- Brooklyn, NY 10036, United States
- Mon – Fri: 8:30 am – 5:00 pm, Sat – Sun: Closed
At GV Children’s Clinic, we are proud to celebrate an outstanding achievement in rural healthcare.
Congratulations to Dr Herath Wataliyadda, who has been recognised as the recipient of the Outstanding Contribution by a Rural Medical Specialist Award at the 2026 Victorian Rural Health Awards.
This prestigious recognition acknowledges Dr Wataliyadda’s remarkable dedication to improving the lives of children and families across the Goulburn Valley through innovative, community-based paediatric care.
Transforming Children’s Healthcare in the Community
Dr Herath Wataliyadda is a General Paediatrician and currently serves as the sole paediatrician for the Goulburn Valley Neighbourhood Schools Programme. Over the past four years, the program has become one of Australia’s most unique and successful models of school-based paediatric healthcare.
Originally envisioned by Dr Peter Eastaugh, the program has grown into a collaborative initiative supported by local schools, healthcare professionals, educators, and families. Rather than expecting children with complex developmental and medical needs to travel to specialist appointments, care is delivered directly within school settings.
This approach helps remove many of the barriers that rural families often face when accessing specialist healthcare.
A Truly Multidisciplinary Model of Care
The Goulburn Valley Neighbourhood Schools Programme brings together a range of healthcare and education professionals to provide coordinated care where children spend much of their day—their school.
The program offers:
Over the last four years, the program has provided ongoing care to more than 1,500 children with complex healthcare and developmental needs, creating lasting positive outcomes for children throughout the region.
Improving Access for Rural Families
Families living in regional Victoria often experience long waiting times, significant travel distances, and limited access to paediatric specialists.
Programs like the Goulburn Valley Neighbourhood Schools Programme demonstrate how healthcare can be redesigned to better meet the needs of rural communities.
By delivering care in familiar school environments, children experience less disruption to their education while families receive coordinated support closer to home. This innovative model improves accessibility, encourages early intervention, and strengthens partnerships between healthcare providers, educators, and parents.
A Shared Commitment to Children’s Wellbeing
At GV Children’s Clinic, we are incredibly proud to see this important work recognised at a state level.
The values demonstrated through this award—compassion, accessibility, collaboration, and innovation—reflect our own commitment to providing high-quality paediatric care for children across regional Victoria. Our clinic is dedicated to supporting families through comprehensive general paediatric care, developmental assessments, behavioural health services, autism assessments, and telehealth consultations to improve access for rural communities.
Receiving the Outstanding Contribution by a Rural Medical Specialist Award is a well-deserved recognition of years of dedication to improving the health and wellbeing of children in regional Victoria.
Congratulations, Dr Herath Wataliyadda, on this outstanding achievement. Your leadership and commitment continue to make a lasting difference in the lives of countless children, families, schools, and the wider community.
Your work is helping shape the future of rural paediatric healthcare in Australia.
