When William Lee died in 1979 he left the proceeds of his estate to a committee for the purpose of building a hostel for retired people.
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The committee invested that money and 12 years later in 1991, with the assistance of local bodies and the Commonwealth Government, Lee Hostel was opened.
Fast forward to today and Lee Hostel has been a proudly independent aged care facility for 30 years.
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Facility manager Suzanne Payne said that remaining as an independent and unique centre is at the core of the business plan moving forward.
"We're looking forward to making sure that we have a safe and happy place to live for the residents and a safe and happy workplace for the staff," she said.
In the wake of the Aged Care Royal Commission, Ms Payne said that Lee Hostel was ideally suited for the new ways of working compared to the large institutional suppliers.
"Lee hostel is one of the last unique beautiful small facilities and we can make it a little bit bigger, and it will still be a safe and happy residence for the people that live here, and that's what we try to do everyday," she said.
"In those large centres you get lost. The residents pay a lot of money to sit there and not get looked after. We can make this a little bit bigger and still be unique."
Chairman Miles Hedge said discussions were underway to look into any possibilities of expansion.
"We're in discussion with western area health about expanding the hospital and that may involve the use of some of the Lee Hostel's land," he said.
"We would also need the cooperation of the state and federal governments to help us expand our base as well."
Mr Hedge said that it wouldn't be a case of expansion for the sake of it.
"We need to find a viable number because we need to make sure that the Lee Hostel can survive as an independent operation and not be sold out to some corporate," he said.
Mr Hedge acknowledged the work of the committee members and staff during a brief speech before morning tea.