In early November last year, Bryan Lipmann AM, founder and former CEO of Wintringham, was awarded the 2026 Victorian Senior Australian of the Year and subsequently became a national finalist on Australia Day.
The honour recognises Bryan's 36 years leading Wintringham and pioneering a new model of aged care for older people who are homeless or at risk of homelessness, including a landmark facility in Port Melbourne.
His vision was shaped during his time as a social worker at Gordon House in South Melbourne in the 1980s, where he witnessed the neglect experienced by older people unable to access traditional aged care. This drove him to establish Wintringham in 1989.
Bryan's work created a new model of aged care for disadvantaged older people - one that treats aged care as a human right, not a privilege. The model provides supported community housing, outreach services, residential aged care, National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS) support, and home care services that enable older people to remain in their own homes. Wintringham describes its approach as a specialised, social justice driven model focused on dignity, independence and individualised support.
After opening residential facilities in Flemington and Williamstown, Wintringham established a 35-unit home in Swallow Street, Port Melbourne, in 1996. The facility won the 1998 World Habitat Award for its innovative, non-institutional design that promotes community connection, sustainability and resident autonomy.
Today, Wintringham supports more than 3,000 older people across 32 community housing sites and nine residential aged care homes in Victoria and Tasmania.
Congratulations Bryan for your recognition as the 2026 Victorian Senior Australian of the Year.
