In 1967, the Order purchased one and a third acres of land for a “discounted price” from the Redemptorist Fathers in North Perth.  The land would provide homes units for 32 aged people, close to Church facilities, city, parklands and residential quietude.   The facility was officially opened in 1969.

Southern Cross Care (WA) Inc was established originally in 1966 as Southern Cross Homes (WA) by the Knights of the Southern Cross.  The initiative reflected the Knight’s desire to provide quality services to all members of the community according to need and based on the principals of charity, compassion and respect for the dignity of the individual.  That desire is still reflected today in everything that they do.

In 1970 the question of Homes for the Aged remained uppermost in the thoughts of the State Council, and every avenue was pursued in the quest for land.  In March, it was learnt that Perth City Council was interested in the construction of Frail Aged Homes.  The project would be handed over to a registered “Homes for the Aged” organisation, and it was considered the Southern Cross Homes would make an application to be considered by City Of Perth Council.

With four years experience in running independent living units the Order went into the first residential aged care venture in 1971.  Villa Pelletier Hostel began aided by a Federal Government grant to build a 40 bed hostel at the eastern end of the Old Home of Good Shepherd Convent, now the Catholic Education Centre Office, to provide accommodation for the aged infirmed and needy and for those who ‘in the opinion of the board of management' were deserving of assistance by virtue of their necessitous circumstances.

There would later become a stream and then a river of Southern Cross Care facilities initially set up as a separate entity to Southern Cross Care Homes.  Western Australia then operated a Board of Management whose decisions required ratification by the Order of the Knights of the Southern Cross who controlled Southern Cross Homes at the national level.  With the exception of South Australia, other States followed later setting up with their own local Boards of Management under the Southern Cross umbrella.

In seven years Western Australia's fledgling aged care program under the auspices of Southern Cross Homes had grown from housing 32 residents in North Perth.  Meanwhile, Southern Cross Homes had expanded rapidly to involve other States in an Australia wide program.

For more information regarding Southern Cross Care please go to www.scrosswa.org.au