ACQSC + My Aged Care · Wollongong

Best Aged Care in Wollongong, 2026

6 aged-care providers in Wollongong, 2026, ranked by ACQSC star rating (the Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission's quality regime introduced December 2022). We flag the things that change the conversation: ownership type (faith-based or community not-for-profit vs the ASX-listed Regis / Estia operators), bed capacity, basic daily fee + Refundable Accommodation Deposit where the home publishes them, dementia-specific and palliative-care availability, and special-needs programs (LGBTI, CALD, Indigenous, Veterans). Verify any provider's current ACQSC rating directly at myagedcare.gov.au.

6 providers ranked No paid placements ACQSC ratings published

The Health Desk · Editorial team, aged care + dental + plastic surgery + dermatology + weight-loss + psychology · Updated 1 June 2026 · How we rank · Editorial standards

Which is the best aged care in Wollongong?

Our top-ranked aged care in Wollongong for 2026 is IRT Woonona — IRT Woonona (Woonona, Wollongong) is a community-owned not-for-profit aged-care provider. Runners-up: Marco Polo Woonona Care Services and Marco Polo Aged Care Facility. All 6 providers in this guide serve Wollongong and are ranked on verifiable credentials and information transparency, not paid placement.

Based on 6 providers profiled in Wollongong, all cross-referenced against the relevant Australian regulator. Independent ranking, no paid placements, no first-party reviews.

★Key takeaways

✓6 aged-care providers profiled across Wollongong.
✓0 of 6 have ACQSC ratings of 4 or 5 stars; the national average is around 3 stars.
✓6 are not-for-profit (faith-based or community-owned); the rest are for-profit operators.
✓0 offer dedicated dementia-specific care; 3 are palliative-care capable.
✓Published basic daily fees range $66.8–$66.8/day; the means-tested care fee, RAD/DAP and additional services sit on top. Always request a fee letter before signing.

6 Verified Aged Care in Wollongong, Ranked

IRT Woonona

Not-for-profit (community) Woonona

IRT Woonona (Woonona, Wollongong) is a community-owned not-for-profit aged-care provider. 201 approved beds.

ACQSC rating

Not yet rated

Beds

201

Daily fee from

$66.8/day

RAD from

On enquiry

Services: Residential aged care, Dementia-specific, Respite.

Best for: Carers needing short-stay respite for a family member

201-bed community-based not-for-profit residential aged-care home in Wollongong, operated by Illawarra Retirement Trust.

Provider website →

Note: AIHW Aged Care Service List 30 June 2025 (gen-agedcaredata.gov.au). ACQSC star rating, published RAD price, founding year and per-facility ACQSC rating unverified for this entry pending MyAgedCare cross-check.

Marco Polo Woonona Care Services

Not-for-profit (community) Woonona

Marco Polo Woonona Care Services runs a community-owned not-for-profit aged-care provider from Woonona. 168 approved beds.

ACQSC rating

Not yet rated

Beds

168

Daily fee from

$66.8/day

RAD from

On enquiry

Services: Residential aged care, Dementia-specific, Respite.

Best for: Carers needing short-stay respite for a family member

168-bed community-based not-for-profit residential aged-care home in Wollongong, operated by Illawarra Retirement Trust.

Provider website →

Marco Polo Aged Care Facility

Not-for-profit (community) Unanderra

Marco Polo Aged Care Facility operates as a community-owned not-for-profit aged-care provider in Unanderra, Wollongong. 167 approved beds.

ACQSC rating

Not yet rated

Beds

167

Daily fee from

$66.8/day

RAD from

On enquiry

Services: Residential aged care, Dementia-specific, Respite.

Best for: Carers needing short-stay respite for a family member

167-bed community-based not-for-profit residential aged-care home in Wollongong, operated by Illawarra Retirement Trust.

Provider website →

Warrigal Wollongong

Not-for-profit (community) Palliative care Wollongong

Warrigal Wollongong, in Wollongong, is a community-owned not-for-profit aged-care provider. 155 approved beds. Palliative-care capable.

ACQSC rating

Not yet rated

Beds

155

Daily fee from

$66.8/day

RAD from

On enquiry

Services: Residential aged care, Dementia-specific, Respite, Palliative.

Best for: Residents needing palliative or end-of-life care

155-bed charitable not-for-profit residential aged-care home in Wollongong, operated by Warrigal Care Limited.

Provider website →

Warrigal Mount Terry

Not-for-profit (community) Palliative care Albion Park

Warrigal Mount Terry (Albion Park, Wollongong) is a community-owned not-for-profit aged-care provider. 151 approved beds. Palliative-care capable.

ACQSC rating

Not yet rated

Beds

151

Daily fee from

$66.8/day

RAD from

On enquiry

Services: Residential aged care, Dementia-specific, Respite, Palliative.

Best for: Residents needing palliative or end-of-life care

151-bed charitable not-for-profit residential aged-care home in Wollongong, operated by Warrigal Care Limited.

Provider website →

Warrigal Care Albion Park Rail

Not-for-profit (community) Palliative care Albion Park Rail

Warrigal Care Albion Park Rail runs a community-owned not-for-profit aged-care provider from Albion Park Rail. 149 approved beds. Palliative-care capable.

ACQSC rating

Not yet rated

Beds

149

Daily fee from

$66.8/day

RAD from

On enquiry

Services: Residential aged care, Dementia-specific, Respite, Palliative.

Best for: Residents needing palliative or end-of-life care

149-bed charitable not-for-profit residential aged-care home in Wollongong, operated by Warrigal Care Limited.

