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Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network Aboriginal Health
Acknowledgment of Country
We respect and honour Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Elders past, present and future. We acknowledge the stories, traditions and living cultures of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples on this land and commit to building a brighter future together.
We acknowledge that ‘Aboriginal business is everyone’s business’ and we will work in partnership with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples to improve their health and wellbeing. We will work collectively with consumers and the community to ensure Aboriginal people get to enjoy the same, or better, health outcomes than the broader population.
Traditional Custodians
The Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network (RMCLHN) Aboriginal Health team have engaged with local First Nations community groups to consult and provide our staff and community with the appropriate names of Country that each of our health sites are located.
Ngawait
- Waikerie Health Service and Country Health Connect.
Erawirung
- Barmera Health Service and Country Health Connect
- Loxton Hospital Complex and Country Health Connect
- Riverland General Hospital and Country Health Connect
- Renmark Paringa District Hospital and Country Health Connect.
Nganguruku and Ngaiwang
- Mannum District Hospital.
Ngarkat
- Coonalpyn Country Health Connect
- Karoonda and District Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital
- Lameroo District Health Service
- Mallee Medical Practice
- Pinnaroo Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital
- Tintinara Country Health Connect.
Ngarrindjeri
- Meningie and Districts Memorial Hospital and Health Service, and Country Health Connect
- Tailem Bend District Hospital
- Murray Bridge Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital and Country Health Connect.
You can also download and view a copy of our Traditional Custodians poster (PDF 2MB).
Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan
The Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network (RMCLHN) launched its Innovate Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP) (PDF 7MB) in September 2025. This is our organisation’s second RAP and builds on our commitment to achieving reconciliation.
RMCLHN’s vision for reconciliation is that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have equitable access to culturally safe, respectful, and responsive services and care so that they share the same health outcomes, opportunities, and benefits as all Australians.
These services will be delivered within an environment where Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff can thrive and develop their careers in a safe and supportive environment amongst colleagues who show respect and interest for their culture and views.
The Innovate RAP outlines four areas for RMCLHN – Relationships, Respect, Opportunities and Governance. Each area includes a focus, clear actions and deliverables, as well as a timeline and responsibility for implementation.
- Relationships: Building strong, genuine and meaningful relationships between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and RMCLHN is important to developing a culturally inclusive, responsive and respectful organisation that will achieve improved outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander clients and their families and ensure a culturally safe workplace for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff.
- Respect: Respect for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, cultures, lands and histories is important to RMCLHN because it will provide a culturally safe, culturally accountable and culturally responsive health service for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, ensuring safe and better health outcomes.
- Opportunities: Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, groups and communities are important to RMCLHN’s formation of partnerships to promote, maintain and restore the health of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers throughout the region. This includes the need to create opportunities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, by building a stronger, larger and more dispersed Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workforce.
- Governance: The RMCLHN Aboriginal Health Committee reports all RAP activity and progress to RMCLHN’s Executive Leadership, Governing Board and externally to Reconciliation Australia, Aboriginal Affairs and Reconciliation and SA Health’s Chief Executive Office.
This plan is an important part of our larger strategic vision for health services and workplaces that value and affirm the cultures, beliefs, languages and histories of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples and communities.
We understand that in committing to, and delivering on, actions that support reconciliation we will strengthen our capacity to provide support to communities across the Riverland Mallee Coorong region, the broader culture and contribution of our Local Health Network (LHN).
Hard copy versions are also available at our hospitals and health sites.
Our vision for Aboriginal health
We will support Aboriginal people to have the best possible quality of life by providing high quality, culturally appropriate care that promotes dignity, respect, choice, independence and social connection.
Aboriginal Health Strategy 2025-2030
Aboriginal readers are advised that the Strategy may contain images and names of deceased persons.
RMCLHN launched its inaugural Aboriginal Health Strategy 2025-2030 (PDF 17MB) during National Reconciliation Week on 30 May 2025 in Murray Bridge.
The Strategy was developed in collaboration with local Aboriginal consumers, communities, organisations and stakeholders using a co-design process.
It captures what we have heard as being important to Aboriginal communities in the Riverland Mallee Coorong region, now and into the future, and outlines our commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
The Strategy includes four pathways to change:
- Respect consumers and connect culture in care
- Grow relationships
- Acknowledge and respond to racism in RMCLHN
- Attract, grow and retain our Aboriginal workforce.
It also describes our priorities to:
- improve organisational culture
- build RMCLHN’s Aboriginal workforce
- develop stronger partnerships and communication methods with community
- support equitable early access to health care services that are culturally safe and respectful.
The Strategy includes our Vision for Aboriginal Health
We all leave footprints.
Our ancestors that walked before us left footprints.
Our footprints are a mark of our presence.
Just like our footprints, our actions, and the decisions we make leave an imprint on the people we meet and the systems we work in.
We commit to enhancing our footprints and leaving places better than how we found them.
Adapted from an Aboriginal proverb.
Hard copy versions of the Strategy are also available at our hospitals and health sites.
Read more about the Strategy and co-design process on the Riverland Mallee Coorong engagement webpage.
For more information, please contact the Aboriginal Health team at HealthRMCLHNAboriginalHealthEnquiries@sa.gov.au.
