Marco Polo Woonona Care Services
11 Watergum Way, Woonona NSW 2517
Official Star Rating
Source: Australian Government Star Ratings quarterly extract, May 2026. Ratings are published by the Department of Health, Disability and Ageing, not by CareShortlist.
Considering this home?
A Star Rating is a starting point, not an answer. Get a free shortlist that puts Marco Polo Woonona Care Services side by side with other options near Woonona: ratings, room availability signals, and the questions worth asking on a tour.
We will put Marco Polo Woonona Care Services at the top of a shortlist beside the other options near Woonona, and can introduce you to the home if you would like.
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What residents say about Marco Polo Woonona Care Services
These are not online reviews. The Australian Government interviews residents of Marco Polo Woonona Care Services face to face and publishes what they said. Below is the share who answered “always” to each question, from the 2025 survey round. It is the closest thing to hearing from the people who actually live there.
Where residents rate it lower
- Well run: 24% said always, against a national average of 46%. Worth asking about on a visit.
| What residents were asked | Said “always” | Positive overall | National average |
|---|---|---|---|
| Do staff treat you with respect? | 73% | 91% always or mostly | 68% |
| Are staff kind and caring toward you? | 67% | 88% always or mostly | 69% |
| Do you feel safe here? | 76% | 91% always or mostly | 78% |
| Do you get the care you need? | 67% | 82% always or mostly | 65% |
| Do staff know what they are doing? | 39% | 75% always or mostly | 44% |
| Do you feel at home here? | 58% | 76% always or mostly | 64% |
| Do staff explain things to you? | 45% | 66% always or mostly | 46% |
| Do staff follow up when you raise something? | 45% | 78% always or mostly | 48% |
| Do you have a say in your daily life? | 79% | 91% always or mostly | 72% |
| Are you encouraged to do things for yourself? | 64% | 73% always or mostly | 60% |
| Is this place well run? | 24% | 63% always or mostly | 46% |
| Do you like the food here? | 21% | 42% always or mostly | 28% |
Source: Residents’ Experience survey, Australian Government Star Ratings (May 2026 extract), interviews conducted in 2025. Percentages are of residents interviewed at this home, not of all residents. CareShortlist does not edit, weight or rank these answers.
How Marco Polo Woonona Care Services compares
Marco Polo Woonona Care Services holds an overall Star Rating of 4 out of 5. That is above the NSW average of 3.89, and above the national average of 3.83. Nationally, 22% of rated homes score lower and 6% score higher, with the rest level with it. Most homes cluster on the same few scores, so a single star of difference is a bigger gap than it looks. With 168 funded places it is larger than most (the national average is about 82).
Its strongest measure is staffing at 5 out of 5. Its weakest is quality measures at 3, which covers clinical outcomes the home reports, such as pressure injuries, falls, medication management and unplanned weight loss. That is the area worth probing on a visit, and we have turned it into specific questions below.
| Measure | Marco Polo Woonona Care Services | National average |
|---|---|---|
| Residents' experience | 3 | 3.63 |
| Compliance | 4 | 4.82 |
| Staffing | 5 | 3.25 |
| Quality measures | 3 | 3.04 |
Other homes near Marco Polo Woonona Care Services
Families almost never choose the first home they look at, and they should not have to. These are the closest alternatives to Marco Polo Woonona Care Services, with their official ratings beside them. None of them currently rate higher than Marco Polo Woonona Care Services.
| Home | Suburb | Distance | Rating | Places |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anglicare Eileen Armstrong House | Woonona | 0.9 km | 4 | 60 |
| IRT Woonona | Woonona | 0.9 km | 4 | 201 |
| Illawarra Diggers | Corrimal | 2 km | 3 | 105 |
| IRT Tarrawanna Care Centre | Tarrawanna | 3.9 km | 4 | 100 |
| Warrigal Wollongong | Wollongong | 9.5 km | 4 | 155 |
| Warrigal Care Coniston | Coniston | 10 km | 4 | 60 |
Ordered by distance, not by preference. No home pays to appear on this list.
Questions worth asking Marco Polo Woonona Care Services
Tailored to this home’s own published scores rather than a generic checklist. Take them with you.
- What are your current rates for falls, pressure injuries and unplanned weight loss, and what are you doing to improve them?
- What is the total weekly cost for someone with my family member's care needs, itemised, including extras?
- Who would be their main carer day to day, and what happens on nights and weekends?
Compare Marco Polo Woonona Care Services with Anglicare Eileen Armstrong House
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Common questions about Marco Polo Woonona Care Services
What is the Star Rating of Marco Polo Woonona Care Services?
Marco Polo Woonona Care Services has an overall Star Rating of 4 out of 5 in the May 2026 Australian Government extract, against a national average of 3.83. The rating combines residents' experience, compliance, staffing and quality measures.
Where is Marco Polo Woonona Care Services located?
Marco Polo Woonona Care Services is at 11 Watergum Way, Woonona, NSW 2517. You can see every other home nearby on our Woonona page.
How many residents does Marco Polo Woonona Care Services have?
Marco Polo Woonona Care Services has 168 government-funded residential places, compared with a national average of about 82 per home. Size affects the feel of a home and the staffing ratios you should ask about.
Who owns Marco Polo Woonona Care Services?
Marco Polo Woonona Care Services is operated by Illawarra Retirement Trust (community based). Standards and pricing structures often travel across a provider group, so it is worth looking at their other homes too.
How do I arrange a place at Marco Polo Woonona Care Services?
You need an aged care assessment through My Aged Care (myagedcare.gov.au or 1800 200 422) before a government-funded place can be offered. Once approved, contact the home directly to ask about availability and to arrange a visit. We can also introduce you and put Marco Polo Woonona Care Services side by side with other options near Woonona, free.