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Meet the team

A positive culture and caring organisation

For more than 40 years, we have served the Mid North Coast providing compassionate care for our community. 

We are guided by our vision to provide the highest level of person-centred care and support to our residents, families and the local community.

Together, our people create a positive culture and caring organisation. As a local not-for-profit everything we do as a team is underpinned by our values to support the needs of our community and help them live their best life.

Garden Village Board of Directors

Garden Village demonstrates progressive leadership to continually adapt to the needs of the region and support the local aged care sector. Our local Board of Directors provides a foundation for operational excellence and future planning. The Board oversees the critical business functions of risk management, clinical care, financial management, governance and engagement.

Garden Village Board of Directors
In Home Care Port Macquarie Garden Village

Person centred, quality care

The Garden Village team is passionate about good care. All our employees offer genuine, person-centred, quality, accessible and individual care services to our community.

Meet the Team

Craig Wearne CEO

Craig joined Garden Village in 2017 and has 30 years of experience in aged care and health management. He oversees the strategic direction, financial management, master planning and operational innovation of the organisation. 

Garden Village has kept pace with the trends for retirement living to support the growing number of retirees seeking low maintenance living close to the conveniences of the CBD. Craig spearheaded the successful opening of The Cascades, Port Macquarie’s first vertical retirement living development, and played a key role in securing funding for The Banksia through the Building Better Regions Fund.

Craig’s dynamic leadership skills are evident in advancing Garden Village’s strategic vision and purpose. Originally trained as a registered nurse, Craig has the capacity to bring a human lens to his management skillset and positively improve the lives of people in our community.

Linda Southern Chief Operating Officer

Linda joined Garden Village in 2018 and is responsible for finance, information technology, corporate and clinical functions. She leads a team of 150 employees across clinical operations, catering, financial management and workplace health and safety.
Linda’s career spans 30 years in accounting, systems, compliance and human resources. 

Prior to joining Garden Village she worked for commercial and state owned corporations both locally and overseas. With expertise across health, technology and accounting Linda ensures the sustainability of aged care services and operational efficiencies across the organisation.

An active member of the local community, Linda has volunteered as a treasurer for smaller charities and other board roles and is passionate about helping communities thrive. She enjoys supporting Garden Village employees develop their careers and helping them achieve their goals.Linda is a Certified Public Accountant (CPA) and holds a Bachelor of Business (Accounting), a Master’s in Business Administration and a Graduate Diploma in Applied Corporate Governance.

Tammie oversees the clinical operations of Residential Aged Care, which supports 126 residents. With prior experience as a Nurse Unit Manager at Garden Village, Tammie brings a valuable frontline perspective to her leadership position. This experience allows her to support the team of enrolled and registered nurses and personal care assistants, to provide high quality care. Tammie’s expertise in nursing supports the smooth functioning of clinical operations and the wellbeing of residents under her care.

Taryn is responsible for directing the quality systems and processes that support the provision of high quality, safe and person centered care at Garden Village. Taryn has over 35 years experience in the Aged Care Sector and has implemented and managed several quality frameworks. She has extensive experience in leading accreditation projects. Taryn oversees the quality and education teams supporting our successful audits and aged care star ratings.

Scott leads the Finance Team, collaborating with Operation Teams as their Finance Business Partner. He has extensive experience in the Hospitality and Retirement Living sector and blends financial expertise with a strong operations background. Scott has a solid understanding of resident and client needs and navigates complex regulatory environments to ensure the financial sustainability of the organisation. Scott has a Bachelor of Business Degree (Accounting), is a Qualified Mental Health First Aider and holds a Food Safety Supervisor Certificate reflecting a passion for not only finance but residents and fellow team members.

 

Kate’s team supports 270 Retirement Living residents with 24/7 onsite support and social activities. Kate manages the effective sales process for The Banksia, The Cascades and The Classics. Her team ensures the retirement living village operates smoothly, fostering a caring and close-knit community. Kate has experience managing a variety of assets, beginning her journey in Shopping Centre and Commercial Office management before moving into Retirement Living management.

Jo manages the communications, publicity and community engagement for Garden Village. She is an experienced communications professional with twenty years experience in the not for profit sector. Jo transformed Garden Village’s digital presence with a new website and manages the advertising, storytelling and social media content creation. She communicates values led messages to support positive equitable health and wellbeing outcomes for older Australians. 

 

Shelly manages the Community Services team who coordinate Home Care and Disability supports for clients at Garden Village and in the Greater Port Macquarie area. Shelly has many years of experience in the Aged Care Sector and a strong commitment to ensuring access to quality care and support.  Shelly manages a local team of 15 support workers who have strong connections with the region and community. To learn how we can make a difference, call us today to talk to one of our trusted Community Coordinators.

Katie is the Admissions Coordinator and Transition Nurse for Residential Aged Care with thirty years of experience as a registered nurse. When you book a tour your first point of contact will be Katie and the admissions team who will show you around the aged care residences and explain the process from enquiry to moving-in day. Katie coordinates with discharge planners from the Mid North Coast Local Health District and will recommend the best options for you based on your individual needs and support you through the My Aged Care Process. 

 

Chris is responsible for overseeing the efficient management of our aged care and retirement living portfolio ensuring the highest standards of maintenance, safety and quality. He manages a team of 23 staff who support continuous site improvements to ensure the village and grounds meet the expectations of our community and required accreditations. The team introduced MaintainX to streamline maintenance requests and support digital transformation. Chris joined Garden Village eight years ago and has a background in The Electrical Industry and Work Health and Safety.

 

Our people make a difference

Work with an organisation that is passionate about care. If you are looking for local regular and rewarding employment contact us for more information. Career changers and school leavers are welcome to apply.

Located in Port Macquarie on the NSW Mid North Coast, Garden Village is a leading Retirement Living, Aged Care, Disability and Home Care Service. As a registered not for profit we’ve provided care services to the community for over 40 years.

For more than 40 years, Garden Village has provided homes, care and support for ageing Australians on the land of the Birpai people. We pay our respects to all First Nations Ancestors, Elders and People in our community and throughout Australia. We acknowledge the Traditional Custodians of Country, and their continuing connection to land, sea, culture and community.

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