General News
1 May, 2025
Hub for Her
Women in Ararat and surrounding areas now have improved access to sexual and reproductive health care with the official opening of the Ararat Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Hub.
Women in Ararat and surrounding areas now have improved access to sexual and reproductive health care with the official opening of the Ararat Women’s Sexual and Reproductive Health Hub.
The facility, located at the East Grampians Community Health Centre, was officially opened by Premier Jacinta Allan and Member for Ripon Martha Haylett yesterday.
Premier Allan said it is one of six new hubs recently established across Victoria.
“This is a really key and important addition to health service for the local community, but with a keen and specific focus on supporting women here in rural and regional Victoria where we know women have not been able to access these sorts of services close to where they live,” she said.
According to 1800 My Options, Victoria’s sexual and reproductive health advice line, the Grampians region has the highest number of calls seeking advice or services for unplanned pregnancies outside of metropolitan Melbourne.
The hub is operated by East Grampians Health Service and provides free or low-cost care with no referral required.
Services include contraception, medical abortion, referrals for surgical abortion, and the diagnosis and treatment of sexually transmitted infections.
The hub will also offer treatments such as physiotherapy and pelvic floor education to help prevent long-term health issues, reduce incontinence, and avoid hospitalisation.
Dr Winnie Yum, a GP obstetrician working at the hub, said the community has responded positively since the service began operating.
“We’ve got fantastic feedback from everyone that’s accessed the service so from our family planning services, which a lot of people access, as well as just getting advice on contraception,” she said.
Member for Ripon Martha Haylett congratulated Ararat and those who helped bring the hub to Ararat and finally being able to close the gap on health services.
“This is exactly what our girls and women in rural Victoria deserve, having services close to home so they don’t have to go to Ballarat, they don’t have to go to Melbourne because that is really daunting when you may be in a situation you didn’t expect, to have to travel really far. I am so proud to be part of a government that puts the health of women in all our rural and regional communities first,” she said.