Goondir opens Community Wellbeing Centre in St George

With a gym, garden, kitchen, and hairdresser, a new $4m health facility in a rural Queensland town is set to provide culturally appropriate care to First Nations people across the region. Take a look inside here.

Leader of The Nationals and Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud attended the opening of the new Community Wellbeing Centre in St George.

A health and wellbeing centre, tailored to the needs of First Nations peoples, has opened its doors in the southwest Queensland town of St George.

The $4m facility was officially opened on April 10, with an opening ceremony which celebrated the Indigenous communities in the area.

A new Community Wellbeing Centre in St George is designed to improve health outcomes for Indigenous communities by providing holistic care.

St George is home to about 700 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, and experts are hoping the new facility will help improve health and social outcomes for Indigenous communities in the area.

The pioneering facility will be managed by Goondir Health Services, which is an Aboriginal community Controlled Health Service.

The gym in the St George community wellbeing centre.

By providing broad ranging services, the facility aims to bring health care closer to the community.

Goondir is a program designed to deliver “culturally appropriate holistic health care services” to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Communities across southwest Queensland.

The new wellbeing centre includes a food distribution and storage area, commercial kitchen, community garden, yarning circle, gym, conference and training rooms, art and culture spaces, hairdressing services, play areas and quiet areas.

Quiet spaces in the St George community wellbeing centre.

The site will host more than 35 culturally appropriate health and wellbeing programs for First Nations peoples, including cultural development, youth engagement, female empowerment, fitness classes as well as education on nutrition and living a healthy lifestyle.

The kitchen in the St George community wellbeing centre.

The centre aims to provide sensitive and sustainable pathways to address issues such as high rates of smoking, obesity, alcohol intake and chronic diseases.

“It’s facilities such as this that address the health and social determinants of health care that makes my job as a GP much easier,” Goondir Executive Clinical Services, Dr Vlad Matic said.

Hairdressing services are available in the St George community wellbeing centre.

Goondir chief executive Floyd Leedie said holistic health services were crucial to improving health outcomes for First Nations people.

“A holistic approach to delivering health care services avoid the ill-fated silo approach to remedying our Mob’s issues,” said Mr Leedie.

“And that’s what this centre is all about – making it easier for those seeking health care services and making it easier for those delivering the health care services.

“I’d also like to express my thanks to our project partners who have made this possible for our community.”

Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation chief executive Joe Morrison said the investment in the project reflected their commitment to providing healthcare to First Nations people.

“I look forward to seeing the many positive health and wellbeing outcomes the St George Community Wellbeing Centre will deliver for the local Indigenous communities,” Mr Morrison said.

“Congratulations to the Goondir team. Your endless efforts towards this project are now coming to fruition.”

Federal Member for Maranoa, David Littleproud, said he was honoured to have helped bring the project to fruition, by securing funding.

Leader of The Nationals and Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud attended the opening of the new Community Wellbeing Centre in St George.

“The St George Wellbeing Centre is a game changer for the Balonne region as it will help support our First Nations community and provide them with so many fantastic opportunities,” Mr Littleproud said.

“This project is about making the lives of First Nations people better and I am confident Goondir will help deliver positive outcomes through this fantastic facility.

“St George has done more than its fair share of heavy lifting for the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, and it gives me great pleasure to have helped secure the funding for this vital project.”