The list of services they provide free of charge to the city's women is seemingly endless: from trauma counselling, crisis support, clean bathroom facilities, pregnancy counselling, and economic guidance.

With each of the founders contributing a sum of their income to cover the $45 rent each week, the Wagga Women's Health Centre opened its doors at 131 Edward Street on June 28, 1979.

Today, the Centre is providing more extensive services than ever before to the Wagga community, offering support to women in almost every aspect of their physical, mental, and emotional health and wellbeing.

Crisis support worker Julie Mecham said it's a considerable achievement to have been running for so long.

"Especially when you consider a lot of good services come and go in the region," she said.

"I think part of it is that we were founded here when local women identified a gap."

The Centre continued on, supported only by the generosity of its volunteers for the next six years until it finally secured funding from NSW Health in late 1985.

Ms Mecham said when the first centre opened, domestic violence didn't even have its name.

"It was what happened in marriages, stayed there," she said.

"It was the beginning of realising that violence that happens in the home is violence in the community.

"It's a community issue."

Ms Mecham said gender equality had been a fundamental issue the centre has fought for the entire time.

"We have been public advocates for changing the system as well as working with individuals," she said.

"That work in supporting women's right to choose has sometimes seen us at odds with people."

Ms Mecham said there had been a shift, however, as the centre has become recognised in their community for their work.

"We are seen as a leader in our field, she said.

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