GSSM co-design participant Meena Malla, Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stitt, Operations Manager and Mental Health and Wellbeing Local at GSSM Sally Whitelaw cutting the ribbon to new local mental health facility.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
A new permanent mental health support hub has officially opened its doors in Shepparton, offering free walk-in support for adults with no GP referral or Medicare card required.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Located at 116 Corio St in the former FIX building, the Shepparton Mental Health and Wellbeing Local provides community-based services for people experiencing mental illness or psychological distress.
The model aims to fill the longstanding gap between GP services and hospital admissions.
The centre, led by Wellways Australia in partnership with APMHA Healthcare and Goulburn Valley Health, delivers clinical and wellbeing support across Greater Shepparton, Strathbogie, and Moira.
Services include in-person sessions, telehealth, and outreach, with a team comprising mental health professionals, allied health staff, and peer support workers.
Executive Director of Community Care and Mental Health Joshua Freeman said the team had “been fortunate enough to transform a central space in Shepparton into a welcoming, purpose-built facility.”
Open weekdays from 9am to 5pm (on weekday public holidays from 10am to 2pm) and closed on weekends, the service offers a wide range of support options—ranging from counselling and creative therapy to support groups and addiction recovery services.
Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt formally opened the space on Friday, describing it as a long-overdue step for regional Victoria.
“We know there is a need here in this community, and this service is about fulfilling that need,” Ms Stitt said.
“This isn’t about appointments or referrals—it’s about making help accessible right when and where people need it.” she added
The Shepparton Local is part of a broader statewide network of Mental Health and Wellbeing Locals, a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental Health System.
More than 23,000 people have already accessed support through the 15 existing locations across Victoria.
The new Shepparton facility includes 25 full-time staff roles and is designed with community input, including people with lived experience of mental illness.
The services workforce is led by psychiatrists, psychologists and special nurse practitioner roles being provided by Goulburn Valley Health.
In a nod to the region, each space is named after a body of water surrounding Greater Shepparton, Strathbogie and Moira.
“We’re not replacing hospitals, we’re here to reduce the pressure on acute systems by catching people earlier, before they reach crisis point,” Ms Stitt said.
The Local caters to a wide range of mental health challenges, including anxiety, eating disorders, gambling harm, and alcohol and other drug use.
The model is grounded in a recovery-oriented approach
Available therapies: Cognitive Behavioural Therapy, Acceptance and Commitment Therapy, Family Systems Therapy, and Dialectical Behaviour Therapy.
Support options include:
Single Session Therapy: one-off goal-focused appointments
Brief Interventions: short-term, outcome-driven support
Family and Relationship Counselling
Peer Navigation: guidance and advocacy from people with lived experience
Creative Therapies: art and music-based approaches to healing
Social Connection Programs: volunteering, gardening, carpentry, cooking, and walking groups
The centre also features a prayer room and has partnered with the Ethnic Council of Shepparton to ensure the service is culturally safe and inclusive.
“We’ve seen the value of working closely with multicultural organisations,” said Minister Stitt, who also holds the Multicultural Affairs portfolio.
The Shepparton Mental Health and Wellbeing Local is funded as part of a $34.4 million investment in the 2025/26 Victorian Budget, which includes the development of seven more Locals across the state.
The service is available for those aged 26 and over. If younger than that, you can access Youth Mental Health support.
For more information or to access support, visit betterhealth.vic.gov.au/mhwlocal or walk in during business hours to the Local located on the corner of Corio and Nixon St.
One-on-one consultation room at the facility.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Family room inside the facility.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Ingrid Stitt.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Wellways General Manager, Reform Implementation Cat Hunt performing a Welcome to Country.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Community room inside the facility.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
Staff gathering and common area inside the facility.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
From left, GV Health Executive Director Community Care and Mental Health, Chief Allied Health Officer Joshua Freeman, GV Health Manager of Mental Health Triage Lisa Scarff, Wellways General Manager, Reform Implementation Cat Hunt, Wellways Director of Services Nikki Wynne, GSSM Co-design Participant Meena Malla, Mental Health Minister Ingrid Stitt, Operations Manager, Mental Health and Wellbeing Local at GSSM Sally Whitelaw, Commissioner Carers, Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Jacqueline Gibson, Wellways Director Lived Experience Mary O’Hagan, Greater Shepparton Mayor Shane Sali, APMHA HealthCare CEO Renee Heyden, Mental Health and Wellbeing Commission Commissioner Annabel Brebner, Member for Shepparton Kim O'Keeffe and GV Health Consultant Psychiatrist Dr Rajlaxmi Khopade.
Photo by
Rechelle Zammit
7°C