External image of the new Illoura aged care home in Chinchilla.

Redevelopment and expansion at Chinchilla

A new aged care home, a dedicated education and training hub, health and wellness centre with access to primary health and allied health services.

Through collaboration and partnership, we’re creating an innovative and sustainable model of care for the future, creating jobs and keeping communities connected across the Chinchilla region.

Residents and carer chatting at Illoura Village

Residential care home

Illoura Village’s Residential Care Home redevelopment has transformed the site into a modern, purpose-built community designed to support older people with dignity, comfort and high-quality care.

The first stage of the project saw the opening of a brand-new 81-bed residential care home in February 2025. Purpose-built to contemporary aged care standards, the home features spacious single bedrooms with private ensuites, welcoming communal living and dining areas, landscaped outdoor spaces and thoughtfully designed amenities that create a comfortable, home-like environment for residents.

Following the successful completion of the new home, stage two focused on refurbishing and repurposing existing buildings on the Illoura Village site. This work added a further 24 residential aged care places, expanded service capacity and enhanced the range of accommodation options available to the local community.

Completed in July 2026, the redevelopment has delivered a 105-bed aged care home that combines modern facilities with specialised support services, including a dedicated memory support unit.

The completed home ensures Southern Cross Care can continue to meet the growing care needs of the region, providing high-quality residential aged care in a contemporary environment designed to support residents to live well, maintain independence and remain connected to their community.

Chinchilla Wellness Centre HUR equipments

Health & Wellness Centre

The Illoura Village Health and Wellness Centre brings together a range of health, wellbeing and community services in one convenient location, creating a vibrant hub that supports people to live well, stay active and remain connected to their community.

Purpose-built as part of the Illoura Village redevelopment, the centre provides modern consulting, treatment and activity spaces designed to support people of all ages and abilities. The facility is home to a variety of trusted health and wellbeing providers who deliver services that promote independence, healthy ageing and improved quality of life.

Visitors can access a broad range of services within the centre, while enjoying the convenience of a welcoming café and comfortable communal spaces that encourage social connection and community engagement.

By bringing health, wellness and support services together under one roof, the Health and Wellness Centre creates a connected, community-focused environment where people can easily access the care, advice and support they need throughout every stage of life.

The centre reflects Southern Cross Care’s commitment to creating thriving communities that support wellbeing, independence and healthy ageing for people across the Western Downs region.

To go to our Chinchilla Health & Wellness Centre page, please click here.

Education & Training Hub

The Education and Training Hub is a key component of the Illoura Village redevelopment and reflects a shared commitment to strengthening the future health and aged care workforce across the Western Downs region.

We’ve entered into a formal partnership with Southern Queensland Rural Health SQRH and together our goal is to skill and grow a local pool of qualified allied health and nursing professionals and offer additional education and training opportunities. SQRH is a formal collaboration between The University of Queensland, University of Southern Queensland and Darling Downs Health and South West Hospital and Health Service.

The hub provides dedicated learning and placement opportunities for nursing and allied health students undertaking clinical training in aged care and community settings.

Our partnership plays a critical role in building a sustainable workforce pipeline for regional communities. By enabling students to study, train and gain hands-on experience locally, the hub helps create pathways for future health professionals to build their careers in the region and contribute to the long-term health and wellbeing of local communities.

Through this collaboration, students benefit from valuable real-world experience in contemporary aged care environments while developing the skills, confidence and professional connections needed to transition into the workforce.

By investing in education and training today, the hub is helping to ensure regional communities have access to the skilled healthcare professionals they will need for generations to come.

Health and Wellbeing Centre - drone image

Innovative Models of Care Program Funding

In February 2024, Southern Cross Care was awarded $1.4 million over four years through the Australian Government’s Innovative Models of Care (IMOC) Program to help coordinate and deliver primary care services across Chinchilla and the Western Downs region.

The IMOC Program supports organisations to trial innovative approaches to delivering primary care in rural and remote communities. Through this investment, SCC is developing an integrated model of care that brings together health, wellness, aged care, education and community services within a connected precinct designed to meet the growing needs of the region.

A key outcome of the project has been the development of the Health and Wellness Centre, which provides access to allied health, wellness, rehabilitation and community support services in a single location. The centre is complemented by a clinician-designed Wellness Centre program and specialised HUR exercise equipment, supporting people to maintain their strength, mobility, independence and quality of life as they age.

The project has also supported the creation of a broader community-focused model that connects residential aged care, home care, health services, education and workforce development. Together, these initiatives are helping people remain independent and engaged in their communities for longer while increasing access to services closer to home.

By combining contemporary residential aged care, health and wellness services, workforce development and community engagement, the Illoura Village redevelopment is creating a blueprint for how regional communities can support healthy ageing and improved access to care for generations to come.

Our Partners

At SCC, our heart is in serving and supporting rural and remote communities, and we collaborate with and take guidance from industry and community stakeholders who are willing and able to explore innovative, sustainable models of community and help us to best serve those who place their trust in us.