Cairns Regional Council and Mossman District Nursing Home Inc (MDNHI) will work in partnership with the Salvation Army to establish an aged care facility in Mossman.

The well-known charity has offered to develop and operate a high-care section of the proposed facility, with the community group MDNHI to manage the establishment of low-care, assisted living and independent living components.

In May, Council offered a 30-year lease to MDNHI over land at Johnston Road, under the condition that it be used for an aged care facility and construction would start within five years.

Today, Council granted a 30-year lease over a portion of the subject land to The Salvation Army Aged Care Plus (TSAACP).

“Following Council’s decision in May, the Salvation Army approached MDNHI to develop a proposal to jointly develop the aged care facility,” Mayor Val Schier said.

“The Salvation Army has provided aged care for more than 100 years and is well-placed to secure bed licenses and appropriate levels of funding.

“What we have seen is a collaboration of resources with the sole aim of directly benefiting the local area.”

TSAACP proposes to construct a 42-bed facility, comprising high-care, low-care, and dementia-specific bed places. The facility would not return a profit.

Division 10 Councillor Julia Leu said the project was gaining momentum and justified Council’s – and the community’s – faith in MDNHI.
“This is an extremely positive outcome – it’s what we’ve been hoping and waiting for,” Cr Leu said.

“It means we have an organisation with an excellent track record and which is held in the highest respect coming on board to progress this much-needed project.

“MDNHI has been working so hard to make this a reality and I can only congratulate them on reaching this point.”

Council rates and charges will not be levied against the Johnstone Road property until the aged care facility becomes operational.

Nursing home gets Salvos’ backing