The Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation has praised the opening of another purpose-built wellness and health facility to service a small Indigenous community.
Maari Ma Health Aboriginal Corporation chair Des Jones officially opened Wilcannia's new Health and Wellbeing Centre on the banks of the Barka (Darling) River on Thursday, a project that took 11 months to complete and has been operational for three months.
Mr Jones told dignitaries, community and staff at the opening the centre, in the small town 200km from Broken Hill with a population of 745 people, was already being well received by the community.
"Troppo and David Payne Constructions have given Wilcannia a facility the community can take pride in," he said.
"To have a community-controlled, functional, purpose-built health service here is something that Maari Ma has been striving to achieve for a long time."
Mr Jones stressed a good health service for First Nations people was more than just good bricks and mortar.
"It's a holistic concept that includes the delivery of a culturally-appropriate health service, providing respect for people and respect for cultural and spiritual wellbeing," he said.
"That holistic concept is being delivered here, thanks to the architects and the builder, the services that Maari Ma is providing and the staff who are here for our community."
Clients cam sit and reflect in peaceful surroundings and see Barkintji culture represented in the fabric through the building, which includes artwork from local artists, while receiving the health care they need.
"This facility of course would not be possible without the funding assistance from the Department of Regional NSW, the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, the Indigenous Land and Sea Corporation, the NSW Ministry of Health, and Maari Ma itself," Mr Jones said.
"Maari Ma expresses its gratitude to those funding bodies who shared the vision that we had.
"We also thank the Far West Local Health District and Central Darling Shire Council for the support we received from them during the build and the relocation.
"I would particularly like to thank our staff both here and from the Regional Office, and our staff who have moved on, for their assistance – their involvement with the planning, moving to the new Centre and for their ongoing care and assistance to the Wilcannia community."
ILSC group CEO Joe Morrison said they were tremendously proud to partner in the project, the second wellness centre it has helped fund that's been recently opened, after the St George Community Wellbeing Centre opened in southern Queensland last week.
"We recognise we are stronger when we partner and connect with community," Mr Morrison said.
"Our investment here demonstrates our commitment in supporting organisations, like Maari Ma Health, to achieve self-determination, so they can provide holistic healthcare to First Nations peoples."
He said the investments ILSC were making would have lasting impacts across communities.
"There is no doubt this purpose-built facility will support the Wilcannia community's health and wellbeing, in a culturally appropriate setting, now and into the future" Mr Morrison said.
Mr Jones said the artwork on the building currently belonged to Andrew 'Thulli' Jones and featured the Nutchi (Rainbow Serpent) and several totems of families in the small Wilcannia community.
"We are hoping to incorporate a traditional story about Eaglehawk & Crow, as told by Murray Butcher, into further artwork opportunities" he said.
Further landscaping in the grounds would also be completed soon.
The wellness centre will provide GP services, chronic disease management, child and family health - including antenatal and immunisation - as well as several mental health and social services, a healing program, dietician and take visiting medical specialists such as paediatricians, endocrinologists, cardiologists, nephrologists, optometrists, ophthalmologist, psychiatrists and obstetricians.
Maari Ma's child dental service would continue at the old hospital.