Melton and surrounding communities now have access to better mental health care thanks to the official opening of the permanent Melton Mental Health and Wellbeing Local.
Minister for Mental Health Ingrid Stitt celebrated the opening of the new Melton site on Friday 28 November which was chosen and developed alongside community members and those with lived and living experience of the mental health system.
The site had been operating in an interim capacity since 2023, but now promises to deliver a full suite of clinical and wellbeing services from its new home at 223 Bridge Road in Cobblebank.
The new centre has been designed to act as a “front door” to mental health care in the region and has been delivered by Mind Australia, working alongside IPC Health, Thorne Harbour Health and Western Health.
The multidisciplinary team is made up of mental health clinicians, wellbeing staff and peer support workers, offering support for a wide range of needs from psychological distress and mental illness to co-occurring substance use or addiction.
The centre is open weekdays from 10am to 8pm, and on weekends and public holidays from 10am to 5pm. Walk-ins and appointments are available Monday to Thursday between 10am and 4pm, with telehealth support offered throughout all opening hours.
Ms Stitt said the new site would make it easier for Melton residents to get timely help close to home.
“The Melton Health and Wellbeing Local will make it simpler for the community to access free, walk-in support when they need it, close to home,” she said.
Melton MP Steve McGhie said the centre would serve as an accessible and welcoming space for residents seeking support.
“The Melton community now has a welcoming and accessible place to turn when they need support – with no referral needed and no cost, this will be a gamechanger,” he said.
The Melton location forms part of the statewide rollout of Mental Health and Wellbeing locals, which came about as a key recommendation of the Royal Commission into Victoria’s Mental health system.
