Older residents in the Avon Valley region will soon have increased opportunities to remain close to home as they age, thanks to a $46.19 million State Government investment.
Member for Central Wheatbelt Mia Davies MLA said the Avon Aged Housing Alliance had received $6 million in Royalties for Regions funding as part of the overall investment.
“I’m delighted this funding has been made possible via the Royalties for Regions (RfR) Growing Our South initiative,” Ms Davies said.
“The project will benefit older people living in the Avon Valley and surrounds and has been funded as part of the construction of 150 specially-designed houses across 28 local governments in the Wheatbelt and Great Southern regions.”
The Avon Valley Aged Housing Alliance will utilise funding to build 22 Independent Living Units (ILUs) across the Central Wheatbelt local government areas (LGAs) of Dowerin, Goomalling, Toodyay and Victoria Plains.
Ms Davies also visited Quairading last Thursday where she announced the $5.28 million Cunderdin, Tammin, Quairading Well Aged Precinct project, which will benefit from $3.68 million of Royalties for Regions.
“This project will result in the construction of 11 age-friendly independent living units within the three local shires, and the refurbishment of the former Cunderdin Bowling Clubhouse into an age-friendly community hub,” she said.
In total the State Government’s funding commitment will build 124 independent living units in the Central Wheatbelt communities of Goomalling, Dowerin, Beverley, Brookton, Pingelly, Quairading, Wandering, Corrigin, Wongan-Ballidu, Cunderdin, Tammin, Narembeen and Kondinin.
Ms Davies said the Wheatbelt Development Commission had been working with the Avon alliance and four further local government alliances in the region towards the development of cluster housing projects.
Others projects to receive funding include Brookton, Beverley and Pingelly ($7.89 million); Innovation Central Midlands Inc. ($7 million) and Wheatbelt South Aged Housing Alliance ($10.09 million).
Member for the Agricultural Region Hon Martin Aldridge MLC commended the overall “forward-thinking housing project”, which he said would prove beneficial to individuals and their families throughout the region.
“Aged housing forms part of an integrated solution to create more vibrant communities that celebrate and respect older people, and the contribution they make, while providing positive futures for our small regional towns,” he said.
“Regional Western Australia has an older population profile than the State as a whole and an increasing need for aged care.”
The State Government’s housing program is aligned with the Federal Government’s aged care reform, delivering on the findings of the Ageing in the Bush Report.
The Growing our South initiative is a five-year, $600 million Royalties for Regions program to implement major infrastructure and community projects in the Peel, Wheatbelt, South West and Great Southern regions.
For media enquiries please contact Mia Davies on 08 9041 1702 (Merredin office), 08 9622 2871 (Northam office) or email mia.davies@mp.wa.gov.au.
