49
Bedrooms
3
Units
1189
Families stay a year
Staying at the house
Ronald McDonald House Parkville gives seriously ill children the best gift of all – their families. Our warm and supportive home-away-from-home provides the whole family with a comfortable place to stay while their child is undergoing treatment at the Royal Children’s Hospital Melbourne.
Ronald McDonald House Parkville gives over 1,300 families every year the gift of being able to stay close to their sick children while being surrounded by a support network of caring staff and fellow families. Our House has 51 guest rooms of various sizes, including three fully self-contained isolation suites.
Our Team
Our dedicated team are ready to reach out with a helping hand whenever things get a little tough. Thanks to our amazing army of over 100 volunteers, we’re able to accommodate families 24 hours a day, every day of the year.
Who’s eligible to stay with us?
Keeping the family together can be extremely tough without support, which is why we offer accommodation for parents with seriously ill children who live both in regional Victoria and throughout Australia that need care at the Royal Children’s Hospital.
We try to accommodate the needs of families where we can, but this is always subject to availability. Priority is given to regional and interstate families whose children have been recently diagnosed, seriously injured or who require emergency treatment, as well as families of premature babies.
Fees
Ronald McDonald House understands that being away from home for long periods of time can put families under financial pressure. That’s why our accommodation is free for eligible families of seriously ill children.
While our policy is to provide free accommodation, your stay at the House may require you to claim financial support towards accommodation and travel from the relevant government transport assistance scheme in your home state. Our friendly team are happy to work with you to apply for the relevant financial support.
To find out if you’re eligible for government financial assistance, contact your hospital social worker or talk to one of our team.
Want to know more?
Being forced to move your family far from home, work, school and your entire support network due to a child’s illness is extraordinarily tough. Our House has a wonderful community spirit, where you’ll be able to connect with other families going through experiences similar to your own. Our communal facilities also provide families with the independence to be able to cater for themselves and keep up with day-to-day living as much as possible.
Ronald McDonald House Parkville is run on a self-help, communal basis. Families cater and cook for themselves, but thanks to our kind donors, the kitchen is stocked with a complimentary supply of coffee, tea, milk, long life goods and other basic food items.
Make an enquiry
There are three ways to get in touch with us:
Call the house on (03) 9966 8400
Request a referral from a social worker or medical authority.
Email your enquiry to reception.parkville@rmhc.org.au
Keeping our families safe
Continuing to provide a safe and supportive environment for families of seriously ill children at our Ronald McDonald Houses and Programs is our absolute priority.
For the latest information please visit rmhc.org.au/covid-19
House location
Ronald McDonald House Parkville is situated next door to the Royal Children’s Hospital Park and Playground, which adjoins the grounds of the hospital itself. A five minute walk through the park will take you straight to the main doors of the hospital.
Our accommodation is spread across two beautiful terrace houses which have been repurposed to provide 51 private rooms for families, along with communal facilities and shared spaces for relaxing and socialising.
Contact us
22 – 24 Gatehouse Street, Parkville 3052 VIC
Keeping our families safe COVID-19
Given the current COVID-19 situation, continuing to provide a safe and supportive environment for families of seriously ill children at our Ronald McDonald Houses and Programs is our absolute priority.
For the latest information please visit rmhc.org.au/covid-19
How to get there
By train
We are located on the #58 and #59 tram lines, exit the tram at Stop #16 (Gatehouse/Harker Street/Flemington Road). RMH Parkville is also located a 5 minute walk from the #19 tram.
By car
RMH Parkville has limited onsite parking, located off the laneway at the rear of the property.
By bus
RMH Parkville is accessible by bus lines #401, #402 and #403.
House Facilities
While there’s no place like home, we do our best to create an environment that’s as homely as possible. Whether you’ll be staying with us for just a couple of nights or have many months ahead of you, our house functions as a real home, with everything you need to get through trying times together.
Family Bedrooms
We have 51 comfortable private rooms and a total of 197 individual beds, enabling us to accommodate families of all sizes. Each bedroom includes an individual mini-fridge and television. All linen is supplied and laundered for the duration of your stay with us.
Communal Kitchen and Dining Room
Our spacious, well-equipped kitchen and communal dining room is what we refer to as the heart of our home. The kitchen is a hive of activity, serving as a space for families to meet, get to know one another and share the journey together over the comfort of a home-cooked meal.
Each family has allocated fridge, freezer and pantry space for any groceries and snacks they wish to bring into the house.
Communal Lounge Room
Our communal lounge is a cosy and inviting space where you can kick back on the lounge in front of a movie or a favourite show on Foxtel. There’s also a children’s playroom full of books, toys and games donated by our friends and supporters.
Outdoor Facilities
Spending time in the fresh air is vital when you’re going through periods of stress. We’re extremely fortunate to have the beautiful public Royal Park Nature Play Playground and the Royal Children’s Hospital Playground right next door. We also have our own private outdoor facilities, including a BBQ and outdoor dining setting, perfect for a sausage sizzle on a sunny day, or having friends and family around for a visit.
