Pay Invoice
Feedback
Locations
Search
We are so excited to celebrate our 85th anniversary on 6 September 2023!
Rocky Bay has seen much growth since our humble beginnings in 1938. Within the past 12-months alone, Rocky Bay has breathed new life into Lady Lawley Cottage, with Clinical and Community services running out of the historic cottage since April 2023. Autism assessment clinics have recently been launched at the cottage, helping to provide a solution to the long wait times for assessments for families in the Perth community.
Through our development arm, Shift Accessible Homes, three Specialist Disability Accommodation (SDA) properties have been built for individuals with complex needs and are now occupied. Another three developments – for which Shift have partnered with builders Northerly Group – are set to open in 2023, including two three-bedroom, three-bathroom homes in Pearsall later in September.
Our organisation has also begun the journey to relocate our Mosman Park headquarters to Belmont, where a new state-of-the-art facility will be built to support our growing customer base.
“I am so excited to see what is next for Rocky Bay,” says CEO Michael Tait.
“We are, and will continue, to be focused on providing our customers with exceptional health and community services to enhance their abilities and enrich their lives and create extraordinary outcomes each and every day.”
During our celebrations, we will also be recognising long-standing staff members, including Alison Rennick, Area Manager Supported Accommodation, who on 6 September will be celebrating a 30-year career with Rocky Bay!
Another long-standing staff member, Michael Barrett-Lennard, has worked with Rocky Bay for 23 years and has also been a customer of Rocky Bay for most of his life.
At just four-years-old, Michael started accessing hydrotherapy at Rocky Bay’s Mosman Park hub, as well as various therapy services and the occasional in-home respite (a service at the time). He visited Perth from Beverley – his hometown at the time – to access services.
“This organisation means a fair bit to me. I first came to Rocky Bay as a four-year-old to use the hydrotherapy pool. When I finished school, I used to come in weekly for physio and hydro sessions…I’ve just always been involved with Rocky Bay.
“Growing up as a kid, I used to come down from the country to attend annual sports days and open days which I enjoyed. I also used to do a bit of fundraising for Rocky Bay.”
After moving to Perth for his final two years of high school, Michael studied for and achieved a Bachelor of Commerce degree at Murdoch University, and joined Rocky Bay’s Finance team in an accounts role- which brought the then team’s total to three staff.
Michael started his employment with Rocky Bay on 12 June 2000, just weeks before the introduction of the GST in Australia – his first major project. Rocky Bay had roughly 150 employees and only one hub in Mosman Park. Since then, he has had many different responsibilities within the team, and has seen his role eventually morph into systems accounting.
“As an organisation, my life has always revolved around Rocky Bay. I continue working here because I want the organisation to be as good as it can be and achieve success.”
Michael says he’s seen much growth over the 23 years he has been with Rocky Bay, particularly staff numbers and the number of hubs. Over 1,100 staff work across 11 Perth metropolitan and regional hubs, and Rocky Bay now manages 19 supported accommodation homes – three of which are SDA builds – plus four respite guest houses.
Asked what the best thing about working at Rocky Bay is, Michael’s answer is testament to the positive culture created within the organisation over the years.
“The people. Both the staff and the customers, especially in the early days where there was a small community or family feel about it with everyone knowing everyone. Working on-site where residents have lived for years, you become part of their lives and develop strong connections and friendships,” says Michael.
“(Reaching 85 years) it’s a special achievement. I think as well as celebrating what we have currently, we should always celebrate what got us to this point. A lot of great people have come and gone over the years who have all made an impact on this organisation, both staff and customers.
“Our customers are the character behind Rocky Bay, they have made Rocky Bay what is it today.”