Former State of Origin referee Eddie Ward has gone from defusing fisticuffs in front of tens of thousands of fans to running a tranquil wedding venue in a small town.

Ward's time as a referee took him around the country and overseas. He controlled more than 650 matches across almost three decades.

Notoriously private, Ward has spent 35 years quietly converting a former citrus orchard into eco-friendly Sunshine Coast retreat Stonebridge Gardens.

"I purchased the land back in 1987, before the Brisbane Broncos had even entered the national comp, and it's been four decades to get it to what it is now," Ward said.

"It probably helped me more than I realised at the time."

Decorated career

Ward was a sheet metal worker when he was touch judge for the inaugural State of Origin in 1980 and then central referee for five further Origins.

He previously set a record as the youngest-ever Test referee in 1978, controlling Australia versus New Zealand at the age of 27.

Ward's on-field career spanned 24 seasons at first grade level, including the 1995 grand final between Canterbury-Bankstown and Manly.

He then became boss of the Queensland Rugby League's refereeing academy and high performance unit until 2019.

Despite the glowing credentials, Ward has regularly shunned attention, has no social media accounts, and was uncomfortable talking about himself.

"Where I am now, it's not about me," he said.

Stepping out from the shadows

Ward purposely kept his name away from early publicity relating to his new venture.

Many of the public-facing responsibilities in the venue's first two years fell to co-director Bec Trimble, a long-time confidant.

"Eddie's experienced big moments in life, and even though we don't talk about them, now he gets to give other people special experiences," Trimble said.

Ward's attention to fine details has carried over to the sanctuary he has helped create, where each plant on the 12-hectare site has been hand-selected.

Lessons learned from sport

University of the Sunshine Coast sport psychology researcher James Clark said people could lose their sense of identity when transitioning from professional sport to a different career.

"Performing at an elite level requires a significant time investment over a long time," Dr Clark said.

Although the brutality of State of Origin and the amorous nature of weddings weren't typically compatible, Dr Clark said attributes acquired from professional sport could be transferred successfully to other pursuits.

"There's a lot of lessons that you learn from sport that do help in future careers, like if you're training full time you've got to be organised, you've got to be disciplined, and I think those skills translate well into a lot of careers," he said.

Births, deaths and marriages

Ward has for the past two months mourned long-time work and refereeing colleague John Topp, who died aged 59.

The close friends were often referred to as a duo, guiding Queensland's next crop of referees such as Belinda Sharpe, Chris Butler and Liam Kennedy through to NRL level.

Ward and Trimble delivered a eulogy at Topp's funeral.

"It has been difficult, but life goes on I suppose," Ward said.

"You don't forget and we have so many amazing memories. 

"Everyone is a bit different with how they deal with death."

New chapter

Sharpe, the first female to be lead referee in an NRL game, said those in the refereeing community were overjoyed to see Ward's vision become reality.

"What they've achieved since opening is amazing, but not surprising to anybody who knows Eddie's work ethic, dedication and passion," she said.

"To see where that piece of land started, to now, it's been a long journey, but definitely worth it.

Ward said "one or two" guests had recognised him as he hosted them in his new role.

"I still have opinions on how the sport is officiated, and maintain an involvement reviewing games, but it's nowhere near the level I was involved," he said.

"I still watch Origin and enjoy it from the comfort of my own lounge."