About Us

ABOUT OUR COMMUNITY

SERVING THE COMMUNITY FOR OVER 27 YEARS

Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services acknowledges that we work on the lands of the Darkinyung people. We pay our respect to these lands that provide for us.

We acknowledge and pay respect to the ancestors that walked and managed these lands for many generations before us.

We acknowledge and recognise all Aboriginal people who have come from their own country and who now call this country their home.

We acknowledge our Elders who are our knowledge holders, teachers and pioneers.

We acknowledge our youth who are our hope for a brighter and stronger future and who will be our future leaders.

We acknowledge and pay our respect to our members who have gone before us and recognise their contribution to our people and community.

SERVING THE COMMUNITY

Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services is a non-for-profit, Aboriginal Community Controlled Organisation and the only Aboriginal Medical Service on the Central Coast, Darkinjung Country. Eleanor Duncan services over 4000 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People on Darkinjung Country including our own facility at McPherson Road Mardi and clinics at Wyong and Umina Beach.

Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services provides medical and dental care and education, mental health and alcohol and other drugs supports and intervention services, permanency support, family preservation, targeted youth support services, antenatal, postnatal and parenting support groups and support services, National Disability Insurance Scheme, chronic disease management (integrated team care) and wrap around homelessness care coordination through a transdisciplinary framework.

Play Video

Our Values

Cultural Connectedness

- Belonging
- Capability
- Resilience

Excellence

- Innovation
- Leadership
- Self-Determination

Integrity

- Accountability
- Empowerment
- Justice

Guiding Principles:

Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services acknowledges that health is not just the physical wellbeing of an individual, but the social, emotional, cultural and spiritual wellbeing of the whole community. This is a whole of life view and it also includes the cyclical concepts of life-death-life (NAHS Working Party 1989).

Capacity-building of community controlled organisations and the community itself to support our regions solutions to our health and wellbeing.
Partnering and collaborating across sectors.
Recognition of Aboriginal self-determination and a collaborative approach are fundamental to the achievements of improved health and wellbeing outcomes.

OUR STORY

Aboriginal community-controlled healthcare services were beginning to be established around Australia in the 1970’s, however, there was not one on the Central Coast, Darkinjung Country.

In 1993, a group of concerned individuals formed the Central Coast Aboriginal Health Action Group. The group aimed to secure funding to set up a health service on the Central Coast that would provide culturally responsive services to the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community.

Our story officially began two years later, on 22 December 1995. After securing a grant and donations from local organisations and individuals, the Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Centre was established as a community-controlled health service.

Play Video

Since then, Eleanor Duncan has been providing comprehensive, culturally responsive primary health care to the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community through the Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Centre at Wyong.

We have grown to provide a range of health and wellbeing services, based on the needs of the local community, that aim to improve the holistic health and wellbeing outcomes of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people living on Darkinjung Country.

Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services was registered as a company limited by guarantee in February 2018. As an Aboriginal community-controlled organisation limited by guarantee, community members are able to join the organisation to vote on positions of the Board, be elected to the Board, guide and support the Board and participate in the Annual General Meeting.

In 2021, Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services purchased our own property which will be developed to become a community hub for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people who engage with our services.

OUR NAMESAKE

The Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Centre was named after the remarkable local Aboriginal woman, Eleanor Duncan. Eleanor was born in 1937 on the land of the Gomeroi people in Moree. She went to school at the local mission and studied nursing at Newcastle. She went on to become one of the first registered Aboriginal nurses in NSW.

Eleanor worked at the Narrabri and Moree District Hospitals, providing specialist health services to the Aboriginal community in a culturally safe manner. After marrying and moving to the Central Coast, Eleanor continued to be actively involved in the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community. She was passionate about health care and helping her local community.

Sadly, she died at only 48.

We work tirelessly to continue Eleanor’s legacy and are inspired by her to keep striving for improved health outcomes for Aboriginal people.

OUR BOARD

Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services is governed by a voluntary Board. This group of individuals is selected by our members to represent the community and to provide leadership and corporate governance for our organisation.

We are proudly led by the following Board Members:

OUR BOARD

Yerin Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Services is governed by a voluntary Board. This group of individuals is selected by our members to represent the community and to provide leadership and corporate governance for our organisation.

We are proudly led by the following Board Members:

OUR MANAGEMENT

Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services employs a dynamic, highly qualified and dedicated management team. Our team is proud to serve the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, delivering culturally responsive health and wellbeing services.

OUR MANAGEMENT

Yerin Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Health Services employs a dynamic, highly qualified and dedicated management team. Our team is proud to serve the local Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community, delivering culturally responsive health and wellbeing services.

MEDICAL PRACTITIONERS

GENERAL PRACTITIONERS

Dr Natasha Brown

Dr Cordelia Oyekan-John

Dr Derek Fleming

Dr Ciara McDonald

ABORIGINAL HEALTH PRACTITIONERS

Kim Thompson

Leigtham Carney

Brett Field

REGISTERED NURSES

Kylie Le Strande DE NP

Alaina Rowe

Bryanne McCurdy

UMINA PRACTICE GENERAL PRACTITIONER

Dr O’Regan

Dr Paula Kavalieros

PARTNERS

Eleanor Duncan Aboriginal Services works with a range of partners to support our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community on Darkinjung Country.