Life reimagined

In a major milestone for the southern Sunshine Coast, Queensland residential aged care specialists Rockpool announced today they had received official council approval to proceed with their state-of-the-art Pelican Waters development.

Rockpool CEO Melissa Argent said the company was ecstatic to get the green light to build the $44 million facility aimed at reshaping the community’s perception of aged care.

Ms Argent said Rockpool was currently looking to appoint a builder for the project, which was expected to be underway by April next year and take 12 months to complete.

“We can’t wait to move to Pelican Waters,’’ she said.

“In the weeks and months ahead, we will be stepping up our community engagement through our involvement with organisations such as the Golden Beach and Pelican Waters Community Association to ensure the development aligns with people’s needs.”

Ms Argent said the response to the project had been highly encouraging, with strong levels of enquiry already flooding in.

“We have started a waiting list and can happily accommodate residents in our flagship Morayfield facility in the interim, and offer them the first opportunity at Pelican Waters rooms when they become available,’’ she said.

The Pelican Waters centre will accommodate 150 residents split into small 15-resident communities over its six-storey design. The ground floor will encompass dining, café and hair salon facilities, theatre, function and consulting rooms, wellness area and speciality health services.

The project would likely generate over 100 jobs during construction and an additional 200 ongoing local jobs once fully occupied.

The design will take advantage of the fantastic views of the many waterways in and around Pelican Waters including Bells Creek, the Pumicestone Passage and newly constructed canals.

The centre will focus on supporting ‘aging in place’, caring for people who have lived and worked in Pelican Waters, who love the area and want to stay.

General Manager of Development for Pelican Waters, Hamish Pressland, said the arrival of Rockpool was an exciting milestone for the community and that there had already been a great deal of interest from the local community about the proposal.

“The developers of Pelican Waters are excited to see the next chapter in the master planned estate’s history move forward with the Rockpool residential care facility,” Mr Pressland said.

“The arrival of Rockpool ensures we continue to be a diverse community, offering a broad range of residential accommodation for all stages of people’s lives.

“It will ensure that members of our community can age in place with residents and families seeking out options not needing to leave the suburb to look for quality care. Pelican Waters can be their ‘forever community’ which is a wonderful thing to have,’’ he said.