NEW OUTREACH SERVICE SUPPORTS INDIGENOUS WOMEN THROUGH PREGNANCY AND BEYOND
The beautiful artwork featured on the van is by local artist Amy Freestone. Amy is a proud Malgana/Ngadju woman and mother from Western Australia who has also used the Moort Boodjari Mia service.
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in the Midland and Wheatbelt regions will soon have easier access to maternity care, with the launch of Western Australia’s first mobile midwifery clinic.
For more than ten years, Jodee has dreamed of taking culturally safe maternity care directly to Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women - and now, with the support of the Stan Perron Charitable Foundation and St John of God Foundation, that dream has taken shape in the form of a fully equipped Moort Boodjari Mia (Family Pregnancy House) outreach van.
The fully equipped van allows midwives to provide antenatal and post-natal care on Country, offering services such as newborn hearing screening, jaundice and anaemia testing, and other essential health checks. Solar-powered and able to operate off-grid, it’s designed to reach even the most remote areas.
Expectant mum Brittany Dowson said she had such a positive experience with the Moort Boodjari Mia clinical space at Midland Hospital during her first pregnancy that she chose to return for her second.
“I had a great first-time experience through Moort Boodjari Mia and SJOG Midland,” Brittany said. “I felt very supported and had a great birthing experience, especially with the follow-up appointments. It was peace of mind that I could ask questions throughout my pregnancy and even after I had given birth.”
The mobile clinic will operate two days a week during its pilot year, supporting early engagement with maternity care and helping women access services that are responsive to their cultural and personal needs.
By meeting women where they are, the service will strengthen relationships, build trust and ensure families receive the care they need for healthy pregnancies, births and beyond.
The Moort Boodjari Mia mobile midwifery service was officially launched on 3 October and will begin visiting communities in early November, starting with Northam and Moora.
Published: October 2025