The history of Southern Cross Care
Southern Cross Care (SA, NT & VIC) Inc. was established by the Knights of the Southern Cross - an order of Catholic laymen. The Knights saw a need for housing and support for older people in their community and decided to do something about it. Something big.
The beginning
Southern Cross Homes (SA) Inc. - as the organisation was first called - was incorporated in 1968. Around the same time, other state branches of the Knights set up their own local operations to support older people, leading to the creation of the separate Southern Cross Care organisations that provide services across Australia today.
The first service location for Southern Cross Homes (SA) was a group of 10 modest units in Croydon Park. Officially opened in June 1969, the units still stand to this day. In 1996 Southern Cross Homes (SA) was renamed to Southern Cross Care (SA) to represent that the organisation was more than just a builder and was dedicated to delivering quality care across a range of care environments.
Retirement Living
Between 1969 and 1975 a total of 410 independent living units were built by Southern Cross Care across Adelaide and in Mount Gambier, with the help of fundraising and funding from the Commonwealth Government. These units helped to address the urgent need for affordable and suitable housing for older people in the community.
Retirement living options were expanded with the building of 20 resident funded units, Coach House Mews, at Myrtle Bank in 1985, followed by 71 units at The Pines Estate in North Plympton.
Southern Cross Care now operates 40 Retirement Living villages, with units, villas, apartments and more to suit the independent lifestyles and budgets of more than 1,800 residents.
Residential Aged Care
The first of Southern Cross Care's nursing homes was built at North Plympton in 1976 on land previously used by the Sisters of the Good Shepherd. More nursing homes were built at Fullarton in 1980, Rosewater in 1981 and at Largs Bay in 1982.
In 1983 Southern Cross Care took over the Lourdes Valley nursing home, which was previously run by the Little Sisters of the Poor. Southern Cross Care now operates 16 Residential Care homes across SA and one in Darwin, providing quality care to more than 2,000 older people each year.
Health and Home Care Services
The first Southern Cross Care location to offer health, fitness and day respite services was a day therapy centre built alongside the nursing home at North Plympton in 1978. It was obvious the community had a need for these sorts of services and another centre was opened at Glandore in 1980 and operated on behalf of the SA Government. Home Care began with 25 Community Aged Care Packages in the northern suburbs of Adelaide in 1994.
Southern Cross Care now provides Health & Fitness and Home care services to more than 4,500 people each year, and offers short-term respite at four locations and in clients' own homes.
The Northern Territory
In 2009, Southern Cross Care managed to procure land in Fannie Bay, Darwin with the assistance of the Territory Government to serve the older people of the Northern Territory. The first stage of Pearl Retirement Resort and the Pearl Supported Care nursing home were opened in 2011. Later the Pearl Health & Fitness Centre was opened to provide exercise and therapy services. A major extension of Pearl Supported Care and the construction of a new purpose-built Health & Fitness Centre commenced in 2024 with the support of the Commonwealth and Territory Governments, ensuring a bright future for the Pearl community.
Victoria
Southern Cross Care Victoria merged with Mercy Health in 2018. Southern Cross Care (SA & NT) decided to expand into Victoria with the acquisition of The Mornington Retirement Living in 2019. From this time the organisation became known as Southern Cross Care (SA, NT & VIC) Inc. The delivery of home care services in the Mornington Peninsula and Melbourne followed, as well as the 2021 acquisition of St Thomas Community Retirement Village and Bedford Heights Estate Retirement Living. These two villages were originally developed and operated by Southern Cross Care Victoria so it was meaningful to have the Southern Cross Care connection back at these villages.
The people
The people
Southern Cross Care has many buildings, awards and rooms named after people who have made significant contributions to our community. Examples include Peter Taylor House, our central office, named after Peter Taylor AM OBE KSG, the inaugural Chair of Southern Cross Care. The meeting rooms are named after former Chair of 23 years, Brendan Bowler AM, former Director of Nursing Elaine Randle, Deputy Director of Nursing Liz Percival - who were at the forefront of nursing and quality care, inaugural CEO Bernie Pittman, former CEOs Michael Bendyk and Andrew Larpent OBE, and former Executive David Wark.
Research
Research
In 1987 the Southern Cross Bioethics Institute was launched by the Board of Southern Cross Homes to research, develop new ideas and approaches, apply moral principles to particular problems, share and publish information and provide advice to policy decision-makers. The Institute was involved in policy decisions around supporting people with AIDS in the late 1980s, helped to develop the Code of Ethics and Guide to Ethical Conduct for Aged Care in 2001 and exploring advance directives for health care preferences in 2005. Southern Cross Care today is still involved in research that promotes healthy ageing and improves the lives of people we support, however much of this research is led by external researchers or university students.
Advocacy
Advocacy
Southern Cross Care was established to support a demographic of people who were under represented and did not have a platform where their voices could be heard. Throughout the organisation's history, advocacy on behalf of the people we support has remained a crucial activity. This advocacy has included lobbying the government for adequate funding for aged care, sharing best practices with other aged care providers and working with industry stakeholders to deliver quality care in the way that our community needs. Most recently, Southern Cross Care has also advocated on behalf of staff for historic wage rises that recognise our employees' dedication to care and make aged care a better industry to work in.
Fundraising
Fundraising
In the early days of Southern Cross Care, fundraising was a big focus as funds were needed to build the organisation's first services. Southern Cross Care was one of the charities to benefit from the 1969 Telethon and the Knights of the Southern Cross, along with their wives, were the main drivers of fundraising events and campaigns in the early days. As the organisation has grown and changed, revenue to continue providing quality services has come from different sources, including government funding and some resident and client contributions. Nowadays, the Southern Cross Care Community Foundation runs all fundraising activities on behalf of the organisation. The Foundation aims to build better lives free from loneliness and social isolation through programs, projects and grant funding. Learn more here
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