New wellness centre opens in Cairns to support mums facing mental health challenges
A new Cairns centre tackles perinatal mental health after research reveals one in five mothers face psychological challenges during pregnancy and early parenthood.
Mums have a new place to turn for support in the Far North, with research showing up to one in five face mental health challenges during the perinatal period.
Peach Tree Perinatal Wellness has officially opened a new parent wellbeing centre at Bunda Street in Parramatta Park.
Service co-ordinator Trina Jackson said the centre is open to mums during pregnancy, after birth and until their child turns about five.
“Eight mums and their babies have already signed up to start this week,” she said.
“We weren’t expecting that to happen so soon.”
The centre offers peer support groups, parenting programs, therapy-style social groups and guidance to help parents navigate other services.
Ms Jackson said the team has spent the past few months raising awareness in the community.
“There is a lot of value in this work because we’ve had shared experiences and we’re very passionate about providing this support,” she said.
Mums can self-refer or be referred through other health and support services.
Peach Tree regional leader Maria Jelisavac said the services complement clinical approaches.
“We want mums to know they are not alone,” she said.
“People have been through what you’re experiencing. It gives hope that recovery is possible and that things do get better.”
The announcement comes during Perinatal Mental Health Week, which runs from November 23–29 and highlights the challenges new parents face and the support available.
The Cairns centre was funded through a $7.19 million, four-year investment from the state government to expand Peach Tree’s peer-led mental health and psychosocial support services.
The funding will also assist in establishing centres in Townsville, the Sunshine Coast and the Gold Coast, bringing the total number of sites in Queensland to six.
Health Minister Tim Nicholls said early intervention is key to preventing complications and improving outcomes for families.
“By making these services more accessible, we’re helping to break down the stigma around anxiety, depression and other mental health concerns new mums might face,” he said.
Cairns is also set to get four dedicated mother-baby mental health beds, allowing mums with more acute needs to receive specialist care while staying with their babies.
“These are for people who need to be looked after in a care setting,” Mr Nicholls said.
“These beds would be more at the severe end of need.”
Across Queensland, 30 of these beds will be delivered across six regions, including eight in Townsville and two in Brisbane.
Mr Nicholls said the key challenge in delivering the beds is workforce.
“It’s not a lack of willingness to deliver it, it’s finding people for the positions,” he said.
“The big challenge is getting people out of the southeast corner to go to the regions and to come to places like Cairns.”
Ms Jackson said the beds will be “so important”, as mothers needing this level of support currently have to travel to Brisbane or the Gold Coast.
“It limits someone actually reaching out and asking for help,” she said.
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Originally published as New wellness centre opens in Cairns to support mums facing mental health challenges
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