Former Bupa Bellarine facility sold to support services provider

Geelong multicultural and disability support and training provider Diversitat is set to expand into the eastern suburbs after securing a former aged care facility in a multimillion-dollar property deal.

The not-for-profit organisation has purchased the former Bupa Bellarine nursing home site at 117 Helms St, Newcomb, for $2.8 million.

Colliers International, Geelong, agent Andrew Lewis handled the sale for international health care provider Bupa in conjunction with Colliers’ specialist medical group.

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Lewis says Bupa considered the Diversitat offer to be the best and cleanest, and the company was also attracted to selling to a not-for-profit organisation.

The commercial kitchen at 117 Helms St, Newcomb.

Diversitat chief executive officer Michael Martinez says the organisation is still considering what might be the ultimate future use for the facility.

“We’re looking at a supported residential service. We’ve yet to get into the building and have a look at it,” he says.

“We’re also looking at potentially for training in aged care and maybe even as student accommodation.”

He says the organisation could also throw the facility open to other community groups.

Martinez says Diversitat’s existing footprint didn’t stretch into Geelong’s eastern suburbs, despite the significant population from a non-English speaking background there and on the Bellarine Peninsula.

Other aged care providers had considered the property at 117 Helms St in Newcomb.

Aged care accommodation services for people with a non-English speaking background are concentrated in the northern suburbs.

“We think we got it for a good price,” he says.

Lewis says the property attracted a broad range of interest, including from investors, developers and other aged care operators.

Bupa closed its 51-bed aged care service at the facility in March, when it relocated residents to a new facility at the Bellarine Lakes Lifestyle Village at Moolap.

The facility provided 51 beds.

The property measures 5637 sqm with the building taking up 2500 sqm of the block, including a three-bedroom dwelling.

The building also includes a reception area, several internal courtyards, large commercial kitchen for on-site catering and a commercial laundry.

Each wing has its own lounge area with many of the rooms self-contained and other double rooms sharing an ensuite.

This article from the Geelong Advertiser was originally published as “Diversitat considers future use for former Newcomb nursing home”.