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that I have been fully involved in the
business. Prior to that I was a lawyer
and conducting my own legal practice
for 37 years in Melbourne. I grew
up in the aged care industry as my
mum and dad had a couple of small
facilities going back through the 60’s
70’s and 80’s.”
John Matthies’ parents, Keith and
Betty, were founders and operators of
Canterbury Nursing Home from 1966
up to their retirement in the early-
2000s.
In 2005 John identified a new site
in Gellibrand Street in Kew and
established Kew Gardens Aged Care.
John Matthies says, “The first project
that I did was the Kew Gardens
one. This site previously housed the
residence of the Catholic Archbishop
in Melbourne and I bought the site in
2005 and then built the current 100
bed facility there.”
Located a stone’s throw from Kew
Junction, this is a 100-bed Extra
Service residential care facility, which
also provides specialist dementia
care and ageing in place programs.
Kew Gardens Aged Care has the
added advantage of being located in
a quiet area overlooking Alexandra
Gardens, the City of Boorondara’s
premier heritage gardens.
A great deal of thought has gone into
making this facility one of the best in
the Australian aged care industry. The
premises house an exclusive café
and bar in addition to a multimedia
cinema, a private dining room and a
Lifestyle Centre. Residents also have
access to a well-stocked library and a
business centre.
Kew Gardens Aged Care has been built
to cater to every requirement that its
residents may have. The standard rooms
include an en suite bathroom and an