The opening of an Aboriginal Health Centre in Goulburn will fill a much needed gap, according to a manager.
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The facility opened at Goulburn Base Hospital on Monday, July 1. The centre is part of the $165 million hospital redevelopment and sits immediately west of the main building.
It is the Southern NSW Local Health District's first dedicated Aboriginal health centre and will provide a range of free services, including community liaison, health promotion and disease prevention.
Inland network Aboriginal Health manager, Marion Knight said the facility had been a long time coming and was most welcome.
"It's very much needed because Goulburn doesn't have organisations, resources and programs available specifically for Aboriginal people," she said.
The nearest place is the Winnunga Nimmityjah Aboriginal Health and Community Service in Canberra, for which people need a referral.
Ms Knight said it was important that the Aboriginal community had a culturally appropriate place in which they felt comfortable.
Goulburn Hospital redevelopment project manager, Kerry Hort, previously told The Post that Aboriginal people hadn't always felt welcome at the facility. In her role she has consulted with the community to address this.
The centre comprises six rooms, a kitchen with breakfast bar for cooking demonstrations, a waiting area and flexible activities space.
It also features a new outdoor area landscaped with native plants, comprising a yarning circle for community members to gather, along with a play area for child and family programs.
![A yarning circle is now a permanent feature at Goulburn Base Hospital in front of the new Aboriginal Health Centre. The facility was opened on July 1. Picture supplied. A yarning circle is now a permanent feature at Goulburn Base Hospital in front of the new Aboriginal Health Centre. The facility was opened on July 1. Picture supplied.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/FkT3ZusFw5YrTvZCipmLUF/f29f3b3f-5ff7-4bee-b12d-b1c27694846c.jpg/r0_340_1365_2050_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
The additional works were funded by a $225,000 NSW Health grant.
Two of the rooms will be used for consultations, including with an Aboriginal Health nurse.
Ms Knight said the centre would enable specific community health programs to be run there. In her role she works closely with Aboriginal mental health.
In addition, the Health District has a memorandum of understanding with Grand Pacific Health and works closely with Coordinare to deliver programs. Ms Knight sees possibilities of extending those services but also adding their own.
"We are hoping to extend initiatives like Aunty Jean's chronic care program, a men's group, the yarning circle and the Mums and Bubs Group," she said.
The Aunty Jean's initiative is based on elders leading the way to achieve better health outcomes.
Ms Knight is also keen to extend services for families and children and to find ways of increasing staffing.
"The Aboriginal community in Goulburn is increasing at a rapid rate and there are a lot of young people so we want to get programs that offer something for them," she said.
The idea for the centre was suggested five years ago when planning for the new hospital started. Ms Knight worked closely with Ms Hort to deliver the facility.
![Photos of Goulburn and district scar trees taken by Jennie Gordon adorn one of the rooms in the new Aboriginal Health Centre. Photos of Goulburn and district scar trees taken by Jennie Gordon adorn one of the rooms in the new Aboriginal Health Centre.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/FkT3ZusFw5YrTvZCipmLUF/ce66094d-85d6-4529-996f-75b17cd0476b.jpeg/r0_32_2048_1293_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Ngunnawal woman, longtime nurse and health administrator, Jennie Gordon, delivered the Welcome to Country and helped raise the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander flag at the opening.
Her photos of local scar trees were enlarged into a large internal artwork for the centre's wall. Artist, Monica Bridge. also donated artwork and in time, Aboriginal history boards will be mounted in several rooms.
"It's really important there's a home for Aboriginal health in Goulburn and district that has clinical rooms for events and consultations," Mrs Gordon said.
"It has easy access and feels culturally safe, even to the point of having the NSW Apology in the facility...It is very much needed."
Minister for Aboriginal Affairs and Treaty, David Harris, said the facility was part of the government's commitment to closing the gap and "improving health outcomes for Aboriginal people in a culturally safe and appropriate way."