Our History

Yallambee Traralgon Village for the Aged Inc has provided aged care services since 1971 with the construction of the Retirement Village Units. This was followed by the opening of the Margery Cole Hostel in 1975.

In 2005 Yallambee had 110 independent units within the Retirement Living Village and Margery Cole had expanded to provide accommodation for 46 residents in the low care Hostel. Yallambee increased in size significantly following the consolidation of Yallambee Retirement Village, the Margery Cole Hostel and the purchase of the former Traralgon and District Private Nursing Home (Bartling Place) in 1998.

In 2006 Yallambee self-funded a major building project to amalgamate both services onto the one site, Margery Cole Residential Aged Care Service. Three new wings were built, now known as Banksia North, Banksia East and Grevillia totalling 48 new resident rooms. All residents of Bartling Place were relocated and Yallambee had an additional 18 funded places increasing overall residential care numbers to 96. In addition, the kitchen and laundry services were upgraded and expanded, the front foyer revamped, and more office space created.

In 2011 Yallambee received a Government grant of $2M, and with Yallambee funding the remainder, Waratah House was constructed, a purpose built 10 bed secure area for residents with a diagnosis of dementia. This wing replaced Pendlebury Wing which was demolished to make way for the large Grevillia Lounge and the construction of 8 new rooms. An office area was also created from original bedrooms and a large training room, doctor’s office, café and terrace were constructed with the kitchen undergoing further expansion. Resident numbers were not increased at that time.

In 2016 Laurel House was constructed providing accommodation for 30 residents. Twenty-two residents, from the original Margery Cole “Acacia House”, were relocated into Laurel House and Acacia, which no longer met the requirements for residential aged care services, was shut down. In 2019 Acacia underwent a major redevelopment with the help of a Government grant of $1.88M.

In 2020 Margery Cole Residential Care Aged Service will offer 120 approved residential aged care places and 93 single and two bedroom independent village units.