THE Mornington Peninsula will continue to offer crisis accommodation after the closure of The Ranch in Mornington with the announcement of new accommodation, coined “Ranch 2.0”.
For the past four years, Mornington Community Support Centre (MCSC) and Southern Peninsula Community Support (SPCS) have partnered to provide emergency accommodation at The Ranch Motel in Mornington. The accommodation was only made possible as the developer had allowed it to be used as crisis accommodation while he finalised plans for redevelopment of the site. But it was announced in March that the developer was readying plans for the site, requiring the closure of the peninsula’s only crisis accommodation before the end of 2025 (‘The Ranch’ to close, The News 11/3/25).
At the time Ben Smith, the CEO of Mornington Community Support Centre that had temporarily stood down to contest the federal election, told The News “For three years, I’ve been calling on our Federal and State MPs – past and present – to commit to funding a replacement for The Ranch. Yet, not one has stepped up, leaving hundreds of people without a home and in limbo”.
“Other regions have publicly funded crisis accommodation, so why don’t we? The answer is simple: a lack of political will. “In the lead up to this federal election, I’ll be calling on all candidates to commit to funding permanent emergency accommodation and support services on the Mornington Peninsula.”
Despite homelessness being flagged by Smith and both the Liberal and Labor candidates in the election, no concrete announcements were made to save The Ranch or provide an alternative.
A joint announcement from MCSC and SPCS last week unveiled plans for what they dubbed “Ranch 2.0”. “After extensive consultation and advocacy with local service providers, Payton Foundation and Upotipotpon Foundation have purchased a new property and leased it to MCSC for five years. The site, dubbed Ranch 2.0, includes seven units that will be used for crisis accommodation, supported by wraparound services in collaboration with SPCS and other local agencies,” said the statement.
Smith, who has now returned to his role at MCSC after the election, told The News “With more and more people sleeping rough, it’s partnerships like this that bring hope”. “Our model at The Ranch has achieved a 60% success rate — more than double the national average. When local organisations work together to create solutions like this, our whole community benefits.”
Jason Pater of the Payton Foundation said, “This is about more than housing. It’s about restoring dignity, strengthening communities, and building sustainable responses to complex housing needs. It shows what’s possible when funders and frontline organisations act with urgency and shared purpose.”
SPCS CEO Jeremy Maxwell, whose team delivers assertive outreach across the southern peninsula, called the new property “a vital addition”. “With demand increasing and The Ranch’s future uncertain, this new site offers much-needed stability for our most vulnerable residents. The generosity shown by the Payton and Upotipotpon Foundations sets a new benchmark for impactful philanthropy,” said Maxwell.
Minor refurbishments are now underway, with the Ranch 2.0 property set to become operational in the coming months.
First published in the Mornington News – 3 June 2025
