Land was purchased from Hobart City Council in July 1996, and after close consultations with planning officers from the council, plans were approved and the development was launched by the Lord Mayor of Hobart Alderman Dr. John Freeman on site on 31 January 1997.

The Village is located in the bayside suburb of Sandy Bay on the former Hobart City Council Nursery site. The entrance is off Wayne Avenue, via Southerwood Drive, approximately 100 metres on the right from Sandy Bay Road.

Sandown Village is Tasmania's most modern retirement complex and comprises 34 resident-funded two and three-bedroom villas and a 60-bed Apartment low-dependency hostel with an aging in place philosophy. It was officially opened on 24 October 1998 by the Governor of Tasmania, Sir Guy Green KBE.

Spacious lounge rooms, dining rooms and activities areas provide for a relaxed comfortable environment whilst attractive gardens and courtyards surrounding the complex allow for outdoor activities and relaxation. The main building is fully air-conditioned by geothermal energy. The heat source is the return wastewater from Selfs Point waste treatment plant. It is thought to be the first residential facility in the world using return wastewater as its geothermal source.

The complex has a fifteen metre in-ground hydrotherapy pool and spa also heated from the same source. A gymnasium suited to requirements of senior citizens is located adjacent to the pool area. A community center, for the use of all residents, is located at the Sandy Bay Road end of the complex.

In 1999 Sandown Village won all 4 of the Tasmanian Building Industry Awards for which it was eligible. These awards are made annually by the Master Builders Association of Tasmania as a recognition of excellence. It was the first time that one project has won 4 of the major awards in one year. In addition, the complex was awarded the Minister's Award for Excellence as the best low care facility in Australia.

During 1999-2000 the decision was taken to upgrade the kitchen facilities at Sandown to enable that facility to provide meals across all our Southern sites. The kitchen at Sandown now provides first class hot meals to Rosary Gardens Nursing Home, Guilford Young Senior Citizens Village as well as the residents at Sandown on a daily basis.

Southern Cross Care (Tasmania) Inc is tremendously proud of the Sandown facility and the successes it has achieved during its time of operation. Southern Cross Care believes that a new benchmark standard has been set in the state which others will attempt to follow.