As aged care access continues to get worse, Corangamite Council moves to unlock 16 new dementia care beds in Camperdown

Sixteen new dementia care beds are a step closer for Camperdown, with Corangamite Shire Council voting unanimously to negotiate a lease over part of Jaycee Park to allow Sunnyside House to expand its aged care facility.

What happened: At last Tuesday’s council meeting, councillors authorised chief executive David Rae, or a delegate, to negotiate the terms of a potential long-term lease for a portion of the 1.32-hectare reserve on Manifold Street. Any final lease agreement will return to councillors for approval.

• Sunnyside House, which has operated in Camperdown since 2001, plans to add 16 dementia care beds and a dedicated wellness centre to meet growing demand. 

• The proposal also requires additional car parking and upgraded fire services infrastructure, with part of Jaycee Park identified as the preferred location.

Why it matters: The decision comes as access to aged care remains a growing challenge nationally, particularly in regional areas.

• A 2024-25 federal government report found 58.9 percent of aged care residents waited up to nine months before being allocated a place. 

• Between November and March this year, Australia’s average wait time between applying for aged care services and receiving care was 294 days, while Victoria recorded the nation's shortest median wait time at 273 days.

Local shortages: In neighbouring town Terang, the 2023 closure of the town’s main aged care facility, May Noonan, left a sizable shortage of available aged care beds between Warrnambool and Colac. 

• The loss of May Noonan’s 40 beds means the town now has 15 aged care places, forcing older residents to move away from their families and support networks.

• A local Terang aged care nurse who had been in the industry for 10 years previously told the Brolga the remaining facilities had turned to agency nurses and foreign nurses to address staff shortages.

A need for the shire: Councillor Geraldine Conheady said demand for aged care services in Corangamite was growing.

🗣️ “The 16 dementia care beds and a dedicated wellness centre are solidly needed, not just in Camperdown but across the whole shire,” she told the meeting.

• Councillor Conheady acknowledged residents had raised concerns during community consultation but believed many could be addressed through the project's design.

• Councillor Ruth Gstrein acknowledged the proposal would reduce green space but said Corangamite Shire was “somewhat blessed with the amount of green space we do have”.

Locals weigh in: Consultation held between April 15 and May 7 attracted 21 submissions and a community drop-in session. 

• Residents raised concerns about the loss of parkland, impacts on native flora and fauna and the proximity of a proposed car park to the playground. Others said the park was underused and supported additional dementia care services.

Now what? Council said community feedback would be considered during the design phase, with measures such as minimising vegetation loss, installing safety fencing and reducing the development footprint among the options to address community concerns.