Swan Hill District Health holds Indigenous smoking ceremony at site of new emergency department

A group of local Indigenous dancers performed a new routine as part of the cleansing ceremony. (ABC Mildura-Swan Hill: Francesco Salvo)

Swan Hill District Health (SHDH) has marked the next phase of its $48 million emergency department (ED) redevelopment with a traditional smoking ceremony and a cultural dance in a sign of the hospital's commitment to ensuring the new building is welcoming for Indigenous patients.

The revamped ED, which was announced in 2021, will boast larger waiting areas, a four-bed short-stay unit, and mental health treatment rooms.