JW
Jenny W.
2 March 2024Went and had morning tea with residents before our friends of Tarcoola meeting
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Lot206 Sara Street, Tara QLD 4421
Deposits (RAD) $320,000 to $370,000
Daily payments (DAP) $73.91 to $85.45 a day
Prices as the facility states them. Confirm current prices and fees with the facility.
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The Australian Government’s published results for this home
Updated May 2026
Compared only with the government’s own targets, averages and national figures.
See every resultRooms and prices
These are room types, not confirmed vacancies. Ask the home which rooms are free right now.
Prices as the facility states them. Confirm current prices and fees with the facility.
Southern Cross Care Tara (Tarcoola) is located 3.5 hours west of Brisbane, an hour and a quarter west of Dalby and a 45 minute drive south of Chinchilla. It offers accommodation for up to 33 residents in a lovely community with access to a wide range of care services and social activities. We know how important it is for you to stay connected to the things that matter to you. Our volunteers and care staff are dedicated to helping you stay active and connected to the community. There are many meaningful activities on offer to make sure no two days are the same.
Residents and families
Each year an independent team talks privately with at least 1 in 5 residents of every government-funded aged care home. These are the answers at Southern Cross Care Tara - Tarcoola in the 2025 survey.
AlwaysMost of the timeSome of the timeNeverThe number on the right is how many in every 100 gave a positive answer.
Every home reports its 3 most common kinds of praise and complaints, and its 3 main improvements. July 2024 to June 2025.
Most praise was about
Most complaints were about
The main improvements made were in
Quality
The Australian Government gives every aged care home a star rating from 1 to 5. More stars means higher quality care.
What residents told an independent survey team about their care.
2025 survey
Based on decisions about the home by the Aged Care Quality and Safety Commission, the regulator.
Rated April 2025
How much care residents get from nurses and care workers, against the home’s targets.
October to December 2025
How often five health problems happen, such as falls and weight loss, compared with other homes.
October to December 2025
The ratings are the government’s, as published for this home.
Daily life
Breakfast, lunch and dinner are cooked fresh, and all food is made on site. The home spent $23 a resident a day on food; the average for aged care homes was $16. January to March 2026.
In the rooms: Bedside table, Ensuite bathroom, Furnished room, Overbed table, Built in wardrobe
Catholic faith · The organisation that runs this home reports cultural safety, inclusive policies and inclusive activities in place across its homes (July 2024 to June 2025)
Visit
Address
Lot206 Sara Street, Tara QLD 4421
Visits are by arrangement with the home. Call Southern Cross Care Tara - Tarcoola to arrange a time.
Costs
Prices as the facility states them. Confirm current prices and fees with the facility.
Paying for a room: each room type states a refundable deposit (RAD) and a daily payment (DAP). My Aged Care explains how they work and what else you may pay. Aged care home fee estimator (opens in a new tab) · Aged care home costs and fees (opens in a new tab)
Health
Every government-funded home reports these to the government every 3 months. For all of them, fewer is better. October to December 2025.
Each result is the share of the home’s residents, compared with the national figure the government publishes.
Staff
Every home has its own targets for how much care each resident gets, on average, every day. Care time includes help with everyday tasks and things like updating care plans. October to December 2025.
That’s 3 hours 50 minutes of care a resident a day, on average.
Homes must have a registered nurse on site 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Southern Cross Care Tara - Tarcoola reported one on site around the clock in 8 of the 12 months reported, from July 2025 to June 2026. In June 2026 the national average was 23 hours 51 minutes a day.
Next steps
It can feel like a lot. These are the steps most families go through, in order.
Free help from the government
Call My Aged Care on 1800 200 422
Location
Lot206 Sara Street, Tara QLD 4421.
Next step
Send an enquiry. There’s no fee to enquire, and we’ll let the home know you’ve been in touch.
Some reviews were originally published on Google.
Went and had morning tea with residents before our friends of Tarcoola meeting
An excellent nursing home. All the staff go way and beyond to love and care for their residents.
Very good clean tidy an great staff
Southern Cross Geriatric Gaol is a sad place. The food is almost acceptable on weekdays, but not on weekends. The staff are all doing their job, like delivering the trays, or taking them back, almost as good as a robot would. This is a place with no imagination and very little care. I have heard they have an RN, but I have not seen one. The doctor comes around weekly, apparently. I met a nice EN who seemed to care, but that is the exception All in all, it is best to put your loved one anywhere else. Maybe a caravan in the desert. UPDATE: Although our aged loved-one moved out recently, towards the end of his stay there the care was getting better. Although it is still far below where he is now, it is still much improved. Hopefully this was due to transient circumstances.