Construction of Rockpool Northshore Hamilton, a 153-bed aged care home 8km northeast of Brisbane city centre, is well underway, with pilings in the ground and the foundations almost ready to begin pouring concrete. The six-storey home, built by McNab, is expected to open mid next year.
Melissa Argent (pictured below), Rockpool CEO, told The Weekly Source, the total cost of the project is $70 million - or $458,000 per bed.
The private aged care operator, which was founded by Bill Summers in 2016, continues to pursue an aggressive expansion strategy.
Construction of its $60 million Rockpool Kedron home, 8km north of the Brisbane CBD, is expected to begin in September, with plans to open the home in early 2027.
And in June, Rockpool lodged a development application with City of Gold Coast Council for a new development at 26 Cougal Street, Southport, 73km south of Brisbane on the Gold Coast.
The project, on a 6,910sqm, U-shaped site, is in the early planning phase. "Construction will hopefully commence later next year," Melissa said.
Last December, after the passing of the Aged Care Bill 2024, Melissa told The SOURCE, "We can't get homes out of the ground quickly enough".
Bill established Ashmore Aged Care in the 1980s and went on to co-found Domain Aged Care in 2002, which became Opal HealthCare, now Australia's largest aged care operator with 138 aged care homes across the country.
