The Shepherd Centre has officially opened its new Launceston centre, expanding access to life-changing hearing loss services for children with hearing loss and their families in Northern Tasmania.
The new facility, located at 124 Talbot Road, South Launceston, was opened by The Hon Mark Butler MP, Minister for Health and Aged Care. The centre delivers on the Federal Government’s commitment to ensure permanent, specialist hearing support for Tasmanian children.
Why this centre matters for families in Launceston
Hearing loss affects one in every 1,000 babies at birth, with another two children diagnosed before starting school. Without early intervention, children with hearing loss face significant challenges in language development, education, and social inclusion.
Dr Aleisha Davis, CEO of The Shepherd Centre, emphasised the importance of local support:
“We were honoured to welcome Minister Butler to open this much-needed centre for the Launceston community. This milestone means more Tasmanian children will have access to specialist early intervention, giving them the best chance to develop strong communication and social skills.”
Historically, Tasmania has lacked a dedicated early intervention service for children with all types of hearing loss. The Shepherd Centre began offering virtual and fly-in, fly-out services in 2014, followed by the opening of its Hobart centre in 2022. The organisation now supports 62 children across Tasmania, including 17 in Launceston.
A new era of hearing support in Northern Tasmania
The Launceston centre will provide:
– Specialist early intervention for children from infancy
– Audiology, speech therapy, and family counselling via in-person and/or online
– Support for school-aged children up to 18 years old
– A welcoming community for families navigating hearing loss
Dr Davis highlighted the impact of The Shepherd Centre’s wraparound model, which brings together audiologists, speech therapists, and family counsellors to create personalised, holistic support for each child.
“We take pride in delivering best-practice care that helps children develop listening, spoken language, and social skills. Research shows that children who access our services can achieve language skills on par with their hearing peers.”
A life-changing difference for local families
For parents like Kirsty, whose daughter Madelyn was diagnosed with Muenke syndrome at age five, this local centre is a game-changer.
“Accessing specialist hearing support in Burnie has always been a challenge. It took years to get a diagnosis, and long wait times made speech therapy difficult to secure. The Shepherd Centre’s telehealth support has been incredible, but in-person care is invaluable.”
“The new Launceston centre means families like ours, who live hours away, now have a place to go for major assessments and face-to-face therapy. It also gives us the chance to meet other families on the same journey, which is something we’ve never really had before.”
A federal government commitment to hearing support
Minister Butler reinforced the Government’s commitment to ensuring children with hearing loss receive local, specialist support:
“The Shepherd Centre has made a real difference to children with hearing loss and their families for decades. I’m proud to deliver on this election commitment so children in Northern Tasmania can receive tailored care, where and when they need it.”
Bringing hearing support closer to home
With the new Launceston centre now open, more families in Northern Tasmania will have access to expert hearing care without having to travel long distances.
The Shepherd Centre remains committed to helping children with hearing loss reach their full potential – because every child deserves the opportunity to listen, speak, and thrive.
Learn how our Launceston centre can support your child’s hearing journey. Get in touch on 1800 020 030 or fill out this form.
