Plans to redevelop dormant Stanthorpe nursing homes remain at a standstill

Two major facilities with the capacity to house hundreds remain dormant while cost of living pressures and housing crisis push residents to the brink.

Two defunct nursing homes in the Granite Belt remain dormant as development plans for both sites are at a standstill.

The future remains unclear for two now defunct Granite Belt nursing homes, as the housing crisis continues to worsen across the region.

In Warwick, residents are equally feeling the cost of living pinch with a not-for-profit organisation noticing a significant increase in the number of families accessing their service.

Warwick Community Van organiser Catherine Cazaly said there’s been an overwhelming number of people trying to find steady accommodation.

“We’ve seen more families this year and I do think it comes down to cost of living and what they can afford to buy for their family,” she said.

“Potentially something like a sausage in bread is not going far enough so they come to the van for a change to make sure their kids are full.”

The community van has been servicing the region for the past five years and is operated by volunteers from Warwick’s Seventh Day Adventist Church.

Warwick Community Van volunteer serves up.

Aside from a home cooked meal on weekends, the community van also provides those in need with clothing, hygiene items and other non-perishables.

Ms Cazaly said on average the community van services between 70-80 people on Sunday evenings.

Stanthorpe Border Post revealed the dire cost of living situation happening in Stanthorpe, which had Vinnies conference president Ros Day fearing the worst.

Mrs Day said the issue truly hit home when her monthly clients skyrocketed from 32 in March to 70 in October of 2023.

“In June (of 2023) our weekly average was $640 (for food vouchers) and as of this March (2024) it was $1240,” she said.

“This situation is as dire as I have ever seen it with families resorting to living in tents and struggling to access basic necessities.”

CARRAMAR HOSTEL

More than six years after ceasing operations, the former Churches of Christ Carramar Hostel in Stanthorpe remains vacant.

In 2018 staff and residents were transitioned to the multimillion-dollar Villa Carramar site in Alice St.

The former Carramar Hostel remains dormant after it was vacated in 2018.

The defunct facility was later bought by Your Church Stanthorpe in February 2023.

Pastor Markus Repo told Stanthorpe Border Post back in April it was still the church’s intention to repurpose the former nursing home into a site that would benefit the community as a whole.

Mr Repo said the stall in progress was largely due to a struggle in obtaining the relevant third parties to visit the site and undertake the required building inspections before a planning application can be lodged with council.

“We’d like to put people in there soon rather than later but it’s probably another year or so away until it’s ready to use,” he said.

Warwick Daily News has reached out for further comment from Mr Repo regarding plans for the former Carramar facility.

STANTHORPE NURSING HOME

The former Stanthorpe Nursing Home has sat vacant since it closed its doors in December 2015.

A development proposal was initially approved by Southern Downs Regional Council in 2016, which has since had a number of extensions granted.

A 125-bed hostel will be developed at Wallangarra St at the site of the Stanthorpe nursing home.

The proposal outlined plans for a 125-bed hostel which was expected to be completed by 2022.

Warwick Daily News contacted the developer who said the site was still a work in progress and they hoped to begin construction in 2025.