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A leader in aged care and retirement living from South Australia's wine region has been named as a finalist in Ageing Australia’s national You Are ACE! Awards for his visionary leadership.
Barossa Village CEO Ben Hall’s most memorable moments on the job came when a resident walked into his office and asked for help flipping her mattress.
“I got up from my desk, walked across the road, and helped her. It was such a simple moment – but it reminded me why I do this work,” he says.
“We have a really good friendship with him,” says resident Gisela Irlam. “When we go into the office building, we can say, ‘Hello Ben, do you have a minute to talk?’ And he’s always willing to sit down and listen. That’s wonderful.”
A finalist in the Ageing Australia’s national You Are ACE! Awards, Ben is being recognised in the Leadership category for his exemplary leadership and vision.
“These awards shine a spotlight on the exceptional leadership we’re seeing across aged care and retirement living,” says Ageing Australia CEO Tom Symondson.
“Our sector is not only attracting the best minds, but also people who genuinely care about the lives of older Australians. That’s what makes the difference.”
For Ben, that difference is personal.
As a teenager in Whyalla, South Australia, he volunteered in an aged care home where his mother worked as a nurse.
“It was confronting at first,” he recalls. “But I saw the value of showing up for others and that stuck with me.”
With a background in landscape architecture and 20 years in local government, Ben brings both strategic and human insight to the role. His leadership is values-driven and focused on creating great places for people to live and work.
“There’s something special about helping someone – and building a workplace where 260 others can do the same,” Ben says.
Since becoming CEO three years ago, Ben has led Barossa Village through bold but thoughtful change.
He’s championing the next chapter of Barossa Village through its planned Heritage Park development – the reimagining of a 3.5ha greenfield space in the picturesque Barossa Valley as an independent living precinct and vibrant community hub designed to support ageing in place, bolster the existing community spirit and redefine what it means to be an aged care provider in a regional area.
“We’re not just building houses,” he says. “We’re building a way of life.”
Outside of work, Ben and his family are Disney devotees – a passion passed down from his grandfather, who learned English from reading Disney comics.
“Every family trip has had something to do with Disney,” he says. “It’s a place full of joy and magic. I think there’s a little of that spirit in what we try to create here, too.”
From workforce housing to expanded home care and stronger local partnerships, Ben describes himself as a “joiner of dots.”
“I may not be the one delivering the service, but I’ll know who can – and I’ll make that connection happen.”
For residents like Gisela, those connections matter deeply.
“There’s so much happening – workshops, film nights, exercise classes. You never feel alone,” she says. “It’s a very special place and Ben is part of that.”
Ageing Australia acknowledges the Traditional Owners of Country throughout Australia and recognises their continuing connection to land, sea, waters and community.
We pay our respects to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures, and to Elders past and present.
