³Ô¹ÏÍøÕ¾

A new Wellness Centre will be established in Gippsland to train the next generation of allied health professionals, thanks to the Victorian Government.

The $1.1 million Federation University project will be located at the Gippsland Regional Aquatic Centre in Traralgon and act as a one-stop-shop for training in areas including physiotherapy, exercise physiology, occupational therapy and speech pathology.

The funding will help fit out the existing state-of-the-art recreation centre with treatment beds, x-ray viewers, rehabilitation equipment and overbed camera technology for teaching as well as teaching and workshop spaces at the adjacent Latrobe Performing Arts Centre.

The Wellness Centre will allow locals to train and upskill within their community, before finding a rewarding job in the local healthcare sector. The facility will eventually open to the general public, with services provided by qualified allied health professionals, improving access to healthcare for Gippsland locals.

The centre is expected to open mid-2022, with student placement numbers yet to be announced.

The Government contributed $750,000 to the project in a joint effort by Federation University and the Latrobe City Council.

The unprecedented $350 million Victorian Higher Education State Investment Fund is supporting universities with capital works, research infrastructure projects and applied research focused on boosting Victoria’s productivity and economy as the state recovers from the coronavirus pandemic.

As stated by Minister for Higher Education Gayle Tierney

“The new Gippsland Wellness Centre is another piece in the puzzle to strengthening training and jobs in Gippsland – offering great opportunities at a state-of-the-art facility.”

As stated by Member for Eastern Victoria Harriet Shing

“Thisproject will improve access to allied health services for locals right now, while also securing its future by training the next generation of Gippsland health professionals.”

As stated by Federation University Vice-Chancellor and President Professor Duncan Bentley

“This is an important step in our plan for Gippsland – by putting teaching spaces in community buildings to make education and training more accessible and provide better services to the whole community.”