In September 1957, after many months of searching for a suitable property in Murray Bridge, Rev. Harry Griffiths notified the board that one had been found just south of the township, on the ridge overlooking the Murray River. By October 1957, the regulations for the new home—Resthaven Murray Bridge—and the by-laws for its operation were accepted. Within another seven months, the local community had provided some £1,500 for alterations and construction, sometime after which residents moved in.
Although the initial demand was slow, the pace of admissions increased and by October 1959, the home was full.
In its first decade of operation, Resthaven Murray Bridge strengthened its position in the community and the town. Celebrations were held throughout the year to mark the home’s 10th anniversary.
To maintain the home with modern comforts and conveniences, a continuous building improvement program was undertaken. Homburg House was renovated, and then bathroom upgrades were carried out in the Talbot Wing. A successful submission to the Commonwealth Government grant programs enabled Resthaven Murray Bridge to build a six-bed dementia wing.
It was decided that upgrades to the older parts of the home were advisable, to provide larger rooms and ensuites for all residents. Work began on this project in the second part of the year, following the recovering of the kitchen floor with a non-slip vinyl surface. Other projects during the year included upgrading fire prevention systems, as well as repainting, replacing skylights, and carpeting the main passages and dining room.
Celebrations for Resthaven Murray Bridge’s 30th anniversary were held throughout the year.
A group of volunteers in the maintenance field, calling themselves ‘Stan’s Army’, assisted with the maintenance and care of the home’s buildings. This was much appreciated by all.
Resthaven Murray Bridge launched a hostel option program called ‘Links’. Providing hostel services to people still living in their own homes in the local community, the program included serving three meals a day, assistance with showering, dressing and medical needs, and cleaning. At the nearby Murray Lands Homes for the Aged, Resthaven also commenced the build of a four-bed hostel.
A $1.2 million building program commenced at the end of January 1991. It included the development of a new six-unit special care wing for those living with dementia (including lounge, dining room and an activities area), hairdressing salon, bathroom, four-resident hostel units, and an overnight staff carer’s unit. A lift was also installed in the Christopher Wing to assist residents on the second floor. The Talbot Wing and Jenkin House received major upgrades including ensuite bathrooms and the expansion of units.
During the year an additional purchase was made—an adjoining house on Annerley Road, Murray Bridge. Plans were in place for this to be developed into two two-bedroom self-care units.
In April 1992, the garden was the centre of attention for a wedding held on a warm Saturday afternoon. The bride looked wonderful, and the bridesmaids wore watermelon pink dresses. The garden and Homburg House looked magnificent as the setting for the nuptials.
Resthaven took the opportunity to purchase the property next-door, featuring a house and a large block of land, at 39 Swanport Road, Murray Bridge. The house was demolished and a new build constructed. This was opened in October 1992 and proved a popular addition to the home. Carparking facilities were increased by eight spaces, and there was a provision for further self-care units to be built in the future.
Access to bathrooms in the Christopher Wing were upgraded, with the widening of bathroom doors from a narrow 400mm to 600mm.
On 1 November 1997, Resthaven Murray Bridge celebrated its 40th anniversary with an open day.
Towards the end of the year, significant building works were completed, including an upgraded laundry, kitchen and offices. Additional secure hostel units were also built, bringing the total number units to 46, with one permanent respite unit. Residents appreciated the enlarged secure area lounge and dining/activity area, with overnight staffing now able to occur.
In January 2002, Resthaven was advised by the Minister of Health and Ageing that in the allocation round for residential aged care places, Resthaven Murray Bridge was awarded 26 additional high-care places. So it was that planning began on how best to accommodate this major expansion in numbers and integrate this new level of care at Resthaven Murray Bridge for the first time.
On 19 March 2004, a formal opening and dedication was held at Resthaven Murray Bridge for the new 33-place high-care wing that had been completed the month before. A period of transition followed the increase in facility size and new service offering, with many new staff recruited. The activities program was also reviewed to meet the needs of the changing resident profile.
Resthaven Murray Bridge welcomed two contracted Registered Nurses from Zimbabwe, who complemented the nursing team.
A significant anniversary, the home celebrated 50 years of operation. On 20 March 2007, a Devonshire Afternoon Tea was held with entertainment and memorabilia displays open to the public.
After consultation with residents, weather protection was added to the upper-level balcony in the high-care facility. This offered expanded opportunities for residents to use the area all year round.
To mark Resthaven’s 75th anniversary, the home held an open day on 14 April 2010.
On 1 September 2011, Shadow Minister for Ageing, Concetta Fioravanti-Wells, and Patrick Secker, Member for Barker, visited the home for a tour.
In August 2013, Resthaven purchased the land and house adjacent to the residential aged care complex at 53 Swanport Road, Murray Bridge. The new site was quickly cleared to prepare for future developments.
To support and strengthen Resthaven’s multicultural workforce, Resthaven collaborated with Anglicare and Flinders University to develop a ‘Multicultural Workforce Development Model.’ Funded by the Australian Government Department of Social Services, and led by Flinders University, the project ran from 2015–2017 at Resthaven Murray Bridge and Resthaven Leabrook.
A ‘Turn the Turf’ ceremony was held on 6 January 2017 at Resthaven Murray Bridge, signalling the commencement of a site redevelopment project. With planning approval recently granted, the redevelopment was set to involve extending the site, with buildings to be refined, rebuilt and refurbished. It was envisaged that the local home care offices on Adelaide Road would also become part of the site.
On 10 September 2017, the $200,000, 18-carat gold Emirates Melbourne Cup visited Resthaven Murray Bridge. Around 50 residents, family and staff gathered in the lounge to view the Cup, which stood proudly in the centre of the room.
In November 2017, amidst the building work, Resthaven Murray Bridge celebrated its 60th anniversary. The first stage of the development—the new café area and front entrance—were used for the first time as part of the celebrations.
The third stage of the site’s redevelopment commenced, with 20 new rooms constructed. Part of the redevelopment included installing a custom-built sculpture commissioned by Resthaven and handcrafted by SA artist, Gerry McMahon. The sculpture, titled Dream on Flight, was described by Gerry as a ‘sculptural snapshot of a child, grandmother and pelican, set on a plinth design to represent a wharf, a reference to the river side lifestyle of Murray Bridge.’
To ensure continuity of electricity in the event of unexpected power failures, a generator was installed at Resthaven Murray Bridge.
On 18 January 2019, the major redevelopment of the Murray Bridge site was opened, after two years of extensive and challenging construction. The final outcome was stunning. A completed objective was co-locating a Community Services office with the residential aged care home, with Resthaven Murray Bridge, Hills and Fleurieu Community Services newly housed on the northern edge of the site.
Unfortunately, with the advent of the COVID 19 pandemic, the planned celebrations to mark Resthaven’s 85th anniversary were not able to go ahead at Resthaven Murray Bridge. To ensure the safety of the vulnerable resident community, social events went ‘online,’ with Resthaven purchasing extra iPads and other technology to ensure that residents stay virtually connected with loved ones.
There was a buzz of excitement amongst the site community on 19 January 2024, as the fourth stage of the Santos Tour Down Under (Murray Bridge–Port Elliot) passed the home. The festivities began early with residents enjoying a delicious morning tea, and many made their way to the footpath to cheer on the peloton with handmade streamers and flags.
In celebrating the Paris Olympics, residents from Resthaven Port Elliot travelled to Resthaven Murray Bridge for the ‘2024 inter-home games’. A fierce (but friendly) sporting championship, participants enjoyed a variety of games, with gold medals awarded. The final score saw Resthaven Murray Bridge take out the overall prize.
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