‘Landmark’ Health Hub unveiled

A “landmark” new $12m health and wellbeing facility has officially opened its doors at New Norfolk’s old Willow Court precinct, promising to be a “showpiece of community care”.

The Health Hub is a project of not-for-profit independent aged and community care provider Corumbene, which services the Derwent Valley, Central Highlands and surrounding areas.

Corumbene contributed $6m to help get the Health Hub off the ground, while the federal government chipped in $3.7m and the state government $1m, as well as a $3.5m low-interest loan.

The University of Tasmania also helped fund the project, forking out $670,000 to establish the UTAS Centre for Rural Health at the 2000sq m site.

Located on the Avenue at New Norfolk, the Health Hub includes two redeveloped and restored 1930s buildings that were once part of the Willow Court precinct.

Among the entities with a presence at the site are UTAS, Hobart Pathology, Next Level Wellness and Recovery Centre, and Eve and Co Coffee House.

The buildings are linked by an atrium and have been transformed into a “state-ofthe-art” facility, Corumbene president and chairman Ross Carlyle said.

Mr Carlyle said the opening of the hub was a significant moment for the future of health care in the Derwent Valley. “The site … was designed to be a landmark health and wellbeing centre and a showpiece of community care,” he said.

Mr Carlyle said Corumbene had relocated its Rural Primary Health Program team to the new hub: “Further, we are actively marketing the remaining space within the hub to permanent and visiting health and community care services to support the delivery of community care”.