Sydney-based investment manager Barwon Investment Partners has launched a $500 million healthcare property fund for wholesale investors as institutional capital pushes for more exposure to the sector. The equity cap on the fund is around $325 million. Barwon has raised close to that amount already from five cornerstone investors including four local super funds. A second close on the fund is due in February.

With an initial term of seven years, the fund will target critical healthcare properties such as large medical centres, day surgeries, private hospitals, pathology labs and allied health facilities. The focus is on long leases to blue-chip corporate and government tenants in and around metropolitan healthcare hubs. The vehicle, to be known as the Institutional Healthcare Property Fund, is already in due diligence on its first property.