Our History

Southern Cross Care (Broken Hill) Ltd – known as Southern Cross Care – began its heartfelt mission in September 1974 as a branch of New South Wales Southern Cross Homes Inc. This journey started with the dedication of the Knights of the Southern Cross (Branch 14, Broken Hill) (Knights), an Order of Catholic laymen.

In early 1972, a group of Knights members formed a committee to explore the need for aged care facilities in Broken Hill. They conducted a thorough feasibility study, consulting religious groups, service clubs, pensioner associations, and the Broken Hill City Council. It quickly became clear that there was a significant need for diverse accommodation options for the elderly, including housing, hostels, and nursing homes. Responding to this need, Kevin Ryan, Chairman of Southern Cross Homes, NSW, visited Broken Hill in August 1974 and encouraged the Knights to take on the challenge of building and operating retirement homes.

By September 1974, the Knights had officially committed to constructing a 40-unit retirement village, later named Con Crowley Village. This decision transformed the original Investigation Committee into the Southern Cross Homes (Broken Hill) Committee of Management. The addition of a Community Centre in 1982 marked the completion of the village, providing a nurturing environment for its residents.

The journey of Southern Cross Care in Broken Hill continued with the inclusion of St Anne’s Home of Compassion, a 51-bed nursing home, into its family on June 3, 1984, when the Sisters of Mercy could no longer manage the facility. Shortly after, in April 1985, Southern Cross Care acquired the WS & LB Robinson University College site from the University of New South Wales, converting it into a 60-bed nursing home known as Centenary Nursing Home. With community support, additional funding was secured as part of the city’s centenary celebrations, and residents moved in by October 1986. A further expansion added 10 more beds. On November 17, 1998, Southern Cross Care (Broken Hill) merged with War Veterans Hostel Inc., integrating its 27-bed low-care facility.

In 2003, Southern Cross Care undertook a significant project to unify St Anne’s and Centenary Nursing Homes into a single, modern facility. This initiative culminated in the opening of the new St Anne’s Nursing Home on August 12, 2006, with 121 residents moving into their new home.

During this period, Aruma Lodge also found it challenging to sustain long-term operations due to its small size. In 2003, they approached Southern Cross Care for a potential merger, which was completed in 2004.

Recognising the need to expand and modernise, Southern Cross Care decided in 2009 to build a new 40-bed hostel to replace the War Veterans Hostel and include 13 additional government-allocated beds. Construction began in October 2009, and by April 16, 2011, The Harold Williams Home was officially opened, honouring a notable Knights member and former Southern Cross Care chairman. The old War Veterans Hostel was then transformed into independent retirement living units, aptly named War Vets.

As Southern Cross Care looked to secure its future, it expanded beyond Broken Hill. In 2011, Southern Cross Care seized an opportunity to acquire the 119-unit Vines Retirement Village in Mildura, Victoria. Following a comprehensive due diligence study, the village became part of the Southern Cross Care family.

Further growth came in June 2013 when Oasis Aged Care in Irymple approached Southern Cross Care with a merger proposal. This merger was successfully completed, continuing Southern Cross Care’s legacy of compassionate care and community service.

Throughout its history, Southern Cross Care has shown unwavering dedication to providing caring, compassionate, and comprehensive services to its residents, constantly evolving to meet the needs of the communities it serves.