Ararat’s A & J McDonald Centre Aiming for $15 Million Transformation
Ararat Rural City Council, in collaboration with Grampians Community Health, is preparing to embark on an ambitious project to seek funding to redevelop the A & J McDonald Centre, breathing new life into two of the city’s most characterful buildings and establishing a welcoming hub for community health, social connection, and local services.
The $15 million project would see the prominent 1950s era art deco buildings reimagined into a modern, accessible facility that continues to serve the Ararat community while meeting today’s needs. The project is expected to run over two to three years, after funding is secured and construction begins, with the full process extending from 2026 to 2030. A concept design is currently underway.
A detailed structural condition report has found the theatre space to be in good to excellent condition, confirming its suitability for adaptive reuse. Plans will retain the iconic façade, while adding a new floor to the spacious hall to create a variety of flexible, fully accessible areas for community activities and services. The additional building, currently housing Grampians Community Health, would either be rebuilt or adapted to be universally accessible, and additional feasibility
Designed to foster health, inclusion, and opportunity, the redeveloped hub will bring together current partners and seek new service providers such as Headspace. The centre is also set to feature meeting and co-working spaces, GP clinics, a multicultural hub and more.
Ararat Rural City Council CEO, Dr Tim Harrison, said, “This project reflects the commitment of Council and our partners to tailoring services that genuinely respond to the needs of Ararat’s people. By honouring the history of the A & J McDonald Centre while creating state-of-the-art spaces, we’re paving the way for a healthier, more connected community.”
The modernised centre will offer more care, closer to home, by increasing capacity for mental health support, alcohol and other drug services, family violence response, chronic disease management, and carer support. Trauma-informed design principles will ensure safer, more welcoming spaces, with secure reception areas and compliant, accessible amenities.
Greg Little, CEO of Grampians Community Health said, “This development is about strengthening the service offering of what’s available in Ararat and the district. When we opened our current Stawell site in 2009, moving into a fit-for-purpose building meant the community was able to access services from a GP clinic, carer support services, counselling, youth, NDIS services, a community space, and beyond.”
He continued, “The same thing has happened in Horsham. We moved from a house to a fit-for-purpose site and have gone from 15 to 60 staff, and it’s been great for jobs and the Horsham economy. The space is somewhere clients want to go. It’s time that Ararat’s residents get truly for-purpose health services.”
Mayor Bob Sanders said, “For generations, the A & J McDonald Centre has been a place for local people to gather and support each other. As we approach the 70th anniversary since the Foundation Stone was laid, it feels fitting to look ahead to the Centre’s next chapter - a place designed to nurture well-being, connection, and shared opportunity in Ararat.”
Enhanced coordination of referrals and support services will offer more seamless, person-centred care. By providing modern, purpose-built facilities, the project also aims to attract and retain dedicated rural clinicians, strengthening services for years to come.
The redevelopment will honour the enduring legacy of the A & J McDonald Centre, ensuring it continues to serve as a cornerstone of community life for decades ahead.
