Space for youth at Griffith

Nationwide this would benefit 80,000 young Australians a year and bring the number of Headspace sites to 100, said Health Minister Peter Dutton.

"Eleven of the new Head-space centres will be in regional Australia," Mr Dutton said.

NSW would receive the four regional sites and one in Sydney, Queensland and Vic-toria received four, and there will be one each for Western Australia and South Australia.

The centres would be established in stages across the next two years.

Goulburn Mulwarree Coun-cil Mayor Geoff Kettle welcomed the announcement.

"The road to getting this centre has been very long," he said.

"The original letter, sent by Anglicare, was written to the current Prime Minister when he was health minister."

Councillor Kettle said lobbying by locals, particularly Trish Cunningham, with support from Federal Member for Hume Angus Taylor, had finally paid off.

"It will provide a drop-in style centre for those who need to speak to a qualified professional."

Cr Kettle said the service would not be established until late next year.

"This is not just for Goul-burn, it is for the whole region.

Cr Kettle said many of the families involved in the fight had been driven by personal loss.

Headspace chief executive Chris Tanti congratulated Mr Taylor and Cr Kettle on their strong advocacy.

"I know first-hand from discussions with the local community and subsequent discussions with Angus and Geoff that this service is desperately needed in Goulburn, as it is in many other centres throughout Australia," Mr Tanti said.

Headspace is a national youth mental health foundation funded by the federal government that aims to assist those aged 12 to 25 experiencing tough times.