Umu Kitchen Owners Launch Sister Venue ‘Vaiola’ in Tarragindi

If you’re familiar with Umu Kitchen along Denham Terrace, then get ready for its new sister venue, Vaiola cafe, now open within The Green Tarragindi retirement village.


Read: The Green Tarragindi Operator Leads Charge on 1,100 Retirement Dwellings


Vaiola, meaning “water of life,” infuses energy into its space. Stepping inside, you will be greeted with an explosion of natural light and nature-inspired decor. Pops of playful colour enliven the walls and seating nooks, where visitors can settle in with comforting, home-style ambience. 

Right outside lies a playground where little ones are free to laugh and play within eyeshot of their families relaxing over brunch.

Photo credit: Vaiola Tarragindi/Instagram

The cafe welcomes guests from breakfast through dinner with a menu focused on local, wholesome ingredients. 

Many items come courtesy of Providore Princess, supplying Vaiola with fresh seasonal produce as well as signature dishes like the customer-favourite prawn omelette, hearty sandwiches, soft tortillas and for those with a bigger appetite – the Big Breakfast of slow-roasted pork with all the fixings.

Prawn omelette (Photo credit: Vaiola Tarragindi/Instagram)

Locally roasted coffee fuels the patrons, whilst a small bar offers wine, beer and more for those looking to imbibe.

Beyond the food and drink, Vaiola wants to achieve something greater—a culture of belonging. Sitting adjacent to independent senior living apartments, the cafe receives abundant support from the older residents next door. 

Photo credit: Vaiola Tarragindi/Instagram

Much like its sister venue Umu Kitchen, Vaiola brings to life a vision for togetherness through dining. By emphasising comfort, community and connection under one cosy roof, this Tarragindi cafe delivers well beyond the plate.


Read: Tarragindi’s Good Things Grocer Revives Former Fruit Barn


Vaiola aims to be “a space for everybody to belong” says the owner through their Instagram page. Open from breakfast through dinner, it welcomes people of all ages and backgrounds to enjoy the food and connect with those around them.

Published 14-December-2023

The Green Tarragindi Operator Leads Charge on 1,100 Retirement Dwellings

Leading retirement village operator RetireAustralia, the company behind The Green Tarragindi, has unveiled bold plans to construct over 1,100 new senior living residences across key sites in Queensland and New South Wales over the next five years.


Read: The Green Retirement Site Adjoining Tarragindi Bowls Club To Open in Early 2023


The plan marks RetireAustralia’s response to rapidly rising demand for senior living communities. After opening 214 new residences across their portfolio last year, the company plans to develop thousands of additional units by 2028.

According to RetireAustralia’s Chief Executive Brett Robinson, the retirement sector has reached a critical juncture as more older Australians seek to live in vibrant retirement villages rather than traditional aged care facilities after the Aged Care Royal Commission exposed alleged systemic failings.

Photo credit: The Green Tarragindi/Facebook

Major projects include The Verge Stage 3 retrofit in Queensland, adding 62 apartments and a 10-suite care hub to open in 2024, alongside new 42-unit Tarragal Glen unveiled in NSW for 2025. 

Two concurrent 2025-2026 Queensland launches will establish Arcadia’s 159 premium apartments with a 10-suite clinic, as well as 146 residences and 10-suite facility at Cleveland Manor. A 229-unit Lutwyche and 52-apartment Lane Cove also await openings. A 100-unit Queensland site is currently assessing locations.

Artist’s impression of The Verge at Burleigh (Photo credit: retireaustralia.com.au)

According to Dr Robinson, there is a severe shortage within Australia of senior housing that enables older Australians to downsize while retaining independence and care access. 

He highlighted that 22 out of RetireAustralia’s 28 communities currently have waiting lists, with an over 93 per cent occupancy rate nationwide. He estimated the country requires between 10,000 to 11,000 new retirement dwellings annually. 

However, he emphasised that the 2022 census figures indicate only half this number are being built. He noted that with an ageing population and increasing downsizing demand, there is an urgent need to address the undersupply through expanding retirement village projects. 


Read: Infratil and NZ Super Say May Consider Selling RetireAustralia


Moreover, Dr Robinson stated such purpose-built senior communities will play a vital role housing elderly Australians amidst the ongoing national housing crisis.

Published 30-November-2023 

Infratil and NZ Super Say May Consider Selling RetireAustralia

Infratil and NZ Super Fund have announced that they will undertake a strategic review of their ownership in RetireAustralia which may involve an outright sale. The retirement village operator is currently redeveloping the former Tarragindi Bowls Club site into a retirement facility to be called The Green Tarragindi.



In a statement, Jason Boyes, Infratil Chief Executive, said that the company has performed “extremely well in very trying times“. And with the business performing strongly, Infratil feels that now is the right time to assess the scale of their investment in RetireAustralia and whether there is a higher value investor who would be willing “to support delivering the business’s strategic plan”.

Photo Credit: RetirementAustralia / Facebook

“We continually assess the shape and structure of our portfolio to ensure it delivers the best long-term value to New Zealanders. With a strong management team in place and the business performing well, it is time to consider what ownership structure is best for RetireAustralia and for us” NZ Super Fund Senior Advisor Real Estate Toby Selman said.

Infratil and NZ Super Fund acquired RetireAustralia in 2014 for $640 million with each owning a 50 per cent stake in the company. Over the coming months, both companies will engage with market participants and study their proposals which may include a sale. 

Reports say that among those who have already expressed an interest was private equity company Brookfield which acquired Aveo in 2019 for $1.3 billion and was the second highest bidder in the Stockland Retirement Living auction held recently.



RetireAustralia currently owns 28 retirement villages in NSW, SA and Qld. New units are currently being developed at The Rise at Wood Glen and Forresters Beach in NSW and at The Verge and The Green in Queensland.

Late last year, Infratil reported that RetireAustralia’s underlying profit rose 71 per cent over the six month period between 2020 and 2021. Given this strong performance, RetireAustralia’s total sales for FY2022 is projected to between 480 and 500 units compared to 343 the previous year.