With 60% of retirement living apartments sold off the plan, the first residents have moved into the new building Banksia at Not for Profit Garden Village in Port Macquarie on the NSW Mid North Coast.

The Banksia complements The Cascades Seniors Living Development, also built by BESIX Watpac in 2018, at Garden Village. It is completely energy self-sufficient and has a well-being centre and an outdoor communal area.

Management, builders, residents and dignitaries held a grand opening three days later. Phyllis Goodwin, Garden Village resident, Jack Walton, Site Manager at BESIX Watpac and Sarah Ogilvie, Retirement Living Manager, snipped the ceremonial ribbon to officially open the new independent living apartments. 

Guests included Mr Pat Conaghan MP for Cowper, Mr David Gillespie MP for Lyne, Lesley Williams MP for Port Macquarie and Port Macquarie-Hastings Mayor Peta Pinson. Garden Village acknowledged the $5.2 million towards the development from the Federal Government’s Building Better Regions Fund.