Our history

Connect Health & Community has a proud history of innovation and commitment to support the people of the southern Melbourne bayside area.

We were borne from the vision of four doctors; Dr Jago, Dr Rose, Dr de Crespigny and Dr Fredman, who secured funding to build and operate a community health centre in 1973.

The facility aimed to provide the local population of 20,000 with primary medical care by doctors and allied professionals, regardless of financial status.

In 1974 local doctors opposed the concept, fearing they would lose business, but the centre went ahead, operating without doctors on site. Shortly after, we purchased our site at Gardeners Rd, beside Moorabbin Hospital.

In 1975 we were up and running as East Bentleigh Community Health Centre with five staff ready to serve the local community.

By the following year, momentum had taken off and we had more than 700 new clients, established our volunteer program and began providing pool therapy.

And in 1978 our first mini-bus was donated to enable transport services for older clients and those living with a disability.

From there we have never looked back.

Today we provide:

• Community Health Nursing
• Counselling
• Dental
• Dietetics
• Gambler’s Help Southern
• Health Promotion
• Hydrotherapy
• Occupational Therapy
• Physiotherapy
• Podiatry
• Psychology
• Speech Pathology
• Community transport
• Social groups and activities
• Volunteers
• Youth Services