Prolific Arcare lodges two new aged care DAs in Melbourne

The developer-owned aged care operator has lodged plans for two multi-storey projects, adding more than 300 new aged care beds.

The Development Applications have been lodged with the Victorian Government’s Ministerial Permit System, which allows the Minister to make planning decisions, bypassing local councils.

Arcare Aged Care, which is owned by family-run property developer Knowles Group, has submitted DAs for:

• a 133-bed, three-storey aged care home at 724-728 Whitehouse Road, Mitcham, 20km east of the Melbourne CBD, and
• a 176-bed, four-storey home at 10-16 Alverna Grove and 85-93 Wilson Street in Brighton, 11km south west of the Melbourne CBD. Arcare acquired the site, the former Epworth Rehabilitation Hospital (see main image), plus three adjoining residential blocks, in early 2025.

Arcare also has several other projects in planning:

• Plans have been lodged for a $32.5 million, two-storey, 132-bed home at 24-28 Harkaway Road, Berwick, 41km southeast of Melbourne’s CBD.
• Another project in Prahran, on the site of the iconic German Club Tivoli, 5km southeast of the Melbourne CBD, is in planning, with long-time design partner VIA Architects appointed.
• Arcare has also secured State Significant Development approval for the 96-bed Huntlee Arcare, within the Huntlee New Town masterplanned community, 170km north of Sydney.
• Construction of the 124-bed Arcare Gold Creek, 12km north of Canberra’s centre, is set to begin shortly.

The prolific developer opened 733 new aged care beds in 2025 and is set to open another 526 beds across four homes this year – a total of more than 1,200 beds in just two years.

These fours home include:

• The 118-bed Arcare Hove, 12km south-west of the Adelaide CBD – marking the operator's entry into the SA market – expected to open in early July;
• The 118-bed Arcare Mount Waverley, 16km south-east of the Melbourne CBD, due to open in August;
• The 136-bed Arcare Sunbury, 40km north-west of the Melbourne CBD, expected to open in October; and
• The 154-bed Arcare Boronia, 30km east of the Melbourne CBD, set to open in December.

With 60 homes and around 6,000 beds across NSW, Queensland, Victoria and the ACT – and South Australia next – Arcare’s development pipeline remains unmatched in Australia.