An elite Gold Coast school, The Southport School, has bought Marana Gardens Aged Care, about 75km south of Brisbane, and has lodged plans with Gold Coast City Council to turn the buildings into rental accommodation, with priority intended for school staff.
A spokesperson for Churches of Christ, which operates 25 aged care homes in Victoria and Queensland, including the 19,000sqm Marana Gardens Aged Care, told The Weekly SOURCE, six residents remain at the 71-bed home, and all have been offered places at other Churches of Christ aged care facilities on the Gold Coast.
Churches of Christ, which retains Golden Age Retirement Village adjacent to Marana Gardens, said, "We are reviewing all our sites in accordance with updated legislative requirements for aged care facilities. Being mission-driven, our future will always include the need to adapt how we will sustainably deliver our person-centred model of care to some of the most vulnerable in our community," said a spokesperson.
The Southport School will turn the aged care facility into a 22-dwelling estate, converting the existing buildings into self-contained units. Construction will begin in 2025.
