20-year campaign for retirement village realised

A retirement village with 57 single-storey, three-bedroom homes, located in the rural Queensland town of Mossman, 1,750km north of Brisbane, was approved on 5 January.

Located between Mossman Hospital and the Salvation Army’s Kuburri Aged Care Centre, Mossman Rivers Retirement Village is expected to be complete by 2028.

Douglas Shire Council Mayor Lisa Scomazzon said it was the result of two decades of campaigning by council and a dedicated local committee to secure housing for Mossman seniors.

“With the construction of the new retirement village and the nearby nursing home which has now been operating successfully for several years, they can move into the retirement village and later transition to the nursing home if they need to without having to leave their family and community,” she said.

Pacific Retirement Estates Managing Director Gary Simonite said the new $30 million village would fill a much-needed void. The Brisbane-based developer also built Cooloola Waters Retirement Village in Tin Can Bay, Gympie.

“It will provide older local residents with the option to downsize from their larger family home and still live local and independently,” Gary said.

“We are hoping to commence construction at the end of the second quarter this year with operational works including the extension of a flood levy before we can begin building the individual living units.”

The village will also have a two-storey community hub designed to host a gymnasium, multi-function hall, kitchen, and administrative offices.

In addition, residents will have access to a covered swimming pool, change rooms, and a dedicated maintenance and hobby shed, while the plans also include 22 on-street communal parking spaces.