Adelaide aged care provider expands to Victoria
Lutheran Homes Group is expanding beyond South Australia for the first time, acquiring two regional Victorian aged care communities, giving the not-for-profit an interstate presence.
Lutheran Homes Group (LHG) will acquire Sunnyside Lutheran Retirement Village in Horsham (which will become Lutheran Homes Group Horsham) and Eventide Lutheran Homes & Hamilton Village in Hamilton (which will become Lutheran Homes Group Hamilton).
These locations join LHG’s existing portfolio in South Australia, which includes Fullarton, Glynde, Hope Valley and Para Vista.
LHG Chief Executive Officer and previous InDaily 40 Under 40 award winner Tim Chia said the expansion was underpinned by the organisation’s strong financial position and desire to serve a broader cross-section of the community.
LHG was formed following the merger between LHI and Fullarton Lutheran Homes in 2022.
“It’s been a really exciting three years for us,” Chia told InDaily.
“We’ve grown from a $40 million revenue organisation to a $120 million business in just three and a half years, and our total assets are approaching $500 million,” Chia said.
“It’s been a massive improvement journey in terms of building the performance of the organisation, the team and the culture,” Chia said.
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As the aged care sector navigates ongoing reform, including new care standards and the new Aged Care Act starting 1 July 2025, Chia said LHG was prepared for the regulatory changes.
“As an organisation, there is pretty strong governance and planning around preparations for the new act and standards,” he said.
“We support the intent of sector reform, but we also understand the operational and cost implications.”
For expanding an already-established brand interstate, Chia and the LHG executive team wanted to approach the expansion hands-on to deliver consistency with their brand in SA.
“It comes down to human interaction and engagement,” Chia said.
“It’s all been part of our planning and our due diligence to ensure that there is an ongoing program in terms of our key leaders continuing to visit the sites and engage with people.
“We’ve spent a significant amount of time over there at the sites the last 3-4 months, and that’s been about engaging with and getting to know the residents.”
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He said video conferencing made it easier to remain in contact with residents but “there’s nothing better than that sort of human interaction”.
“It’s that demonstration of our commitment to being there in person and engaging with the staff to help them understand the way that we do things, that’s going to be the key driver,” Chia said.
LHG will be investing to upgrade the Horsham and Hamilton sites, including facility improvements, resident amenities, and staff environments. These upgrades will begin shortly after the transition.
“Both of the new sites are in good financial health, and we will enhance them by investing in their assets and people,” Chia said.
“We are focused not only on bricks and mortar but on strengthening the local workforce, offering professional development.
“One of the most exciting things from my perspective is the cultural improvement in the organisation, we’ve really become an employer of choice for staff development and continuing to build really positive relationships with our retirement residents and communities.”
Chia told InDaily that community connection was essential for the establishment of LHG in a new State.
“We’ve got quite a significant engagement plan that we’ve developed in terms of working with and supporting local community clubs and groups we’re planning to roll out in the next 12 months,” Chia said.
The acquisition increases LHG’s total resident population to more than 2,000, with a team of more than 1,300 staff and volunteers. The locations add 134 residential care beds and 184 independent living units to LHG’s portfolio.
It comes amid wider investment across the organisation, with multi-million-dollar investments being made at its Glynde and Hope Valley facilities and advanced planning underway for the redevelopment of LHG Fullarton.
The expansion was supported by Adelaide mergers and acquisitions firm Equity & Advisory.
“Our scale and structure allow us to meet new standards while continuing to create meaningful job opportunities and invest in sustainable growth,” he said.
“This is more than just expansion, it’s a commitment to regional aged care, supported by long-term investment and financial strength.”
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