South West Queensland is a step closer to Closing the Gap with the St George Wellbeing Centre officially opening on Wednesday.
The $4 million facility at the former St George RSL, which is operated by the Goondir Aboriginal Health Service, will offer locals a wide variety of services and amenities including Indigenous-focused programs, a function room, and conference room facilities.
At the centre, Goondir will offer programs targeted at a healthy lifestyle, arts, culture, education, mental health, and social well-being initiatives.
Leader of The Nationals and Federal Member for Maranoa David Littleproud, who was on hand to officially open the new facility, said he was honoured to have helped secure $908,601 of funding for stage two of the project via the former Coalition Government’s Murray Darling Basin Economic Development Program.
“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.”
Wednesday’s opening marked the completion of stages two and three of the St George Wellness Centre after the centre’s first stage, which the federal government contributed $500,000 towards, was opened in May 2021.