Interactive Ngarrindjeri signage
RMCLHN proudly unveiled new interactive Ngarrindjeri signage at Murray Bridge Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital (MBMSH) during a NAIDOC Week event on Wednesday 9 July 2025.
RMCLHN acknowledges that MBSMH is located on the traditional lands of the Ngarrindjeri peoples.
A large totem pole has been installed at the hospital’s entrance and 15 plaques have been installed throughout MBSMH.
The signage features Ngarrindjeri words and phrases, English translations, and a QR code linked to a video with the Ngarrindjeri pronunciation, voiced by RMCLHN Ngarrindjeri staff members.
The project aims to create a more culturally safe and welcoming environment for Aboriginal staff and consumers by celebrating and showcasing traditional language.
It also aims to educate non-Aboriginal staff, consumers and community about the Ngarrindjeri language.
Thank you to Ngarrindjeri Elder and language teacher, Aunty Pauline Walker, who has supported our Aboriginal Health team on this project.
Listen to the full Ngarrindjeri Signage Project YouTube playlist.
Murray Bridge Hospital Aboriginal artwork launch
Supports and services
The Riverland Mallee Coorong Local Health Network offers a range of health supports and services for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples.
Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officers
The Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer (AHLO) supports Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander consumers, families, community members, visitors and staff.
They can provide advocacy, cultural, emotional, spiritual and clinical support.
They can also answer any questions you have, offer referrals and information about other services, or receive feedback from you about your experience at our hospital.
The AHLOs do not provide medical advice.
If you identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander, you can now self-refer to speak with an AHLO by scanning the QR Code on posters located throughout our hospitals, and filling in a short form. Alternatively, you can contact us by phone on (08) 8580 2614.
Once you have completed the form, an AHLO will call you back within 24 hours during Monday to Friday.
Riverland General Hospital (RGH) and Murray Bridge Soldiers' Memorial Hospital (MBSMH) also now have access to AHLO services on weekends.
Riverland drop-in paediatric clinic
If you are concerned about your child’s growth and development, we invite you to drop-in for a yarn with us and other parents – no appointment required!
Located next to Barmera Health Service at Scott Avenue, Barmera in the Aboriginal Health Wellbeing Centre, this clinic supports Aboriginal children from birth to five years of age and their families.
Parents, grandparents and guardians are welcome to come along to yarn about any worries related to the health and development of their children.
The clinic is a culturally safe space where we can assess your child’s needs and provide you with referrals to paediatric specialists or other health providers if needed. The following services are available at the clinic:
Occupational Therapy (OT)
Occupational Therapists can help your child with:
- understanding what they see, touch and hear
- improving their self-help skills such as toileting, showering, dressing and feeding
- playing (includes using their imagination)
- problem solving
- handwriting.
Speech Pathology (SP)
Speech Pathologists can help your child with:
- speech sounds
- language (talking and understanding)
- voice
- fluency (stuttering when talking)
- feeding (including fussy eating)
- swallowing.
Physiotherapy (Physio)
Physiotherapists can help with physical development, movement and coordination skills.
Dietitian
Dietitians can help your child with:
- introducing solid food
- fussy eating
- low energy and recurrent health issues
- weight concerns
- allergies and reactions to foods
- nutrition.
The next clinic dates will be announced soon.
For more information or assistance, please call the Aboriginal Health Team in Barmera on (08) 8588 0424.
This clinic is for non-urgent health concerns. If your concern is serious or urgent, please contact your local GP or visit your nearest Emergency Department. Always call Triple Zero (000) in an emergency.
Diabetes clinic in Barmera
Have you recently been diagnosed with diabetes, or have been living with diabetes for a while?
Kristin Muller (RN Credentialled Diabetes Educator) is available for appointments on Tuesday afternoons from 1pm-4pm. We can provide education and support with:
- Lifestyle modifications
- Medications
- Devices
- Testing times and blood glucose level targets
- Prevention and management of diabetes complications
- Hypoglycaemia (low blood glucose) and Hyperglycaemia (high blood glucose)
- Sick day plans.
The clinic is located at the Aboriginal Health Wellbeing Centre next to Barmera Health Service on Scott Avenue in Barmera.
Call (08) 8588 0424 or 0403 639 576 to find out more.
Murray Bridge Tumake Tinyeri Birthing Program
The Tumake Tinyeri Birthing Program aims to provide culturally competent antenatal, labour and early postnatal care for Aboriginal families.
This includes access to a trained midwife and a specialty trained Aboriginal workers during their pregnancy, supporting women to access services for social health issues, support during labour and birth and support for woman and infant care including feeding for the first 6-8 weeks after birth.
To find out more please contact the Tumake Tinyeri Birthing Program at the Murray Bridge Soldiers’ Memorial Hospital on (08) 8535 6777
Strategic planning
Aboriginal people experience more life risk factors, poorer health and less acceptable outcomes in a range of life areas when compared to the general population. As a result of these challenges, Aboriginal people are amongst the most disadvantaged population groups in our community.
The RMCLHN Strategic Plan 2021-2026 provides direction on how we achieve long term Aboriginal health goals with targeted priorities identified and measures of success including specific Aboriginal health criteria.