St Kilda FC opens Danny Frawley Centre for Health and Wellbeing to the public

Developed to aid the local Moorabbin community with both their physical and mental health, St Kilda Football Club’s new Danny Frawley Centre for Health and Wellbeing opened to the public as of yesterday.

The public opening followed a formal launch event last week, at which the former St Kilda captain was honoured as both a club champion and advocate for mental health.

Frawley, who played 240 games for St Kilda in the 1980s and 1990s before his death in late 2019, was a high-profile advocate for mental health and dreamt of creating a facility at the Saints' spiritual home that could help current and past players who are struggling with life after retirement from sport.

Completed less than 15 months after work commenced on the site, the Centre is understood to be the first of its kind in elite sport.

As St Kilda Chief Executive, Matt Finnis explained “we think the idea of wrapping mental health and physical health together with the social connection which Danny stood for, and which football has the power to bring people together to really unite them is something we haven’t seen done anywhere in the world. If we get that right, we can make a difference.

"I think the great thing about this facility is it will allow us to support our players, past and present, better than any other club. It is also ensuring our community has access to facilities and programs and services they wouldn’t have before in a place where it is OK to come and get some support. That's what is unique about the Frawley Centre and we think the impact can be game changing."

The project has seen also seen the involvement of Frawley’s widow and daughter.

Anita Frawley has been integral in getting the project to this point, while the couple’s daughter Chelsea Frawley - St Kilda's Marketing Manager - will be hands on at the Centre, while their other daughter, Danielle, is now studying to become a clinical psychologist.

Managed by Belgravia Leisure, the Centre offers a gymnasium and mindfulness room, rehabilitation and recovery area, allied health area and aquatics area with warm water pool and 25m lap pool.

Project credits include:
Architect: HB Arch
Builder: Johns Lyng Commercial Builders
Stand Seating: Camatic Seating
Aquatic fitout: Commercial Aquatics

Images: The exterior of the completed Danny Frawley Centre for Health and Wellbeing (top); dignitaries including St Kilda Chief Executive, Matt Finnis; Victorian Minister for Tourism, Sport and Major Events Martin Pakula, and Anita Frawley at last week's opening (middle) and new seats in the venue's grandstand (below, credit; Camatic Seating).