History & Evolution

At Mount Warrigal we opened our doors to our first resident, Mrs E Grant in 1967 on land leased from Shellharbour Council. 

We were founded by local Lions Soroptimists, Rotary and Apex clubs to meet an identified need for services for older people. Apart from our first matron, Enid Baker, all staff in the 10- bed residence were volunteers, operating on funds from local community donations.

The following years were spent growing these services and at the beginning of the 80s we were ready to become a public company. As Mount Warrigal Rest Home, a registered charity, we continued to expand and by the end of the 1980s we had premises at Mt Warrigal, Warilla and Lake Illawarra.

The 90s saw the acquisition of services at Queanbeyan, Bundanoon and Gladesville and the establishment of Warrigal Community Care Services in the Illawarra.

The new millennium brought a change in name, to Warrigal Care, and shortly after, Warrigal Community Care Goulburn was up and running.

From 2001 onwards Warrigal Care continued to thrive as we further developed existing sites and, after selling Warrigal Care Gladesville in 2010, we purchased land in Shell Cove.

We are also planning new communities at Shell Cove and Wollongong.

The entire Warrigal community now consists of 10 Warrigal locations, with over 1000 staff and volunteers and thousands of customers each year. We hope you’ll find us vibrant, individual, supportive and fun.

We continue to evolve and from 2013 on are delighted to be known as Warrigal, whose inspiring communities for older people allow you to be yourself. From the coastal areas of Wollongong, Shellharbour, Albion Park and Albion Park Rail to the country towns of Bundanoon, Goulburn and Queanbeyan.