Kenton Savage, a 67-year-old who always thought he would retire comfortably with his wife after selling his distribution business.
But then the pandemic hit and the business went bankrupt.
Without any superannuation and with the cost of living continuing to bite, Mr Savage and his wife had no choice but to find a job.
"The pension just didn't pay enough. So I looked around for a job and Barry was hiring," he said.
The benefits have been more than a boost to his back pocket.
"I think it just keeps me fit and healthy and happy. Being able to get out and about, it's really been good for me," he said.
Ageism 'alive and well' in workplaces
The Council for Older Australians (COTA) chief executive Ian Yates said experiencing discrimination often kept mature aged workers from applying for jobs.
Mr Yates said Mr Iddles's technique of specifically asking older workers to apply, was what was needed to show older Australians they were wanted and needed.
"Many older people will have experienced a lot of knock backs and not being taken seriously as prospective employees," he said.
"The labour market is so tight, that employers are being forced to look at channels and groups that they wouldn't normally look at, including older Australians."
Alysia Blackham is a researcher at Melbourne Law School and agreed more employers needed to target their job ads to older workers.
"We do see that people who experience age discrimination and other forms of discrimination a lot, are less inclined to put themselves forward," she said.
"Businesses that are creative and open in their recruitment are going to see significant benefits from having a more diverse workforce."
COTA's latest Mature Workforce Survey of about 830 people aged over 45, found ageist attitudes and behaviours were "entrenched in many Australian workplaces".
Eighty-eight per cent of respondents said ageism was "alive and well in Australian workplaces" and a significant number of respondents said they had both a personal experience of, and had witnessed, workplace ageism.
One respondent said they felt "powerless" to change how others at work viewed their age, and that "well-intentioned jokes" about their age left them feeling "depressed" and "worthless … as if I had outstayed my welcome".
Pension limits work for some
Mr Yates said while employers were increasingly looking to hire mature aged workers, the limits on earning income before it affected the pension held older workers back.
Earlier this year the federal government raised that limit, allowing those on the aged pension to earn an extra $4,000 a year before their government payments were reduced.
Mr Savage works about four shifts a week and is no longer eligible for the pension.
Under the current limits, workers can only work about one shift a week on the minimum wage.
"And that's not enough. I mean, that [policy] was all window dressing in my opinion. The pension just gets wiped out by the extra income," Mr Yates said.
"I think the government is putting its toe in the water to see what kind of reaction that generates."
Respondents to the COTA survey frequently said the pension was not enough to live on.
One person said they would be able to last longer on their part pension and super if they were able to work a few shifts a fortnight.
"If this was to happen, I doubt I would ever have to apply for a full age pension," they said.
Not just about the pay cheque
While there are obvious financial benefits to working more into older age, Mr Yates said the social aspects should not be overlooked.
"Cost of living certainly bites for older Australians … but for many people there are other motivations as well; keeping connected, having activities that you want to be engaged in, making a contribution," he said.
Susan Burston, 73, also applied for a job at Mr Iddles's restaurant after receiving a postcard in her letter box and thought the work would boost her confidence.
"COVID made a lot of people depressed. And I know amongst the older ones, we're all saying we're actually finding it quite difficult to get out and about again," she said.
"[Working] makes me feel better. And I love putting in, I love contributing."
Ms Burston said employers were often surprised at how loyal older workers were.
"How well we work and what a good ethic we have. We're reliable. We're not trying to get out of the work," she said.
Mr Iddles said he had received more applications than he could handle.
"I have another four champing at the bit to join our team," he said.
He encouraged other employers to see through ageist stereotypes and give mature workers a go.
"Three of them had been out of the workforce for a long, long time. [They came] back one or two days a week, and they transition very quickly," he said.
