Charmaine Dennis and The Melbourne Apothecary

You created Fertile Ground over 25 years ago. What sparked that?

Charmaine Dennis: When I started Fertile Ground Health Group back in 2001, my spark came from two places: a strong desire to help people struggling with fertility or pregnancy to create healthy families and a deep belief that natural medicine could sit powerfully alongside conventional care. From the very beginning, in our first small clinic inside Frances Perry House, a Melbourne private maternity hospital, collaboration with medical specialists, GPs, and midwives was at the heart of Fertile Ground. We wanted patients to feel supported on all sides, not having to choose between approaches, but instead benefiting from the best of both.

How has integrative fertility support changed over that time?

Charmaine Dennis: Over the years, the landscape of integrative fertility care has changed dramatically. 25 years ago, naturopaths and acupuncturists were often seen as “outside the system”. Today, it’s common for fertility specialists and obstetricians to refer patients to us, and for patients to arrive at IVF clinics already working with a naturopath or Chinese medicine practitioner, seeking a team approach to their fertility goals. This shift has been extraordinary, and it tells me that the kind of collaborative health models we dreamed of all those years ago is now shaping the future of health care, driven by patient needs, outcomes, and satisfaction.

Torrens University alumni: Megan Russell, Tash Goldfinch, and Annabelle Hinde

What’s your vision for the future of integrative healthcare?

Charmaine Dennis: Looking ahead, my vision for integrative healthcare is about accessibility and trust. It’s not enough for natural medicine to exist, it needs to be available in ways that feel safe, credible, and inviting to people who may never have considered it before. Not just for those who already value their health, but also for those curious about learning how. That’s where our new project, The Melbourne Apothecary x MECCA, comes in.

Photo by Hugh Davies: CarlyWoods, Jo Horgan (Founder and Co-CEO MECCA) and Charmaine Dennis

How did the collaboration with a brand like MECCA come about?

Charmaine Dennis: The MECCA collaboration began with a conversation about the meaning of beauty and the wellspring behind it. Carly Woods (my partner, co-founder of The Melbourne Apothecary and co-director of Fertile Ground) and I were asked: If beauty begins within, could natural medicine help to support that foundation? The team at MECCA knows the truth of beauty. It doesn’t matter how flawless your makeup is if you’re struggling with digestive turmoil, exhaustion, or anxiety; you can’t show up and be your best. Health is the strongest foundation of all, and it’s what allows people to glow with confidence and radiance. That realisation is why MECCA chose us. As another female-founded, Melbourne-born business with a trusted reputation for care and integrity, The Melbourne Apothecary was the natural partner to extend their Apothecary concept. By creating space for us inside their flagship Bourke Street store, MECCA made it possible for beauty and health to sit side by side – offering customers a pathway to not only look good, but to feel good from within.

What inspired putting natural medicine inside a beauty retailer?

Charmaine Dennis: What inspired us most was the possibility of meeting people where they already are. A beauty retailer may not be the first place you’d expect to find a naturopath – and that’s exactly why it’s so powerful. For someone who has never stepped into a clinic, sitting down with a practitioner after a beauty service can open the door to a whole new way of looking after their health. People come to MECCA because they want to feel good. We are transforming lives every day through conversations that spark possibility. Sometimes a small shift is all it takes for someone to feel different – and that creates trust to go further.

How is the MECCA partnership changing perceptions of naturopathy?

Charmaine Dennis: The MECCA partnership is already changing perceptions of naturopathy. Would you be surprised to hear that many people have still never heard or thought about seeing a naturopath? In our own passion for it, we really are in a bubble, assuming everyone knows about it by now. People who once thought natural medicine wasn’t for them are discovering that it’s evidence-informed, safe, and personalised, and they’re experiencing results they can feel. The ripple effects are incredibly exciting.

How do you balance multiple ventures – two clinics, books, mentoring, and working as a naturopath?

Charmaine Dennis: Running multiple ventures, Fertile Ground, The Melbourne Apothecary, publishing, mentoring, speaking, facilitating events and retreats, alongside my clinical work, is definitely a juggle. The truth is, I don’t do it alone. Carly and I co-lead everything; we have a brilliant manager across both clinics, a senior team of practitioners who have been working with us for over a decade, some for more than 20 years, and our practitioner and staff teams are extraordinary. I’ve also learnt to build businesses that reflect our values: collaboration, transformation, and integrity, so even when it’s busy (and yes, sometimes a little too much), it always feels purposeful and meaningful.

What drives you to keep innovating in natural therapy?

Charmaine Dennis: What keeps me innovating is simple: people’s lives change when they’re supported well. I know from my own health journeys how transformative that can be. Every new idea, whether it’s a clinic, a book, or a collaboration, is driven by the question: How can we reach more people and create more impact?

What advice would you give new or soon-to-be graduates?

Charmaine Dennis: To new or soon-to-be graduates, my advice is: stay curious, be collaborative, and find your people. The future of natural medicine belongs to practitioners who can think integratively and work across disciplines. On a practical note, your communication skills and business mindset will be just as important as your clinical skills. And last but not least, anchor yourself. Know what you stand for, be strong in your purpose, and practise whatever helps you regulate your own nervous system (breath work, yoga, meditation, mindfulness – explore widely). You’ll need those tools for all the stretching and growing that lies ahead.

Can you tell us about your experience working with Torrens University graduates?

Charmaine Dennis: We’ve had the pleasure of working with many Torrens University students and graduates at Fertile Ground and The Melbourne Apothecary, and they’ve been such an asset. Over the years, we’ve run student and dispensary training programs, new-graduate mentoring groups, and welcomed graduates as staff and practitioners. They arrive well-trained, eager to learn, and ready to contribute to the collaborative culture we value so highly.

What’s next for you?

Charmaine Dennis: Carly and I are focused on developing our Apothecary team at MECCA, creating hands-on workshops and education programs for customers, and soon expanding into the new MECCAversity space and corporate Melbourne CBD health initiatives. At the same time, we’ll continue deepening our specialist fertility work at Fertile Ground and expanding collaborations there. We’re also interested in more research projects across both, so if anyone reading this is considering a PhD and wants to collaborate, we’d love to hear from you! For me, it always comes back to the same thing: bridging worlds, breaking new ground, and creating spaces where people feel truly supported in their health and their lives.