KUKU Yalanji elders will conduct a smoking ceremony on the site of the new Salvation Army Aged Care Plus nursing home to keep contractors safe as the heavy machinery moves in to begin construction.

The principal contractor will begin approved civil works next week including construction of a new intersection with turning lane, new road into the facility, footpaths, drainage, water and sewer connections and a new substation.

These works are expected to be completed by mid-year, with construction of the facility itself to begin before then.

Mayor Julia Leu said the start of operational works also recognises the fact the nursing home is no longer a pipedream and the construction phase represented a significant milestone for our communities.

“As has been well documented, the construction for a nursing home in Mossman is something our communities have been fighting for for more than 20 years,” Leu said.

“Council has been a part of this journey from the very beginning, donating the land, financing the business case, lobbying governments, negotiating complex agreements, waiving development costs and providing technical advice.

“We are also very grateful for the State Government’s contribution of $544,000 as part of the Building Our Regions fund towards the construction of enabling infrastructure.

“With the support of the Salvation Army Aged Care Plus which is responsible for building and operating the nursing home, we have achieved what we set out to do all those years ago which is to get a nursing home built in Mossman.”

The new 42-bed residential aged care centre is scheduled to be completed within 12 months and will generate over 40 local jobs within the construction phase and over 25 full time jobs once the aged care centre has been complete.

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