Women’s Talk commenced at the Victorian Aboriginal Health Service showcasing a quality local Aboriginal health service. Aunty Di Kerr welcomed the girls to Wurundjeri country and Christine Ingram welcomed them to VAHS. They met and heard the stories of a number of First Australian women health professionals, including Denise McGuiness, Manager of VAHS Community Services, Candice Liddy, a Physiotherapy student, Kaylene Williamson, a Personal Trainer and Jo Dwyer a Family Counsellor.

After lunch the girls went to The Royal Children’s Hospital, where staff from the Wadja Clinic hosted the afternoon and spoke of their roles supporting children and their families. The speakers were Rebecca Crawford, Wadja Clinic Coordinator; Moira Raynor, Koori Emotional Well Being Worker; Amanda Firebrace, Aboriginal Hospital Liaison Officer; Nyoka Morgan-Briggs, Aboriginal Health Worker; Erin Lowrie, Occupational Therapist and Dr Chantelle Stubna. 

The girls said how much they liked the engaging nature of the presenters and hearing their stories of their personal journeys into their health careers.  Some students with an interest in a particular health profession were linked up with First Australians in those professions.

In the evening the First Australian students and some Australian school friends were the guests at a dinner at Charcoal Lane where, as well as enjoying wonderful food, they were inspired by Inala Cooper, Executive Officer – Indigenous Advisory Council of Monash University’s Yulendj Indigenous Engagement Unit and Dr Fiona Stanley, AC, an epidemiologist and child health researcher, noted for her strong advocacy for Indigenous health.

Weenthunga Health Day: Women’s Talk was made possible by the generosity of everyone involved giving of their time, as well as by the generous support of: Portland House Foundation; Anna Wearne Trust; Fairer Futures Fund; Reconciliation Victoria; and Weenthunga members Elizabeth Hatfield; Nell Angus and Meg Irwin.