Southern Cross Care (NSW and ACT) has decided to withdraw a development application for a boarding house in Moama, following a community meeting.

Moama residents attended the meeting in full force, filling every corner of the Moama Football Netball Club pavilion.

Southern Cross Care was represented on the night by chief executive Monique Reynolds, Riverina regional manager Amanda Schofield and chief digital and transformation officer Stephanie Petkovski.

Ms Reynolds gave attendees a brief overview of the project, speaking to the need for affordable housing in Moama and its vision for the boarding house.

“We do know there is a demand in your community for different types of accommodation to support your aging population ... that says to me that there's definitely a need in your community for us to be here to serve you,” she said.

“We wanted to create something that we felt really hit a need and that need is affordable independent living for older people in Moama.”

In Moama, a retirement living or village unit can cost about $375,000 on average, well above residents’ average super balance of $197,000.

According to research done by the aged care provider, there are about 6200 retirees over the age of 65 living in Moama, 52 per cent of whom are deemed under mortgage or rental stress.

About a quarter of retirees are also receiving rental assistance of about $94 a week.

Ms Reynolds said considering these factors, Southern Cross Care wanted to create a cheaper option for residents.

“We felt there was an opportunity to provide accommodation that was affordable,” she said.

“You don't actually pay-in like retirement living, but it's affordable accommodation, (where) you pay a fee.

“It is a home that will be for older people ... and I think it's going to be a vibrant happy home and tonight my purpose was to share that with you.”

Following Ms Reynold's presentation, community members were given a chance to ask the Southern Cross Care representatives and Murray River Council Mayor John Harvie questions about the project.

Residents in attendance shared concerns about the information contained in the DA, such as the mention of a train station 1.5km away from the facility and there being no specific indication of the facility being for only the elderly.

There was also great unease about the possibility of 50 unknown people moving into the neighbourhood, especially as the DA made mention of housing “displaced people”.

While Ms Reynolds confirmed that the facility would house only the elderly and aged frail, the community remained sceptical.

With Southern Cross Care closing its aged care facility in 2023, there was also distrust from Moama residents about the aged care provider's ability to provide consistent support.

Many were also wary of the classification of the facility as a boarding house, questioning whether this would make it possible for Southern Cross Care to house more than the elderly later down the track.

Cr Harvie reassured the community that “boarding house” is NSW Government terminology and the proposed facility in Moama falls under the assisted boarding house classification, relating specifically to age related frailty.

Another major concern was the lack of communication from Southern Cross Care about the development, with only four households initially notified of the development.

While the room was rife with tension throughout the night, for some attendees, the meeting helped clear some of the confusion about the proposed building.

Moama resident Vera-Lee Curnow said she was originally against the development, but was now open to the idea.

“We did have concerns initially because of what we were under the impression that the place was going to be,” she said.

“After the presentation, it was very clear their intent, and I think their intent is good, honourable and needed in the community.

“What they're presenting is needed, so there's no reason that we can't all work together to get a model that is going to work and alleviate those concerns that we all have.”

Ms Curnow added that while the meeting was a positive step forward, there needed to be more communication from Southern Cross Care in the future.

“I am one of the people that put in a submission that was not in support and there's a number of us that have in that estate, because we didn't have that information. So, I think tonight's been really important,” she said.

As a result of the community unrest at the meeting, Ms Reynolds ended the meeting by announcing that Southern Cross Care will withdraw its DA.

Moving forward, the organisation will return to the drawing board to reassess its options and look at co-designing a new DA together with the community.

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Wednesday, 12th November 2025

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