Western Australian not-for-profit Juniper has expanded its regional footprint with the acquisition of Waratah Lodge, an 18-bed aged care facility previously operated by Wagin Frail Aged Inc in the Wheatbelt – around 200 klm southeast of Perth.
Juniper already operates a 26-bed aged care facility in Katanning, located 30 minutes from Wagin and is one of the state’s biggest regional providers, with services as far north as Wyndham to Albany in the Great Southern district.
Inside Ageing spoke with Juniper’s CEO Russell Bricknell about the acquisition and future plans for one of WA’s largest providers, with more than 2100 employees.
Bricknell is optimistic about the future, citing that aged care is positioned well.
“The next 12-18 months will be more about consolidating ahead of expansion and acquisitions if the opportunity is right. We look for assets that have the right values and scale is important to us, so being near to an existing Juniper facility is something we look for,” Mr Bricknell said.
Juniper has a significant presence in the Kimberley region, with services in key centres such as Kununurra, Fitzroy Crossing and Derby, from which they serve a number of Indigenous communities.
