Brightwater Care Group has been providing care services to Western Australians for over 100 years.
Lady Madeleine Onslow and Dr Athelstan Saw, two prominent citizens in Perth around the turn of the 19th century, convened a meeting in the Perth Town Hall in November 1898 to address the desperate issue of care services for the WA community. It was at this meeting that the ‘Home of Peace for the Dying and Incurable’ was founded.
In 1901, when sufficient funds had been raised, construction of the first buildings commenced on a site bounded by Townshend Road, Hamersley Road and Thomas Street in Subiaco. These first buildings provided accommodation for 30 people. Thirty-five years later, two new wards and a boiler house were erected and resident accommodation grew to 85.
In 1948, the name of the association was changed to ‘The Home of Peace for the Chronic Sick’ and in 1966 again changed to simply ‘The Homes of Peace’.
Increasing demand for services forced the Board to look elsewhere for land to build another ‘Homes of Peace’ in the early 1960s. The State Government made available a seven and a half acre site in Walter Road, Inglewood, and planning to build a 288 bed nursing home began in 1965. The final stage was completed in 1973.
In the 1980s, the services and structure of the ‘Homes of Peace’ evolved further. A unit was established at each home to develop age-appropriate services for young people with acquired disabilities.
The ‘Homes of Peace’ changed its name to Brightwater Care Group in 1997 to reflect the new and dynamic nature of the organisation and Brightwater is still growing and expanding to meet the needs of the West Australian community.
