HammondCare to deliver Canberra’s first dementia village
The village will feature 11 cottages, 48 supported seniors’ living units, a familiar streetscape with a café and hairdresser, and will employ up to 300 Canberrans once operating.
Following a competitive tender process and an agreement with the ACT Suburban Land Agency, HammondCare has been chosen to lead the transformation of the former Curtin Primary School into Canberra’s first dementia care village.
The village will be designed around small, homelike cottages that are reflective of the surrounding Curtin streets and will align with the National Aged Care Design Principles and Guidelines.
HammondCare chief executive officer Andrew Thorburn said the not-for-profit is proud to provide the first dementia village in Australia’s capital.
“The homelike cottages, combined with a relationship-based philosophy of care, will improve quality of life, reduce confusion and promote independence for people living with dementia,” he said.
HammondCare has 30 years of experience in designing small household villages for dementia care across New South Wales and Victoria and more recently South Australia, with the development of Daw Park for the Repat Health Precinct.
The Curtin Dementia Village will feature 11 cottages and will offer 90 beds in single rooms with ensuites. Each cottage will feature domestic-style kitchens where meals can be prepared fresh each day and living areas will have safe access to outdoor gardens.
A café, shop, hairdresser and 48 supported seniors living apartments will also form part of the integrated care site, while the clinical and institutional parts of the village will be hidden as to not intrude on the domestic familiarity.
Mr Thorburn was joined by ACT Suburban Land Agency CEO Adam Davey at the 22,448m² site where they announced the exchange of contracts.
Mr Davey said the development will be guided by the Place Development Brief, which was shaped in collaboration with stakeholders and the local community and outlines community aspirations for the site.
“This marks a major milestone in delivering a landmark project that will provide best practice care and support for Canberrans living with dementia,” Mr Davey said.
“During consultation, we heard that enabling a best practice dementia care environment, fostering connection to the community, and supporting an innovative and holistic model of care are the top three priorities.
“We look forward to working with HammondCare to deliver a place-led approach and create an environment where the community can thrive,” he said.
Local professionals and tradesmen will participate in the design and construction of the village, and upon operation, HammondCare Curtin will provide employment for up to 300 Canberrans, Mr Thorburn said.
HammondCare anticipates there will be information sessions in the coming months so the design can be developed with community engagement and estimates construction to begin in late 2027 with completion in 2030 – subject to approvals.
The news follows HammondCare’s announcement of construction starting on its new centre of excellence at Greenwich Hospital.
