MATERNE Estate, Kadina, was officially opened on Sunday, August 25.

The four independent living units, designed for retirees, were made possible thanks to funding from the Kadina Community Hospital Board. 

The board purchased land on the corner of Digby and Christies streets for the estate in 2021. 

A non-profit, tax-exempt entity, the board’s expenditure was ruled by its constitution and the state Associations Incorporations Act, which included the provision of facilities for aged care, board member John Shane said.

“To progress this, we developed a small, independent living facility to be operated under the Retirement Villages Act,” Mr Shane said. 

“There was a need for more aged care living in Kadina and the site provided a centrally located option to the CBD, so we decided to buy it and develop it.

“All the units are occupied — it didn’t take long.

“Wahlstedt Quality Homes was awarded the building contract with construction commencing in May 2023.”

Mr Shane said the private Kadina Community Hospital (on Eliza Terrace) ceased operation in 1995 when, due to ineligibility for public patient government funding, it was deemed unviable.

“The Kadina Community Hospital Board continued in operation and oversaw the closure of the hospital and rationalisation of assets, which also included the sale of the nursing home and (as the hospital site also housed the Kadina GP practice) purchase of the then medical clinic on Taylor Street,” Mr Shane said. 

“The main hospital building was then leased to the Kadina Medical Practice for several years and the Women’s and Children’s Health Network. 

“After the Kadina Medical Practice relocated, the premises were leased to Yorke and Nothern Local Health Network.” 

Mr Shane said the board continued to provide funding for health-related projects around the community and the units wouldn’t have been possible without the board being still in operation. 

“The board currently has eight members, all good community people,” he said. 

“We have supported many projects, including the installation of showers and toilets at the Kadina Ambulance Station, contributed to the upgrades at the airport to support the Royal Flying Doctor Service and upplied a number of defibrillators to community clubs and public spaces.

“We want to continue to support health and aged care in our region now and into the future.”

Prominent doctor receives recognition 

MATERNE Estate has been named after Doctor Maurice Materne who was a general practitioner at the Kadina Community Hospital for more than 40 years. 

“It was great to be a medical practitioner at Kadina,” Dr Materne said at the opening.

“My first seniors were Dr W. Seith, Dr L. Thyer and Dr J. Flett; they were very capable partners.

“I was in obstetrics prior to coming to Kadina and I had spent a year at the Adelaide Maternity Hospital — that year 5000 babies were delivered in Adelaide. 

“I spent the second half of the year as deputy senior intendant and in 1962 delivered 86 babies at both the Kadina and Wallaroo Hospitals. 

“I was also involved with anaesthetics and later with major surgery. I later become the medical superintendent at the Wallaroo Hospital.” 

Dr Materne was also heavily involved in the local community. 

“I attended all the school committees to support my five children.

“I was a charter member of the Kadina Lions Club and held positions as president and later became a deputy governor of the Yorke Peninsula Lions.

“(After retiring to Adelaide), I continued in Lions at Mitcham until the club closed last year. 

“I also belonged to the Kadina Lutheran Church and was the chairman when the new church was built.”

Kadina Community Hospital Board chair Dean Rodda said the board wanted to honour a very prominent doctor in the district. 

“Dr Materne was heavily involved in the local community and was a good, old-time doctor who was called on a lot,” Mr Rodda said. 

“The units, in particular, will be in the community for the foreseeable future under retirement living, something the area is in dire need of. 

“The board is extremely proud of what it has achieved over the years to support health services in Kadina and the Copper Coast, and we look forward to continuing to be able to fund and help many more health projects into the future.”