Board member, Bruce Pigdon, CEO Robyn Haberecht and board chair David Rokesky celebrate the opening of Yarrawonga Health’s new $10.9 million surgical facility and main entrance in 2025.
Yarrawonga Health is celebrating 100 years of service in a milestone that mirrors the growth of the town itself.
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The humble beginnings of a tiny nursing home and a handful of dedicated doctors have grown into a modern, fully integrated regional health service.
For a century, generations of families have come through the doors.
The hospital at the heart of the community has welcomed newborns, cared for the sick, and supported this community through every stage of life.
Before there was an official hospital, medical needs in Yarrawonga were met by doctors and small nursing homes.
The town’s first resident doctor was Dr Denis, who practised here from 1887.
In the early 1920s, a small nursing home and a maternity and general care hospital was established by Sister Lowe on Hovell Street.
This facility mainly served mothers and minor medical cases.
Robyn Haberecht, chief executive at Yarrawonga Health said the little private hospital was in an old house, converted by local people to care for the community.
“The care was personal, hands-on, and deeply connected to every family in town,” Ms Haberecht said.
In 1924, a privately run, more formal hospital opened on the corner of Lynch and Piper Streets, replacing the earlier sister-run facility with the original building transformed into a nurses’ residence.
Executive assistant, Rebecca Coll said that even in those early years, the community’s commitment was remarkable.
“People donated furniture, raised funds, and volunteered; it was their hospital, and everyone felt responsible for it,” she said.
Growth and community ownership
In 1935, the Yarrawonga Hospital Transport Association was formed, an early version of ambulance.
By 1938, a new hospital was built beside the original to meet the growing population’s needs, and in 1946, with assistance from the Hospitals and Charities Board, the community purchased the hospital, officially transitioning to a community-owned facility.
The following year, it became known as the Yarrawonga District Hospital, organised and managed by citizens of Yarrawonga and the surrounding district.
“That shift to community ownership was a defining moment,” Ms Haberecht said.
“It showed how much the town valued local health care, and that spirit continues today.
“Our people have always rolled up their sleeves to support the hospital.”
Post-war expansion brought new buildings on Hume and Piper Streets and other vital health services were established locally, including an Infant Welfare Centre and the continued development of ambulance and community health services.
Dr Clyde Ronan retired in February 2024, after 41 years working in Yarrawonga’s health service.
Dr Clyde Ronan, who arrived in Yarrawonga in 1983, still vividly recalls those early days.
“Within a fortnight of arriving, I delivered three babies from women who didn’t know me from Adam,” Dr Ronan said.
“The hospital was always part of the same thing; the practice, the hospital, and the community.
“That’s what country medicine was.”
His memories capture what made the hospital so special.
It wasn’t just about medical care; it was about trust, relationships, and community.
Dr Ronan shared stories that captured both the humour and humanity of small-town hospital life.
“One night, the power went out mid-delivery,” he said.
“We lit the room with torches and candles and we didn’t miss a beat.
“The baby came out healthy, and we laughed about it for years.”
Ms Haberecht recalled an early-career nurse who demonstrated ingenuity and compassion in a critical moment.
“She had to improvise to keep a newborn safe and warm, so she used an oven bag to make a makeshift incubator.
“It’s the kind of quick thinking and care that defines the spirit of our staff who have always gone above and beyond.
“Whether it’s staying overnight with a patient or organising community events to raise funds for new equipment, the dedication has been extraordinary.
“Today, we face new challenges, but that same commitment drives us.
We’re proud of the legacy built over 100 years, and every staff member, past and present, has contributed to it.”
The great strength of Yarrawonga Health is and has been its staff, for 100 years.
The modern era
In 1999, the Yarrawonga District Hospital formally amalgamated with the Yarrawonga Nursing Home Inc. and the Yarrawonga Community Health Centre, forming a larger integrated health service.
Until 2011, it operated as Yarrawonga District Health Service, extending services beyond acute care, including aged care and community health.
On September 22, 2011, the name changed to Yarrawonga Health, marking its role as a comprehensive rural health provider offering acute care, maternity, aged care, and community programs.
Each new service has aimed the meet the community’s evolving needs, from from dialysis to emergency care upgrades, from maternity services to community outreach programs, ensuring people get the care they need, close to home.
“Our strategic plan for the coming years focuses on expansion, modernisation, and sustainability,” Ms Haberecht said.
“But at the heart of it, the goal hasn’t changed: to provide compassionate, high-quality care to our community, just as we have for the past 100 years.”
On reflection, Dr Ronan said it was never just a building.
“It’s been a place where people come for care, where staff put their hearts into every shift, and where generations of families have been welcomed,” he said.
“That tradition is what makes Yarrawonga Health unique.”
Rebecca Coll (front left) with some of the members of Yarrawonga Health’s dedicated fundraising committee.
The hospital’s centenary celebrations are a testament to the ongoing support from the community that has sustained it for a century.
From fundraising drives to volunteering, Yarrawonga residents have always, and still, play a vital role in the hospital’s growth and success.
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