Wongaburra Society, run by a dedicated board of community volunteers, has been serving the Beaudesert community for generations. Through a $45 million refurbishment and expansion, they will continue to serve locals for generations to come.
Wongaburra Society is offering the best in Residential Aged Care and Home Care Services through a major refurbishment and expansion focused on quality of life and caring for the community.
They recently completed stage one of the multi-million-dollar project being delivered with the support of $22.64 million in Commonwealth grant money secured by the Wongaburra Society under the Aged Care Capital Assistance Program.
Stage two of the project is expected to be finished to the current funding level by June 2027 and Wongaburra has its sights set on securing further funding to continue the expansion.
Quality of life
Wongaburra’s CEO Atul Kumar Singh said cultivating a feeling of home was central to the project, which takes Wongaburra to a 132-bed capacity across two buildings, replacing a 61-bed building from the 70s with a 68-bed building to create a more modern environment for our community to enjoy.
The average room size is now 24.6m2 including an en suite and each room has a modern nurse call system, its own telephone, WIFI internet connection and access to entertainment.
“Most rooms in the old 61-bed facility had shared bathrooms and were small – they were no longer fit for purpose – so to meet the needs of new aged care clients, we demolished it and built single, bigger rooms with their own en suites and better access,” Mr Singh said.
“We’ve built in a way that endeavours to make it feel like a home rather than an institution. There are open lounges, people have access to outdoor green spaces.
“Most people are looking at their twilight years – the average age of our new residents is 85 years old – so it’s about quality of life, access to the outdoors, access to areas where the family can come and meet so it feels like their own home.”
Locals for locals
What sets Wongaburra apart is its dedicated volunteer community board comprised of Clint Spence, Noela Lee, Fred McDonald, John Clark, Mark Hodgson, Tim Kelly, Meredith Dunn, Marion Sawyers, Jane Gosche, Blair Atthow.
“We’ve focused on the skill sets of the local community – what they can bring to the board as people in business, accounting, with clinical experience and anything we think may be needed in running the complex,” said Mr Spence.
Mr Spence said Wongaburra, which started welcoming residents in 1970 as the first aged care facility in Beaudesert, existed thanks to the foresight of community-minded locals.
“They saw there was going to be a need for an aged care facility in our town into the future.
We acknowledge their vision, because to even put the idea in place was extraordinary. We as a current board have taken the baton and we’re running with it into the 21st century.”
Future awaits
The expansion of Wongaburra is showing no signs of slowing down, as they seek opportunities to fund further upgrades including a new home care office, Bob Berg Room, cafe and staff amenities.
“We want to make sure people know this is not just a small project – we are a very modern facility meeting all the standards and run by the community,” said Mr Singh.
“We have served the community for generations and plan to do so for generations to come.”
To enquire about Wongaburra or organise a tour of the facility phone 5540 1400 or email admissions@wongaburra.com.au
