The new integrated Royal Far West Health and Learning facility will be a truly unique asset to Australia, enabling us to reach up to 15,000 families with services and support that help country children reach their full potential.

Royal Far West has had the development application for the new Centre for Child Health and Learning approved by the Joint Regional Planning Panel in early May and has launched its Caring for Country Kids Appeal to secure funds for the building and future service delivery.

“Every year hundreds of families from rural and remote areas of NSW benefit from the integrated clinical and educational model of health care provided by RFW at Manly – care that is not available to these families locally. Our existing Medical Centre was built to last 30 years. It is now 50+ years old and has reached the end of its useful life” said Lindsay Cane, CEO.

“A new purpose-built Centre will replace the old Medical Centre. The integrated Clinical and Education facility will be a truly unique asset to Australia.”

The new Centre will enable RFW to support a greater number of families with services such as Tele-speech and Tele-mental health.

Currently Royal Far West’s programs support almost 2,000 rural families each year and deliver over 38,000 occasions of service. The new Centre for Child Health and Learning will enable Royal Far West to reach as many as 15,000 families in the future.

“We are proud that Manly will be home to such an innovative and important Centre supporting country kids, families and communities.”

The new Centre for Child Health and Learning will be erected on the site of the existing Elsie Hill Building in Wentworth Street, adjacent to RFW’s guest accommodation Drummond House. No building or reconstruction will be taking place on RFW’s waterfront land under this Stage One development.

It is envisaged that the building of the new Centre will take around 18 months.