The O’Conor Institute Trust Board

*How you can donate: Click sponsorship menu link - https://oconorhome.netlify.app - click item to donate and you'll be directed back here. Type in that amount and please let us know in the donation form what item it's for and whether you'd like your name acknowledged.

In 1904, Eugene Joseph O’Conor wrote a will that would shape Westport for more than a century. He bequeathed his 22-acre estate to establish a home for the people of Buller, regardless of denomination. The O’Conor Institute Trust was formally incorporated in 1917, and four months later the doors of the home opened. Today, O’Conor Home is the only rest home on the West Coast providing all levels of care on a single site: rest home, hospital, secure dementia, palliative, respite, day care, etc. We care for up to 68 people, employ 75 staff, and are supported by a large network of volunteers & local businesses.

In Buller 26.3% of residents are aged 65+, nearly double the national average. 54 beds have been lost through three Health NZ closures in a decade. A proposed expansion delivers a new 24-bed hospital-level wing, enables secure dementia capacity growth from 15 to 25 beds, total licensed beds from 68 to 92. Consented, ready to go, $856,000 has been invested in preparation; construction ready to start August 2026. The Trust has secured the majority of the $13,351,627 build cost. Gap to close: $2.9 million. We expect to fill with contributions from government, grants and community fundraising.