Nellie Melba: From building site to a thing of beauty

The retirement village's first residents to arrive in late July

Ryman Healthcare’s Dame Nellie Melba retirement village is beginning its transition from building site to the most desirable new address for retirees in Melbourne.

After meticulous design and planning, nearly 150,000 man hours, and enough cement poured to fill four Olympic-sized swimming pools, the village, on the corner of Brandon Park Drive and Collegium Ave opposite Brandon Park Shopping Centre, is approaching the final stages of construction.

The first batch of independent apartments is all but complete, and the addition of exterior brickwork has revealed the village’s complexion to the world. 

“It’s exciting,” says project manager Travis Cocks.

“It’s nice to get further towards the end of it in terms of handing some apartments over. It’s the nicer part of the job – you get past all the dirt and grime and start to see a finished product that will be someone’s home, so that’s always a good feeling.

“I think everyone’s excited to see that.”

Nellie Melba’s first residents will move into their new apartment on July 30.

When complete, the village will include aged care rooms, serviced apartments and independent one-, two- and three-bedroomed apartments. Amenities include an indoor swimming pool, movie theatre, café, hair and beauty salons and a bowling green.

Nellie Melba will eventually be home to around 700 residents, who will have Ryman’s continuum of care, including low, high and specialist dementia care, available to them within their village community.