A new $82 million La Trobe Health Clinic at the university’s Bundoora campus in Melbourne has opened, expanding access to allied health services including orthoptics and boosting orthoptics teaching resources.
The clinic provides affordable, student-led allied health services including orthoptics. audiology, speech pathology, dietetics, physiotherapy, psychology, occupational therapy, and podiatry to patients in Melbourne’s northern suburbs.
The university said this would give students hands on experience in a real-world healthcare environment under clinical supervision. It would also help address Australia’s continuing health workforce shortage.
Orthoptics student Tamanah Rahim is in her final year, completing her Bachelor of Orthoptics (Honours). She said she chose La Trobe because of its strong reputation in allied health and hands-on clinical experience.
Rahim said the clinic would be an incredible opportunity for future students because it provides a modern, professional and collaborative healthcare environment to learn in.
“This valuable initiative reflects how much La Trobe values both student learning and community healthcare,” she said.
“Being on placement at the new La Trobe Health Clinic has been an incredible experience. The clinic has a more modern, welcoming, and professional environment that really reflects what working in corporate healthcare is like.
“It’s exciting to learn in a facility that benefits students with constant support from qualified clinical educators while encouraging independency in assessments and pushing initiative in a really competitive environment.”
Rahim said the clinic also provided excellent care for the wider community and represented great engagement and involvement from the university.
“I’ve really appreciated the opportunity to work alongside experienced clinicians in such a collaborative environment and when other disciplines officially kick off, it’ll be such a rewarding experience to work together in providing multidisciplinary care,” she said.
“This placement strengthened my clinical confidence and allowed me to put the knowledge and skills I’ve developed throughout my degree into practice with real patients. The new clinic creates an environment where students feel supported while also encouraging independence and professional growth. Tasks are easily delegated and navigating the environment is much smoother.”
Rahim said the teaching laboratories were a fantastic addition to the learning experience of future orthoptic students.
“Having access to modern and advanced equipment and technologies makes learning more interactive and has helped bridge the gap between theory and clinical practice,” she said.
“As a final-year orthoptics student, it’s been incredibly rewarding to finish my degree in such a modern facility. The new clinic and teaching spaces have enhanced my learning experience and have made me feel well prepared for my future career as an orthoptist.
An extra 5,000 healthcare professionals
Once fully operational from 15 June, the La Trobe Health Clinic will help train an additional 400 allied health professionals each year from 2026, contributing to the university’s goal of graduating 5,000 additional healthcare professionals by 2030.
The clinic, which was officially opened by Federal Education Minister Jason Clare and Deputy Victorian Premier Ben Carroll on 11 June 2026, will be the largest multidisciplinary university clinic in Victoria. It is part of La Trobe’s $170 million investment in health innovation statewide.
Vice‑Chancellor Professor Theo Farrell said the new facility reflected a response to community need and national workforce pressures.
“Australia is facing a serious shortage of health professionals and universities have a responsibility to be part of the solution,” Professor Farrell said in a statement.
“This new clinical teaching building brings together high‑quality education and affordable health services, delivering immediate benefits for communities in Melbourne’s north while preparing more job‑ready health professionals for the future.”
Prof Farrell said La Trobe’s investment in health infrastructure was designed to deliver long‑term impact beyond the campus.
“By embedding clinical training within a working health service, we are giving students the confidence and practical experience they need to enter the workforce, while also improving access to care for people who need it most.”
The new facility is also a key element of La Trobe University City, a major long-term development to transform the 235-hectare Bundoora campus into a vibrant city.
Infrastructure developer Plenary Group developed and financed the clinic.
Watch the launch video.
