The History of Pinaroo Roma Inc.1958 – 2021

The Pinaroo story began in 1958 when several Rotary Club members discussed the need for pensioner cottages in Roma.In 1959 Rex Gray became president of The Rotary Club of Roma and his project was to set up a Pensioner Housing Development with very low rental for retirees that worked hard all of their lives and had very little money to retire on.To raise funds for the project there were raffles each Saturday morning in front of the old council chambers. 
Also every year there was a tagged fishing competition on Mr Howard Salter’s property “Brucedale” 20 miles south of Roma. Fishermen of all shapes and sizes lined the banks of Bungil Creek. 
On the day they also organised hayrides, damper and billy tea etc. (no one ever caught the tagged fish). If you wanted to fish on the other side of the creek there was a boat available to take you across. However, when you wanted to return it cost big money. To transport all the equipment out to “Brucedale” the secretary at the time Norm Smith, borrowed the flour mill truck. At the last minute he realised he needed a “C” class licence, so he drove the truck up to the police station where Sergeant Alf Kohn being very community minded provided a licence in under five minutes.Over the next 5 years,$8,000 was raised and a public committee was formed on 28th November 1963, from which evolved "The Roma and District Aged Westerners Cottage Scheme", the aim of which was to develop a complex to be known as Pinaroo (meaning "Resting Place").At the first official committee meeting there were four main objectives. (1) for the council to make available land for the units to be built. 
(2) to make letters patent under the religious, education and charitable institutions act. 
(3) The annual general meeting to be held in November. (and what a problem that turned out to be, as theyusually had to run down to the local hotel and gather up a few people to make a quorum and one occasion two alderman had to be borrowed from a council meeting). 
(4) To be eligible for the Cottage Scheme the applicants had to be a resident of the Roma district, men were to be 65 years of age and over and women to be 60 years.

The first public committee was Mr Frank Smith (Chairman), Mr Joe Orr (Vice Chairman), Mr Norm Smith (Secretary), Mr John Cochrane (Treasurer) and members Mr Cec Taylor, Mr John Doyle, Mr Rex Gray, Henry Pettiford, Dr SP Stevens, Dr R Smith, Lance Kennedy, Bill Hawkins, Frank Cory, Rev Foote, Mr & Mrs Copeland and Mrs Andrews. Legal adviser Albert Bauer and Mr Keith McGrath honorary auditor. In 1965 Frank Smith resigned as he was leaving the area and the committee in it’s wisdom decided to ask the local member Mr Bill Ewan MLA (Bomber) to take over the chairmanship to assist the committee with all the legal documentation. Bomber accepted the position with pleasure. He would go to various departments and on being told ‘this is not our department’, he would respond with I’ll sit in this chair until you can tell me which department to go to, so get on that phone and find out. Bomber cut through all the red tape and got the project moving.James Burrell and Co were engaged to draw up plans for five cottages. The committee approved the architect’s plans and tenders were called. The successful tender was Bill Martinek with a cost of $19,552.There was still a short fall of approximately $10,000 for the building, furniture and fittings. 
Rex Gray gave a loan of $800 and the three members of the committee went guarantor at the Commonwealth Bank for a loan of $10,000. 
The five-cottage complex was officially opened on 23rd November 1968. The first residents were Mr & Mrs Fulwood with a rental of $5 per week. The cottage was named W.M.Ewan and was officially opened by the then Federal Member Mr Jim Corbett. 
Number two cottage was unofficially opened on the same day by Rotarians. This cottage was named “OLAY” in appreciation of the tremendous work done by the secretary Norm Smith.

Mission & Philosophy

Pinaroo will be acknowledged for promoting well-being and enhancing excellence in Aged Care by fostering individual lifestyle choices.

❖ Compassion and excellence in all our services with resident needs being our primary focus.❖ All persons needing care are of equal value and should be admitted regardless of race, creed, colour or social status.❖ Every resident has the right to ongoing quality care which is planned to meet their needs.❖ Care encompasses the physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs of each resident with each one encouraged to reach his/her potential.

❖ Care encompasses the physical, emotional, spiritual and social needs of each resident with each one encouraged to reach his/her potential.❖ Provide a warm home-like environment for resident, relatives, visitors and staff.❖ Social interaction with outside organisations provides stimulation for residents and creates goodwill amongst the community.

❖ Ensure that every effort is made according to the residents’ values and beliefs to maintain comfort, dignity and peace during palliative care.❖ As employees of “Pinaroo” we will achieve both the organisational goals and our individual goals by working together as a team with a common purpose, and valuing every person’s contribution

Our People

The Leadership Team

MELANIE CALVERT 

CEO/Facility Manager 

Caitlin Ciudin

Finance Manager

REI-ANN SABUGO

Clinical Manager 

Debbie Blanie

Laundry Supervisor

Matthew Densley

Maintence Officer

LESLEY MCCORMACK

Domestic Supervisor 

Rabindra Shrestha

Chef

SKYE BENNETT

Diversional Therapist                                                    

The History of Pinaroo Roma Inc.

1958 – 2021

Mission & Philosophy

Our People

The Leadership Team

MELANIE CALVERT

Caitlin Ciudin

Debbie Blanie

Matthew Densley

Rabindra Shrestha

About Us

Address

Contact

Follow Us