The Murray River Centre is a purpose-built, community-led trauma healing precinct proposed for Wodonga, Victoria, designed to address a profound and documented gap in care for some of Australia’s most underserved regional communities.

Our community is facing significant challenges when it comes to access to specialised mental health care.

  • We’re 2x more likely to die by suicide simply because of our location.

  • We face a cost deficit in specialist trauma care due to our distance from Melbourne and Sydney.

  • There are 4000 veterans and their families based here, and 51% of them experience mental health or substance-use disorder post-service.

The Murray River Centre will be Australia’s first fully integrated, community-led mental health facility based in a regional setting. Located at the former Clyde Cameron College in Wodonga, the Centre will combine clinical treatment with community support and social prescribing, helping our friends and family recover in the place they live.

The Victorian Royal Commission (2021) identified a 'missing middle' in mental healthcare: people too complex for primary care, but not severe enough for acute services. This is the gap we’re aiming to fill.

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The community hopes the Centre will deliver a new model of recovery, all on one site:

Specialist trauma and psychiatric care, locally and affordably. Both private and public care.

Allied health, primary care, and mind-body therapies under one roof.

Residential research and training facility committed to innovative approaches to trauma healing, which creates a pipeline for specialists to remain in the region.

Tailored support for veterans, victim-survivors, people with eating disorders, and persistent pain.

The journey to date.

Founding Board: Experienced clinical, financial, architectural, and community leaders, chaired by General David Hurley AC DSC, former Governor-General of Australia.

Founding Gift: A donor pledge of $3.5 million toward building acquisition has been secured, with an agreement in place with the owner of the vacant Clyde Cameron College site at this price.

Due Diligence: Full due diligence on the identified building has been completed.

Black Dog Institute MOU: A Memorandum of Understanding has been signed with Black Dog Institute, Australia’s leading mental health research and clinical organisation. A model of care co-design process is commencing July 2026.

Community Endorsement: Positive local media coverage and commitment from local donors and providers, including Kirinari.

We are now raising funds to employ local suppliers to develop a robust business plan, a community engagement strategy, and comprehensive model of care. Donate here or contact us directly to discuss.

“After 10 years of vice-regal duties, I know that the strength of regional Australia is in its communities. This building complex in Wodonga gives us the most exciting opportunity to put this novel approach into practice.”

— Murray River Foundation Chair, 
Former Governor-General David Hurley

What People Are Saying

“It is remarkable that the proposed Centre has broad support from local leaders across the political spectrum and in different levels of government. This is a testament both to the enormous need for such a centre, as well as the skills, expertise and community connections of its proponents.”

— Dr Amanda Cohn, Greens Member of the Legislative Council, NSW

“I was a broken and invisible man - at times non-verbal, chronically dissociated, suicidal, and volatile. I lived like that for years without the support I needed. The Murray River Centre would have been transformative for my mental health. As a veteran in a regional area, it would have given me access to consistent care, genuine understanding, and a sense of connection at a time when I felt completely alone.”

— Richard Hendrie, Albury Citizen of the Year, Living Experience Advocate

“The Willow Wing would give Kirinari a significant opportunity to provide trauma-informed access to safe housing and support for those experiencing family violence. With a focus on recovery and instilling hope through connection, we are excited to support this person-centred approach to care for our community.”

— Dr Leah Wiseman, COO Kirinari, Co-Chair of Ending Loneliness Together Australia

“I strongly support the Murray River Centre, which will make a positive impact in improving access to mental health treatment and support in regional NSW and Victoria.”

— Justin Clancy, MP for Albury

“When people are better connected, Country gets stronger. When Country is healthier it’s easier for it to hold people and all other living things, enriching us all in the true sense.
This is the meaning of the Centre for me. It generates focused power and potential for growth and healing.”

— Dr Janelle Trees, Dhanggati GP on Wiradjuri Country

Meet the Board

  • General David Hurley (Chair)

    AC, ACO, CVO, DSC

    General Hurley served as the 27th Governor-General of Australia and, before that, as the 38th Governor of New South Wales. His 42-year military career culminated in his appointment as Chief of the Defence Force, having earlier commanded Australian forces in Somalia and East Timor. He brings to the Foundation a rare combination of national leadership, deep commitment to veterans' welfare, and direct experience of the mental health challenges facing serving and former military personnel.

  • Dr Phil Jaksa

    FRANZCP, MP, MBBS, BMSc, Cert Consul Liaison Psych

    Dr Phil Jaksa is a practising trauma and mind-body psychiatrist and psychotherapist based in Albury-Wodonga. He has lived experience as a healing patient and clinician within the mental health system. Working daily with complex trauma, PTSD, and pain in Albury-Wodonga, he brings both the clinical credibility and the local relationships to make this project a reality. He is the driving force behind the Centre's clinical design and its vision for transformational – not merely symptomatic – healing.

  • Chris Raine

    AM, MBA, MPA

    Chris Raine is an Australian social entrepreneur focused on mental health and addiction. He is the founder and former CEO of Hello Sunday Morning and co-founder of Clean Slate Clinic, a home telehealth alcohol detox service. A Westpac Social Change Fellow and Kenneth Myer Innovation Fellow, he has spent 15 years building some of Australia's most recognised digital mental health platforms and brings deep expertise in community engagement, behaviour change, and scaling social impact organisations.

  • Dr Pramudie Gunaratne

    Psychiatrist & Workforce Advocate

    Dr Gunaratne is Chair of the NSW Branch of the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Psychiatrists and recipient of the AMA's 2025 Women in Medical Leadership Award. A research fellow at UNSW and co-founder of Seriph Clinics, she has consulted to the WHO's Brain Health Unit and served as registrar to the Chief Psychiatrist in the NSW Ministry of Health. She is one of Australia's most prominent advocates for equitable access to public mental healthcare.

  • Keith Rovers

    Partner, Minter Ellison; Head of Social Impact & Sustainable Finance

    Keith leads MinterEllison's Social Impact Practice and Pro Bono programs, supporting over 100 charities, social enterprises, and Indigenous businesses on strategy, governance, and finance. Recognised with the Individual Outstanding Achievement Award at the 2023 Australian Impact Investment Awards, his three-decade career spans corporate finance, impact investment, and social enterprise, making him uniquely placed to guide the MRC's capital strategy and governance.

  • Ron Billard

    Award-winning Mental Health Architect

    With over 30 years of experience in health facility design, Ron Billard founded Billard Leece Partnership, whose portfolio includes the Royal Children's Hospital Melbourne, Perth Children's Hospital, and Orygen Youth Health. His Campbelltown Hospital Redevelopment won top honours for Mental Health Design at the 2023 European Healthcare Design Awards. His involvement ensures the MRC's physical environment is itself a therapeutic tool.