Easton Park Generator Upgrade

Important Update: Easton Park Generator Upgrade Works October 2025 – Taylor House

Whiddon is upgrading the emergency generator system at our Easton Park campus to provide improved power reliability and protection for our residents. The first generator being upgraded is at our Taylor House Home.
The new generator will provide seamless backup power to Taylor House and other campus buildings in the event of a blackout, ensuring uninterrupted care and comfort for our residents.

What's happening?

Whiddon is upgrading the emergency generator system at our Easton Park campus to provide improved power reliability and protection for our residents. The first generator being upgraded is at our Taylor House Home.
The new generator will provide seamless backup power to Taylor House and other campus buildings in the event of a blackout, ensuring uninterrupted care and comfort for our residents.

Visitor Parking Spaces directly outside Taylor House will be unavailable from the 23rd-31st of October. Note: You can still drop off and pick up in front of Taylor House.
The accessibility parking spaces will remain available.

When will this happen?

Works schedule:

  • Thursday 23rd October – Monday 27th October: Temporary generator setup and preparation (no power disruption)
  • Tuesday 28th October: First power shutdown for generator changeover
  • Wednesday 29th October: Buildings running on temporary power
  • Thursday 30th October: Second power shutdown to reconnect to mains power
  • Friday 31st October: Final testing and completion
  • From Thursday 23rd – Fri 31st October: Parking outside of Taylor House and McDowell House is temporarily unavailable

Power shutdown schedule

Tuesday 28th October

  • 7am – Shut down of McDowell House, Raines house, The Cottage and Home care, to allow connection to temporary generator.
  • 9am – Power returned to McDowell House, Raines house, The Cottage and Home care
  • 9am – Shut down of Taylor House, to allow connection to temporary generator
  • 11am – Power returned to Taylor House

Wednesday 29th October

No power interruptions all services remain powered via temporary generator

Thursday 30th October

  • 12pm – Shut down of McDowell House, Raines house, The Cottage and Home care, to allow connection back to mains power
  • 2pm – Power returned to McDowell House, Raines house, The Cottage and Home care
  • 2pm – Shut down of Taylor House, to allow connection back to mains power
  • 4pm – Power returned to Taylor House

Friday 31st October

9am – Blackout simulation test effecting Taylor House, McDowell House, Raines house, The Cottage and Home care – this is to ensue the new generator works as intended – planned 20 second power outage while the system automatically switches between mains to generator power

What will this mean for Taylor House Residents?

During the shutdowns:
  • Essential services such as emergency lighting, nurse call and fire detection will remain operations
  • Care services will continue as normal, with additional care staff may be rostered to ensure care and services are provided with minimal delay.
  • All safety systems will remain operational
  • Support from Whiddon, the energy provider and project company, will be on hand to support Taylor House residents and employees
Minimal disruptions:
  • The shutdowns are scheduled for short periods (2 hours maximum) During these times there will be NO power available, this is to allow the team to swap from mains to generator power

Your loved one’s care and comfort remains our priority

After completion:
  • Enhanced power reliability across campus
  • Automatic backup power during any future outages
  • Peace of mind that essential services will continue uninterrupted

What about medical equipment?

All essential medical equipment and care systems will be maintained during the shutdown periods through temporary generator power.
If you have specific concerns about medical equipment for your loved one, please contact the Customer Liaison team on 1300 738 388.

Easton Park Campus access and parking during works

Thursday 23 – Friday 31 October:

  • Visitor Parking Spaces outside Taylor House will be unavailable. Parking is available at neighbouring homes.
    • Note: You can still drop off and pick up in front of Taylor House
  • Temporary fencing and safety barriers will be in place around generator locations
  • Some areas may have restricted access – please follow staff directions
  • Increased contractor activity on campus

Tuesday 28 October (3:00 pm – 7:00 pm):

  • Canterbury Road closure for crane operations
  • Alternative access routes will be clearly signposted
  • Please allow extra time if visiting during these hours

Frequently Asked Questions

  • Can I still park at Taylor House?
  • Will my loved one's care be affected?
  • What if there's an emergency during the shutdown?
  • Can I still visit during the workday?
  • Will there be noise from the generators?
  • What happens if something goes wrong?
  • Why is this work necessary?