Guest Laundry
Wherever you and your family go, laundry duties follow! To help you keep on top of the washing, we have a laundry equipped with washing machines and dryers for the complimentary use of our guests.
Self-contained units
We have two fully self-contained units which allow children who need special care or isolation to live with their family during their treatment.
Games room
Our games room is a great place for kids to hang out and bond. A dedicated area for our older children filled with games and activities. With sofas to relax on, parents have a comfortable spot from which to watch over their little ones.
Play spaces
For our younger guests, our secure indoor Interactive Zone, stocked with a colourful array of toys, books and activities for children of all ages and abilities.
Shuttle Bus
Families are welcome to use our shuttle bus service to get to and from hospital, the shops or wherever they meed to go. Our shuttle bus service is from Monday-Friday but times are subject to change and availability. We encourage families to call or visit reception to check available days/times and booking slots
House Programs
Ronald McDonald House Parkville is an independent charity that relies on the work of our volunteers and the financial support of individual and corporate donations.
Without their generous contributions, we would be unable to keep our doors open to families in need 365 days a year. Thanks to the public, we’ve been able to continually expand our operations to help more families and communities in Parkville.
There are many ways you can contribute to our vital programs including our Houses, Family Rooms and Learning Program.
Get Involved
Discuss how you, your organisation, school or business can help and become involved.
Call us:(03) 9966 8420
Email us:victas@rmhc.org.au
Fundraise for us
What could be more fulfilling than bringing people together to transform the lives of the families who need our help?
Fundraising is an easy, meaningful and fun way to raise money. From sausage sizzles and trivia nights, to raising money on personal celebration days in lieu of gifts, you can give the gift of togetherness to families with seriously ill children.
So what’s the first step?
It’s never been easier. Simply start an online RMHC Group Give Fundraiser and let your network know about it!
Please contact us as at victas@rmhc.org.au to find out more.
Volunteer
Our volunteers are an invaluable asset to the House and are actively involved in a number of roles from housekeeping to administration and special events to cooking food for our families.
Adopt A Room
Adopting a room is a unique opportunity to assist us in providing the highest level of comfort possible to our families. The proceeds of your adoption allow us to cover the costs associated with that room, including linen, electricity, maintenance, etc. Your adopted room will bear a plaque with your name on it, and we will keep you up-to-date with news, events and invitations to the exciting things happening at our Houses. For more information, please contact us at victas@rmhc.org.au
Adopt a Pantry
Each family staying at a Ronald McDonald House is assigned their own pantry in one of our nine kitchens across our four Houses.
We are offering the exclusive opportunity to Adopt a Pantry to help us support families who need to stay at Ronald McDonald House to be close to their child in hospital.
We will create a personalised plaque with your name or logo to be displayed on your adopted pantry in one of bustling kitchens at the House of your choice. For more information on this exclusive offer, contact simone.robbins@rmhc.org.au
Leave a Gift in your Will
Leaving a gift in your will, or a bequest, is a wonderful legacy for future generations. Anyone can leave a charitable bequest. It is a powerful way to make a positive impact on the future, without affecting your finances in the present.
Whenever the time is right for you, please consider remembering Ronald McDonald House Charities Victoria & Tasmania in your Will. Your gift will provide love, care and support for seriously ill children and their families whenever they need it.
For further information, please contact us at victas@rmhc.org.au
Group Volunteering
Make a Meal - Our Make a Meal dinner program gives families a welcome break from preparing a meal and having to wash up, and gives them the chance to spend some quality time together.
Baking with Love - Baking with Love gives our families a lovely home baked treat to brighten their day. Teams can bake and cook up a range of sweet and savoury treats together, before packaging them up for families to snack on.
Made with Love Frozen Meals - Made with Love frozen meals ensures our families have access to healthy, home cooked meals when they need it most.
Working Bee - A Working Bee may involve housekeeping duties such as general cleaning and maintenance tasks, assembly of furniture, organisation/redecoration of spaces, or any other tasks we need assistance with.
For further information, please contact us at victas@rmhc.org.au
Sign Up To Workplace Giving
Workplace Giving is a simple and convenient way your for you to donate to RMHC VIC & TAS, directly from your pre-tax salary. It’s easy to set up through your payroll team and gives you that charitable buzz with every payslip!
By becoming a Workplace Champion you become part of our family, sharing in the life of RMHC VIC & TAS and how your support makes a huge impact to families with seriously ill children. Not only will you receive an immediate tax benefit from your pre-tax donation, you can start, stop or change your donation at any time - Work Place Giving is as flexible and adjustable as you need it to be.
We can’t do it alone, we need Workplace Champions like you!
Follow the link and sign up to Workplace Giving today Workplace Giving | Good2Give