Bolton Clarke is marking 140 years of dedicated service, celebrating the day the first members of the Melbourne District Nursing Society—later known as RDNS and now Bolton Clarke—came together to establish home nursing in Australia.
The organisation has grown from humble beginnings, starting with a single nurse in 1885, to Australia’s largest independent not-for-profit aged care and health provider, with a team of more than 16,000 supporting 130,000 Australians nationwide.
The pioneering first nurse ventured onto Melbourne’s streets during a devastating typhoid epidemic, travelling on foot to deliver essential care to those without access to services. As demand for nursing support grew, more nurses were employed, shifting from foot patrols to bicycles to cover greater distances.
Over the years, the organisation received strong community backing. Dame Nellie Melba, an ardent supporter of community nursing, performed at fundraising events. At the same time, Pattie Deakin, wife of Prime Minister Alfred Deakin, personally volunteered and conducted home visits in Melbourne’s poorest neighbourhoods.
Around the same time, General William Kinsey Bolton, a Gallipoli veteran and the first president of the RSL, championed the cause of providing specialist care and housing for returning veterans—a mission that remains central to Bolton Clarke today.
“We’ve come a long way in 140 years. Our teams have worked through the Great Depression and two world wars, and have successfully managed outbreaks of SARS, HIV/AIDS, MERS, Swine Flu and Zika, all while responding to an increasing number of natural disasters, from bushfires to floods and cyclones.”
Stephen Muggleton, Group CEO, Bolton Clarke
In a statement, Mr Muggleton credited the generosity, kindness, and determination of the people who have shaped Bolton Clarke, from its first nurse to the thousands of healthcare professionals delivering care today.
“Then and now, we celebrate the teams who have provided care in extraordinary circumstances and who continue to make a difference every day for our clients and residents,” he added.
