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Aged Care/RM Begg/History of RM Begg Kyneton

History of RM Begg KynetonYear Founded: 1959

RM Begg aged care home’s proud history is steeped in the philanthropic legacy of Miss Ray McGregor Begg, who prior to her death in 1956, established the ‘Ray M. Begg Home for the Aged’ committee. 

A teacher and the owner of a private school in High Street, Kyneton, Miss Begg’s intention was to leave a substantial bequest in her Will to further support and advance aged care opportunities and services for the local community. To support this endeavour, she left the balance of her estate to the newly formed committee – that is, the weatherboard schoolhouse (that still stands proudly in place today) and the land surrounding it. 

In the years after her death, Miss Begg’s vision of a ‘home for the elderly’ was brought to life by the Kyneton Lions Club, supported by a groundswell of community support. 

We sincerely thank all donors for their generous support, enabling us to provide exceptional care to our residents now and in the future at RM Begg.

  • November 1959: After many working bees and extensive community fundraising, the Ray M Begg ‘flats’ were opened in November 1959.
  • November 1961: The Lions Club continued to work towards the betterment of the home and on the 1 November 1961 the committee decided to purchase the 3.5 acres of land across the road from Miss Begg’s Schoolhouse for future development. With the establishment of the units now complete, the committee decided to look into the possibility of building the next stage – the hostel.
  • 1976: The Daffodil Festival Committee donated $21,202 towards a feasibility study around forward planning. In 1978/79, the hostel was subsequently built (A & B wings) and the first 28 residents moved in throughout October 1979.
  • February 1980: Dame Margaret Guilfoyle officially opened the Hostel on 10 February 1980. Building work continued and, by 1981, there were 45 funded beds in operation (which included two respite beds) and one unfunded bed.
  • 2000: The ‘Safe Wing’ was developed, to support and meet advancements in dementia care. In 2002, RM Begg gained funding for its two unfunded beds to give a total of 58 funded beds and three respite beds.
  • November 2012: RM Begg opened stage one of its brand-new purpose-built facility on 25 November 2012.
  • 2023: RM Begg merged with Respect, with the latter taking on management of its operations following a period of positive community consultation. Today, the home stands as a leading provider of aged care services for the Kyneton community and its surrounding areas. RM Begg’s rich history is a testament to its commitment to the wellbeing of local families, and Respect is proud to continue that tradition today.
RM Begg front of the home