Mr Xing, 30, and his business partner, Michael Zhao, bought the licence for the Koroit Street centre about two months ago and aim to ensure its 38 residents are well connected to the disabilities services network.

He said he was surprised at the low profile the Themar Heights centre had in the Warrnambool community and hoped to change that.

Mr Xing and Mr Zhao met when studying nursing in China and both went on to get Australian nursing qualifications at Deakin University’s Burwood campus.

Mr Xing said he was inspired to seek a career in Australia by his high school English teacher who had visited here and returned with glowing praise about the opportunities in Australia. 

That prompted him to undertake intensive English language studies and then enrol at Deakin.

After graduating in nursing, Mr Xing went on to get further qualifications in psychiatric nursing and worked in that field for several years at Barwon Health in Geelong before deciding to move into health service management.

Taking on managing the centre at the age of 30 had been very challenging but also very rewarding, he said.

Residents include those receiving aged care, those with mental health needs and younger people with intellectual disabilities. Seven of the residents work with Western District Employment Access (WDEA).

Mr Xing said he was working to get the residents to think of themselves as part of a community at Themar Heights and support each other.

Some of the younger more independent residents were helping the older residents with daily routines such as getting to meals.

A library was also being established and there were plans to renovate some of the residents’ rooms, Mr Xing said.

At Themar Heights, he manages eight staff that includes five personal care attendants and three cooks who provide three meals a day. 

He works weekdays while Mr Zhao works the weekends.

They both do physical and mental health assessments of residents and take them to doctors and other health services as required.