Ozcare Sarina and Nanyima Mirani reveal new extensions and wings for aged care centres

Two Mackay region aged care facilities are expanding their capacity for residents and staff, amid the growing elderly population and housing shortages.

The Nanyima Aged Care Community in Mirani is adding two new wings holding 28 beds to their facility.

Two aged care facilities are expanding to meet the Mackay region's growing elderly population and housing needs.

Ozcare Sarina and the Nanyima Aged Care Community in Mirani are increasing care capacity.

Lodged with the Mackay regional council for approval in November and December, the two proposals will create a combined 48 new beds and add 8 new staff accommodation units.

Behind the new extension will be 8 new staff accomodation units.

Ozcare Sarina is looking to move into vacant land at 18-32 Hoey St, adding a new wing to the existing building.

The extension will add 20 new beds, 8 staff accommodation units and extend the carpark.

According to documents prepared by Ethos Urban Planner John Miller, the development aims to provide “much needed” aged care accommodation to the region.

The added 20 bed capacity is expected to help provide affordable housing to seniors.

Mr Miller said there was an expected population increase of 66,000 people to the Mackay urban area by 2031, two thirds of the region’s total growth and a “growing income gap between the proportion of the population on low incomes and those on above-average incomes”.

“The proposal seeks to respond to this worsening trend by providing affordable seniors accommodation on a well-located site,” Mr Miller said.

At the time of writing Ozcare Sarina had 48 aged care beds and occupied just 23 per cent of its 22,540sqm property at 18-32 Hoey St while the expansion will bring this up to 35 per cent.

The new staff parking will front onto Catherine St whereas regular parking will remain open on Alexandra St.

In Mirani the Nanyima Aged Care Community will build a new detached addition to their facility comprising of a dementia wing, housing 28 new beds, and a carpark upgrade.

The proposal, prepared by the Brisbane based Town Planning Alliance, said the expansion was responding to the community’s need for aged care accommodation and aimed to deliver the highest level of amenity for patients.

The land, previously unoccupied by the facility will now house it’s new dementia wing.

Hoping to grow onto the undeveloped land next to their location at 61 Alexandra St, Mirani the new development will increase its capacity from 51 to 79.

The new extension is expected to break ground in 2025.

In a previous proposal to council, operators Apollo Care proposed an expansion of 20 beds, whereas this amended development application said the new wing would hold 28 beds, a new drop-off area and covered walkway and an upgrade to the carpark, increasing to 43 spaces from the 18 currently available.

The new covered walkway would link the proposed development to the pre-existing facility and a new staff car park of 17 spaces accessible from Catherine St added.

The new wings will include living spaces, dining areas, two outdoor covered seating areas, two courtyard and many patios for residents and guests to enjoy.

The development is not expected to significantly impact traffic in Mirani Nanyima Aged Care facility which plans to break ground on the extension in early 2025.