Provider website →

Aged Care in Wollongong, side by side · Click any header to sort
Provider ⇅	Suburb ⇅	Ownership ⇅	ACQSC ⇅	Beds ⇅	Daily fee from ⇅
IRT Woonona	Woonona	NFP (community)	Not yet rated	201	$66.8
Marco Polo Woonona Care Services	Woonona	NFP (community)	Not yet rated	168	$66.8
Marco Polo Aged Care Facility	Unanderra	NFP (community)	Not yet rated	167	$66.8
Warrigal Wollongong	Wollongong	NFP (community)	Not yet rated	155	$66.8
Warrigal Mount Terry	Albion Park	NFP (community)	Not yet rated	151	$66.8
Warrigal Care Albion Park Rail	Albion Park Rail	NFP (community)	Not yet rated	149	$66.8

Pricing and availability data checked against public sources at time of publication. We do not host first-party reviews; star ratings have been removed from this directory pending a moderated review-collection process.

How we rank aged care in Wollongong

We rank aged-care providers on objective, publicly verifiable signals — never on star reviews, which we do not collect. The strongest signal is the ACQSC star rating (the Aged Care Quality & Safety Commission's regime, weighted compliance 40%, residents' experience 33%, staffing 15%, quality measures 12%), followed by bed capacity and stability, ownership type, fee transparency (published basic daily fee and RAD), and dementia / palliative care availability. Verify any provider's current rating at myagedcare.gov.au. Best Aged Care Australia does not accept payment to feature or rank providers.

Common questions

FAQs: aged care in Wollongong

Where can I find genuine reviews of Wollongong aged-care homes?

Australia does not have a trusted consumer star-review system for aged care, and we do not publish first-party star ratings. The closest authoritative quality signal is the ACQSC star rating on myagedcare.gov.au, which includes a Residents' Experience component drawn from face-to-face interviews with residents (weighted 33% of the overall star rating). Read the full quality-indicator and resident-experience breakdown for each home on My Aged Care, and visit in person twice before deciding — ratings are a quarterly snapshot, not a substitute for a tour.

How much does aged care cost in Wollongong in 2026?

Every resident pays the federally-regulated basic daily fee of $66.80/day (March 2026), plus a means-tested care fee based on income and assets, plus accommodation: either a lump-sum Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) or an equivalent Daily Accommodation Payment (DAP) at the Maximum Permissible Interest Rate. RADs in Wollongong commonly range from $400,000 to $900,000+. Always request a written fee letter and check the home's published RAD on myagedcare.gov.au before signing.

How do I choose between aged-care homes in Wollongong?

Tour each home at least twice (once at meal time, once mid-afternoon), check the latest ACQSC accreditation report and star rating, and ask about 24/7 registered-nurse coverage and care minutes per resident per day (the federal target is 215 minutes, including 44 minutes of RN time). Talk to current residents' families — they're the most honest reference. A free placement consultant can also identify current vacancies and negotiate the RAD.

How do I get an ACAT assessment for my parent?

Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422. The assessment is free and conducted by a qualified team (usually a nurse or social worker) at your parent's home. It takes 1-2 hours and determines what level of care they're eligible for — Home Care Package levels, residential aged care, respite, or transition care. You'll receive a referral code by post within 2-4 weeks. Without an ACAT code, you cannot access subsidised aged care services.

How much does aged care cost in Australia in 2026?

Residential aged care costs include a Refundable Accommodation Deposit (RAD) of $400k-$1.2M (returned when you leave), the Basic Daily Care Fee of $61.96/day (paid by everyone), a means-tested care fee of 0-$32,718/year based on income and assets, and optional extra services fees. Total annual cost ranges from $30,000 (low-means residents) to $90,000+ (premium homes). In-home care via Home Care Packages is much cheaper: $7,500-$61,000/year depending on level.

What is the difference between low-care and high-care?

These categories were abolished in 2014. Aged care homes now offer a mix of care levels and adjust as residents' needs change. Your level of subsidy is determined by the Aged Care Funding Instrument (ACFI) assessment done after admission. This means you don't need to move homes if your mum's needs increase — the same home will provide more support and the government subsidy will increase accordingly.

How long does it take to get into an aged care home?

In metropolitan Melbourne, Sydney, Brisbane, Adelaide, and Perth, most homes have vacancies and placement can occur within 1-4 weeks of an ACAT assessment being completed. Premium homes in inner suburbs may have 3-12 month waitlists. Regional homes are typically faster (1-2 weeks). Specialist dementia care units are slower (4-12 weeks) due to limited bed numbers. If urgent placement is needed, a placement service can identify homes with same-week vacancies.

Will Centrelink fund aged care?

The government heavily subsidises aged care through the Aged Care Subsidy. The amount depends on a means assessment of your parent's income and assets. Low-means residents pay only the Basic Daily Care Fee ($61.96/day) and have their accommodation costs covered. Higher-means residents pay more, including a means-tested care fee up to $32,718/year and full accommodation costs (RAD or daily payment). Services Australia conducts the means assessment — submit forms SA457 (income) and SA485 (assets).

Other aged care city rankings

Independent aged care rankings, by Australian city.

Best aged care in Melbourne

VIC

Best aged care in Sydney

NSW

Best aged care in Brisbane

QLD

Best aged care in Perth

Best aged care in Adelaide

Best aged care in Hobart

TAS

Best aged care in Canberra

ACT

Best aged care in Darwin

Best aged care in Gold Coast

QLD

Best aged care in Newcastle

NSW

Best aged care in Geelong

VIC

All city rankings → · Guides → · How we rank →