September 26, 2013
Murgon’s new, ultra-modern $14 million aged care facility was officially opened on Wednesday by Catholic Bishop Brian Finnigan before a packed room of invited guests.
The new-look Castra is located beside the old building in Cooper Street, with large verandahs that overlook local farmland.
Residents were recently shifted from the old facility into their spacious new home which has been built by Southern Cross Care (Qld).
Southern Cross Care is a project of the Catholic men’s organisation, the Knights of the Southern Cross. It took over running Castra from the former Murgon Shire Council about the time of council amalgamations.
The old hostel and retirement home had 32 beds; the new facility has 60 and is currently welcoming about three new residents every week.
It has its own multi-denominational chapel, coffee shop and health and beauty treatment room.
All residents have their own single rooms but some double rooms for couples are also available. All rooms have their own en suites.
Respite care is also available and there are some independent living units on site which are available to rent.
The Department of Health and Ageing provided an $8 million “real-interest” loan to make the facility a reality; a Catholic archdiocesan fund loaned another $5 million.
Southern Cross Care (Qld) CEO Peter Bell thanked Castra manager Nina Vonhoff and her staff for all their work to help make the project a reality.
“This home represents the standard of accommodation that should be offered to all our senior citizens in their twilight years,” he said.
A special guest at the opening was Lady Flo Bjelke-Petersen. Her late husband, Sir Joh, officially opened the first Castra retirement home exactly 35 years ago.
Footnote: “Castra” is the name of the first home built by European settlers in Murgon, in 1904. It was moved to the Murgon Dairy Museum in 1988
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