Former Feros Village filling up

THE operator of the former Feros Village in Byron Bay is working with local homelessness organisations such as Fletcher Street Cottage and Mullumbimby Neighbourhood Centre to fill the remaining places at the aged care facility.

Non-profit organisation St Andrew’s, which operates another aged care facility in Ballina, took over operation of the Marvell Street site in January on an interim licence after it was selected as the preferred proponent to negotiate a lease following a public expression of interest (EOI) process.

The EOI was initiated by the NSW Government after former operator Feros Care announced in February 2023 that it planned to close the facility.

The Government awarded St Andrew’s a 40-year lease last week, providing security for residents.

“We wanted to look at what we can do differently in Byron Bay than what we do in Ballina,” St Andrew’s chief executive officer Todd Yourell said.

“We looked at the homelessness statistics in Byron Bay and really aimed for homelessness status with the Department of Health and Aged Care, which we have now received.

“That means that more than half of the residents have to have experienced homelessness.”

While the site has capacity for 40 people, there were only seven residents left at the start of the year.

But St Andrew’s has built numbers back up to 30 as it works on refurbishing the buildings.

More than $2 million has been spent so far on repainting, replacing floors, renovating kitchenettes, adding skylights, replacing beds and other furniture, updating the salon, adding artwork, landscaping and replacing lattice with more durable aluminium slats.

Mr Yourell said the next step is to seek a grant to renovate the bathrooms.

The four cottages, which each have 10 rooms, have been renamed Tallows, Wategos, Lighthouse and Clarkes after local beaches.

They have also requested the facility be known colloquially as George’s Cottages in honour of the late George Feros, who founded it.

His daughter Ruby visited last week when she was in the area on holiday and was impressed with the refurbishment.

“She said it made her heart full,” Mr Yourell said.