By Margaret Maccoll
After almost two decades in the planning, Sundale retirement apartments and aged care centre at McKinnon Drive, Tewantin is set to begin its operational works after recently receiving Noosa Council approval.
The project will provide 180 retirement units and 60 care studios on a 20 acre property with extensive green space being set aside.
Sundale CEO Glenn Bunney said it would be the only facility of its kind where people can come into the centre as a fully-abled person and can stay there right through to nursing care if they need it.
Mr Bunney said the buildings would occupy only seven of the 20 acres with the remainder, which includes some of the shire’s largest melaleuca trees, reserved for green space.
In keeping with their green agenda the facility will use solar power, recycle water and even filter stormwater in a cleansing pond before emptying into Wooroi Creek on its border.
“We don’t build and run away, we build and operate forever,” he said.
A not-for-profit community organisaton, Sundale was established through the support of the Nambour Apex Club and other service clubs. It began building its first care centre in Nambour in 1963. Construction at Tewantin will coincide with another centre being built at Nambour.
During the application process for the Tewantin facility, it fought against a 2013 refusal by the Sunshine Coast Regional Council and won the right to push ahead in the Planning and Environment Court.
Mr Bunney said over those years there had been new development in aged care which they have incorporated after assessing facilities across Australia and overseas.
“We’re looking at building a service for the next 40 years. It’s much more hospitality than care orientated,” he said.
The initial works will involve removal of building materials buried on the site. Mr Bunney said they hoped to begin construction on the facility mid-2018 with 18 months construction completed early 2020.
