Rutherglen's $57M aged care facility on track for 2025

“The new and modern facility in Rutherglen will meet a range of complex health care needs – so locals won’t have to move away to access care, staying connected to family and the community,” she told the Free Press.

Minister for Ageing Ingrid Stitt added: “Once complete, this state-of-the-art facility will support the independence, privacy and dignity of residents, while providing a modern and supportive work environment for dedicated staff.”

Ms Symes was thrilled to see the progress of the 50-bed facility which will provide a safe and comfortable place for residents to call home.

The first half of construction has seen the completion of the ground floor foundations, structural steel and wall frames, with the roof and internal works well underway.

Located at 33-45 Main Street, the new facility will replace the 40-bed Glenview Community Nursing Care Home in High Street and deliver an additional 10 beds. The nursing care home was identified by previous boards of management, for a number of years, as to no longer meeting industry requirements.

Each resident at the facility will be accommodated in a private single room with ensuite bathroom in an environment that promotes dignity and independence.

“It’s a brand new greenfield site and what’s important is that it’s really modern fit-for-purpose with modern expectations for an ageing community,” Ms Symes said.

“There are great outdoor areas. Having 50 modern rooms will be so much better. The old facility has served a good purpose but is no longer meeting today’s standards.”

Residents will share a community room and common areas designed to encourage social interactions and activities between residents, families and the community.

The new facility will provide an environment that is dementia friendly and better suited to supporting mental health and the complex care needs of older Victorians.

“This means residents can ‘age in place’, which is especially important in regional areas like Rutherglen – ensuring residents can be closer to home and their established support networks to maintain family and community connections as their care needs increase,” the Member for Northen Victoria Region said.

Delivered by the Victorian Health Building Authority in partnership with Indigo North Health and Zauner Construction Albury, the project has involved approximately 170 industry jobs during construction.

Site Manager from Zauner Construction Ian Bryant is very pleased with the big project’s progress. “We’re on track to complete construction in mid- 2025. “There haven’t been delays with construction materials or getting trades. Ninety-nine per cent of workers have been from the local area – we always source them first.”

The new state-of-the-art facility will have “a cottage-house look rather than a hospital look” according to Victorian Health Building Authority’s Senior Project Manager Simone Gear.

“Residents can be in a facility lending itself to high-quality care, close to home and their loved ones,” she said of the ClarkeHopkinsClarke- designed facility.

“It is being built very much in mind with features which appeal to aged care residents.”

Cinema, hair salon, courtyards, landscaped areas and a barbecue area are among other features which include heating and cooling throughout the whole building. On site car parking will be from Main Street and Hunter Street.

“From an Indigo Shire perspective, it’s the largest project in the history of Indigo Shire,” North East Health Rutherglen Chief Executive Officer Shane Kirk commented about the $57,118,000 facility.

“Not only it is the latest state-of-art aged care facility but it’s providing significant employment during construction and upon completion, employment opportunities for a range of people.

“To be able to enable all of our community to access residential public sector aged care and community health services in a state-of-the-art building is absolutely fantastic.”

Mr Kirk welcomed the visit by the Member for Northern Victoria. “It was good to see her, particularly as the minister was involved in getting the funding for the project and being here to announce the go-ahead of the aged care facility,” he said.

Indigo North Health Board President Jo Slattery said it was “exciting to see the half way stage of construction and many households underway”. “It’s really good to see the whole project taking shape,” she added.

“Our current facility started out in 1930 and we are still working in parts of that building,” Mr Kirk said. “A decision on its future will be made in due course.

“Indigo North Health is pleased to be working with Victorian Health Building Authority and Zauner Construction.”

The design of the building will also allow for a further future expansion allowing the facility to eventually accommodate 60-beds.

Advertising of positions is expected to begin around December according to the CEO who has received plenty of positive feedback in welcoming the new aged care facility.

“The Rutherglen community is excited about the big which is triangularly-like bordered by Main Street, Nott Street and Hunter Street,” Mr Kirk said.

“It’s certainly created a topic of conversation around town.” And the Member for Northern Victoria Region was certainly happy and proud to see the aged care under construction for the first time.

“It was certainly worth the trip to see it!” she told The Free Press following her tour of the new facility.