The walu-win Centre, Orange Aboriginal Medical Service (OAMS), is being expanded to include a purpose-built hydrotherapy pool and an integrated allied health service, addressing long-standing access barriers to culturally safe rehabilitation services.
The current walu-win Centre uses a model of care that focuses on culturally safe rehabilitation services. The plan to expand the centre into an architecturally significant, culturally meaningful space will further expand and enhance this model. It will encourage community engagement through exercise physiology, strength training, diabetes management, group and individual wellness classes, and holistic wellbeing programs for older women’s fitness.
Designed by and for Aboriginal people, the centre’s expansion will foster community-led healing and improve access to early intervention and culturally responsive care. It strengthens Priority Reform Areas by placing culture at the centre, promoting shared decision-making and driving outcomes under the NSW Aboriginal Health Plan 2024–2032, including equity of access, healthy living and person-centred care.
The new building and expanded services will support:
- physical rehabilitation
- chronic disease management
- social and emotional wellbeing.
Fostering culturally appropriate care
OAMS is undertaking the expansion of the walu-win Centre in response to the clear need for accessible, culturally safe rehabilitation and wellness services for Aboriginal people in Orange and surrounding regions. The lack of local, affordable hydrotherapy options and safe spaces for recovery is affecting clients’ ability to engage in consistent care, while staff are limited in their ability to provide holistic, coordinated support.
Current facilities in Orange are cost-prohibitive and culturally inappropriate for many Aboriginal clients, creating a barrier to care and contributing to poorer health outcomes. The service will be the first of its kind within an Aboriginal Medical Service in Australia, offering OAMS clients free access to:
- hydrotherapy
- wellness plans
- exercise programs
- transport.
It represents both a healthcare innovation and an entrepreneurial development, designed to scale sustainably while creating workforce development and upskilling opportunities for OAMS staff. Grounded in the Closing the Gap Priority Reforms and the NSW Aboriginal Health Plan 2024–2032, the project advances cultural safety, local solutions, and community control by embedding Aboriginal voices and leadership from issue identification through to service design.
Designed for and by Aboriginal people
Western NSW Local Health District (WNSWLHD) and other health sector services provided consultations, community forums and feedback from Aboriginal staff and clients at every stage of the project. This consultation confirmed the need for a holistic service that supports continuous care in a space designed by and for Aboriginal people.
From the outset, Aboriginal leadership has guided this project— more than 70% of our Board of Directors, 42% of the Executive Leadership team as well as the CEO/Managing Director are Aboriginal. The vision was presented internally and met with unanimous support from the OAMS operations teams, including nine GPs and allied health staff, who all recognised the urgent need and strong community demand for such a service.
The design and implementation process has been deeply consultative and community led. The facility is being constructed on land owned by OAMS, with the architectural design refined through multiple iterations to reflect both cultural values and clinical functionality. OAMS developed relationships over several years with engineers, builders, funders including the Commonwealth Department of Health and Aged Care, Newmont and Orange City Council to secure necessary approvals and partnerships.
Aboriginal input has been central at all stages, from identifying the issue and shaping the vision to refining building design and service planning. Construction began in early 2025 and is due for completion in January 2026.
Evaluating with Aboriginal community and staff
OAMS is undertaking evaluation planning which will be developed with Aboriginal community members and staff to ensure the development of culturally relevant success indicators. This will not only include clinical outcomes, but community experiences of safety, access, and empowerment. The expansion is due for completion in early 20226.
WNSWLHD and OAMS currently work together at all levels of client care and across all OAMS service units staff. This includes referrals, Aboriginal Liaison Officers, community partnerships, working parties and committees, cross over research projects and informal staffing referrals. This current relationship will expand to include the hydrotherapy centre services.
Lessons learned to date include:
- Aboriginal leadership and cultural governance must be embedded from the beginning. By ensuring that Aboriginal voices—across our board, CEO, Executive Leadership Team and operational staff—led the design, decision-making and direction, we created a project that is truly responsive to community needs and grounded in cultural values. This alignment with self-determination has strengthened community trust and ensured strong internal commitment.
- We’ve learned that co-design takes time, but it builds stronger outcomes. Community feedback through yarning circles, staff consultations and Elders’ input shaped not only the physical design but also the intended function of the service. While this extended our planning phase, it resulted in a design that balances clinical best practice with cultural safety and long-term community benefit.
- We’ve come to recognise the importance of long-term partnerships and strategic planning. Building strong relationships with engineers, funders, architects and Orange City Council over several years allowed us to secure the necessary support for this pioneering project. Our phased planning also means we can scale and adapt the business model to ensure sustainability and future workforce development.
