Amelia Parkins has spent many hours travelling for endometriosis treatment and is glad to finally see a service in Wagga. Photo: Shri Gayathirie Rajen.
A new endometriosis and pelvic pain clinic will open in Wagga Wagga in early 2026, providing access to specialised care for endometriosis, pelvic pain, perimenopause and menopause for locals who have had to drive three hours to Canberra to access the closest service.
The clinic will operate from the women’s service Nova Health Co at its Docker Street location.
The announcement was welcomed by Wagga councillor and long-term endometriosis sufferer Amelia Parkins, who has advocated for a local service for years.
“I hope it will be a life-changing service for women in Wagga,” she said.
“It’s a specialist skill set to deal with endometriosis; I hear many stories of women who go for treatment and are given a Panadol and sent home.
“If people can access this treatment locally instead of having to go to Canberra or Sydney, then that is going to make the world of difference.”
Details on the clinic are yet to be finalised but Ms Parkins said she hopes services will be covered by Medicare or at least be affordable for all women.
Ms Parkins said she started experiencing excruciating menstrual pain at the age of 13 and was told there was nothing wrong with her and that it was all in her head.
It took her nearly 12 years to receive an endometriosis diagnosis — a condition in which tissue similar to the endometrium (which lines the inside of the uterus) also grows outside the uterus. It can also affect nearby organs, including the bowel and bladder.
She said she had effectively spent half her life in pain, which starts mid-cycle and continues for two weeks until her period every month.
One in nine women aged between 12 and 50 in Australia live with the condition, and it takes an average of six to seven years for a diagnosis.
Federal health bureaucracy Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network (MPHN) says it will work closely with Nova Health Co and oversee the implementation and delivery of the clinic to ensure it meets the needs of the local community.
MPHN said the new clinic would improve access to diagnosis, treatment and referral services for those living with endometriosis and pelvic pain and provide support for women experiencing perimenopause and menopause.
Director of Nova Health Co Dr Trudi Beck said the clinic would make a difference for women living with these often-debilitating conditions.
“We know that endometriosis and pelvic pain can have a significant impact on daily life, and access to timely, specialised care is essential,” Dr Beck said.
“Our team is committed to providing compassionate, evidence-based care and working closely with local clinicians to ensure patients receive the support they need.”
The new Wagga clinic is funded by the Australian Government Department of Health, Disability and Ageing as part of its national expansion of endometriosis and pelvic pain clinics. The Wagga clinic is one of eleven opening across the country.
Further details, including the official opening date and how to access the clinic, will be shared in the coming weeks.
