February 22, 2022
Toowoomba Regional Council has identified two blocks of vacant land which could be suitable if hopes for an aged care centre in Yarraman become a reality.
The Yarraman Business Group (YBG) approached the Council in July last year seeking support for the proposal.
YBG now plans to gauge interest from commercial operators of retirement living and aged care facilities.
TRC Planning and Development Committee Chair Cr Megan O’Hara Sullivan said she was pleased to be able to support the Yarraman community with the request.
“We’ve received feedback from the local business community of the need for additional aged care services in Yarraman and to address this issue, the Yarraman Business Group came to us to see how we could assist,” Cr O’Hara Sullivan said.
“As a result of this request, we undertook an extensive review of all vacant Council land and as part of that review we’ve identified an area which could act as a potential site for a new facility.
“While no formal proposals have been put forward, we support the group’s request to conduct a market-sounding exercise to gauge interest from commercial providers.
“This exercise will be conducted by the Yarraman Business Group and the findings will help to inform any further discussions about the proposal.
“A new facility would not only support aged residents but would also increase employment opportunities for locals.
“This is a good example of Council working hand-in-hand with community groups to come up with good outcomes for our residents.
“The Yarraman Business Group works hard to advocate for the needs of the community and we’re pleased we can support them with their request to explore further options.”
The land is situated on Lots 3 and 4 on RP170255, ie. adjacent to the D’Aguilar Highway, heading south-east out of Yarraman.
* * *
The idea for a retirement facility in Yarraman was first developed by the Yarraman Business Group in 2018 when a Sustainable Yarraman sub-committee was formed.
The committee’s aim was to attract new businesses to the town to create more employment opportunities for residents.
According to the 2016 ABS Census, Yarraman’s population was 864 in the township area and a further 200 in outlying dwellings.
The Census also showed that roughly 35 per cent of the village’s population were aged over 65 – more than double the Queensland average – and unemployment in the town was 13.9 per cent.
The group believed Yarraman could not grow without new businesses, but the Census data suggested it was too small to attract them.
Sustainable Yarraman chair Russ Ezzy said this led the group to consider the aged care industry as a possible new business.
This was because it is largely supported by government funding, caters for over 65s, and employs a lot of unskilled and semi-skilled labour.
The Yarraman Business Group then organised an investigation into the idea, which recommended that a retirement village offering optional in-home care services might be the best fit.
YBG will now conduct a market sounding exercise with commercial operators of retirement living and aged care facilities to assess interest in this potential development.
Interested parties are welcome to contact Russ Ezzy by email
- Related article: Aged Care Plan ‘Worth Considering‘
