The ACT government's Suburban Land Agency has sold an unused site in Canberra's south to HammondCare for $18 million, paving the way for the territory's first specialist dementia care village. The facility will be built on the site of a former primary school in Curtin, featuring 11 cottages with 90 beds in single rooms with ensuites. Construction is expected to begin in 2027 after existing structures are removed.
HammondCare's chief executive Andrew Thorburn said the village will be integrated with the local community, designed to 'feel like just another street in Curtin'. The home-like cottages, combined with a relationship-based care philosophy, aim to improve quality of life, reduce confusion, and promote independence for residents.
Suburban Land Agency chief executive Adam Davey described it as a 'landmark project' providing much-needed care for Canberra and the wider region. He noted broad community support for dementia services at the site, with a sense of excitement about the innovative approach.
Currently, over 6,000 people in the ACT live with dementia, a figure projected to double by 2054. Geriatrician Professor Susan Kurrle said the village was 'definitely overdue', noting that the small home model of care improves quality of life and care at no extra cost.
For families like Dilys and Colin Brown, the new facility offers hope. Colin Brown, 90, has vascular dementia after a stroke and cardiac arrest eight years ago. His wife of 65 years said they look after each other as best they can, but acknowledged that not everyone can remain at home with advanced dementia.
