We look forward to seeing you at our Ivanhoe or Melbourne CBD clinics!
We look forward to seeing you at our Ivanhoe or Melbourne CBD clinics!
Hear With Me is an independent Melbourne audiology practice built on a simple belief: that hearing care should feel warm, thorough, and honest — and that the person in the chair should always come first.
It was inspired by the lived experience of hearing impaired and founder audiologist Dr Gerard William, PhD. He built this practice because he believed patients deserved better than what most audiology clinics were offering. We exist to provide hearing care that puts your needs front and centre.
Whether you seek help for yourself, your partner, child or a parent, we aim to help you reconnect with those you love through better hearing. With clinics in Ivanhoe and Melbourne CBD, we work closely alongside local Ear, Nose & Throat (ENT) specialists, GPs and other healthcare professionals to ensure that your hearing health is well-supported and optimal.
We recognise that hearing is only one part of our overall health and wellbeing, so we incorporate both evidence-based and holistic views of care. Hearing typically takes longer to successfully rehabilitate compared to eyesight, and effective partnerships between you, your family and us are needed to get good long-term results!
Hear With Me exists to change how audiology services are provided, and we do this by focusing on warm, personalised, comprehensive and honest audiology care for you and your loved ones.
Dr Gerard spent years navigating the audiology system as a patient before he became an audiologist himself. He knew from the inside what it felt like to have his hearing loss concerns dismissed, when a recommendation came before a real conversation, when the device fitted wasn’t quite right but there wasn’t guidance of what to expect. He also knew what good care felt like — and how rare it was.
His experiences of growing up with hearing loss and later obtaining hearing aids has led him to devote his educational and professional experience to provide you with an audiology experience that listens to you, values you and journeys with you (or your loved one) — at your pace.
After pursuing his Masters of Audiology and subsequent PhD at the University of Melbourne, alongside gaining diverse clinical and teaching experience, Gerard founded Hear With Me in July 2020, opening the doors to our first clinic in Heidelberg in April 2021 with the intention of being a different kind of practice. Unhurried appointments. No sales targets. Same-day written reports sent to referring doctors where possible. And a commitment to a no pressure approach to recommending the appropriate hearing solution for each individual patient based on their needs, readiness, and expected benefit — regardless of hearing aid brand or margin.
In the years since, the practice has grown to include an administration lead (Sunny) and second audiologist, Ruby Forbes, and a second clinic in Melbourne’s CBD. The practice remains independently owned and operated, with no manufacturer alignments and no corporate parent.
We continue to work closely with local doctors (mainly GPs, ENT specialists and paediatricians) to ensure that you receive thorough investigations and clear explanations so that you remain aware of your ears and hearing and how to best manage it.
I look forward to welcoming you to Hear With Me. Allow Us to Help You & Your Loved Ones!
Dr Gerard lives locally and wants to help you and your loved ones hear better for better human relationships and connections. Born hearing impaired, he has worn hearing aids since he was 15, and is passionate about creating the audiology experience he wished his own family had growing up.
Ruby grew up nearby in Macleod and worked regionally in Victoria before joining us. She became an audiologist after seeing the impact of hearing loss on her grandfather, who she’s now able to help. A former tennis coach, she’s excellent with children and puts every patient at ease.
PRACTICE MANAGER
Sunny manages appointments, coordinates referrals and reports, and is usually the first voice you hear when you call the clinic. She grew up navigating her own hearing concerns and brings genuine empathy to every patient interaction. When she’s not in the office, you’ll find her hiking, reading, or deep in a video game.
There are many good audiology practices around the country, but we believe we are different.
We believe that we offer something unique. An experience that is well thought out from your perspective. It's based on the lived experience of an experienced hearing impaired clinician who has stepped in similar shoes. We want to help you feel seen and heard, and our team constantly aim to create 10/10 experiences for each person where possible.
That’s why we talk about warm, personalised, comprehensive and honest audiology care for you and your loved ones.
because our relationships matter.
because we want to ensure you receive optimal care.
because you are unique.
because you are unique.
because hearing loss doesn't just affect us, but our connections with those closest to us.
We don’t think everyone should have hearing aids just because they have hearing loss. Our no pressure approach means that we want you to get them if they are right for you. And if you have hearing aids — then we want to help you get the most out of what you have.
That’s why we don’t offer free hearing tests or use discount pricing just to get you in. There is never really a “free lunch”. We want our prices to reflect the higher quality you should come to expect when you see us with full transparency.
220+ Google Reviews from various locals can tell you how they found us, not to mention many more private messages of gratitude and appreciation, which we cherish. That’s what makes us get out of bed every morning.
If you are seeking a respectful, compassionate and competent partner for your hearing care, we are the ones for you.
In Practical Terms, Choose Us If You’re Looking for an Audiology Team That Will
✓ Help your child feel cared for during their hearing assessment
✓ Comprehensively assess your hearing in a way that delves deeply into your unique challenges
✓ Offer you no-pressure hearing aid trials that focus on success with the devices, not spend
✓ Gently remove ear wax while also seeking to find the root cause of your ear or hearing issues
✓ Assess and explore potential causes and ways to manage your tinnitus
✓ Look after your older parents in a respectful and dignified way
Our clinicians hold expertise over:
✓ Hearing Solutions Discussions
✓ Hearing Aid Trials, Rehabilitation & Support
✓ Hearing Aid Second Opinions & Troubleshooting
✓ Tinnitus Assessment & Management
We provide services under:
✓ Private payers (including self-funded retirees or overseas visitors).
✓ Medicare (with a valid Medical Practitioner referral)
✓ Hearing Services Program (HSP)
✓ Department of Veteran Affairs (DVA)
✓ National Disability Insurance Scheme (NDIS)
✓ Private Health Insurance* (only certain providers cover hearing services or hearing aids, on-site HICAPS claims limited)
We carry a range of the leading global hearing aid brands and select among them based solely on each patient’s individual hearing profile, lifestyle, and preferences without pressure.
X Auditory Processing Disorder Assessments – consider Melbourne Hearing Care Clinic, Ivy Audiology
X Vestibular/Dizziness Conditions – consider Dizzyology, Melbourne Hearing Care Clinic, Ears in Balance
X Workcover Claims – consider most hearing aid chains
X Selling you Hearing Aids that you don’t need.
Mondays to Fridays, 9am-5pm
Free on-site parking available.
Suite 207/488 Bourke St, Melbourne VIC 3000
Tuesdays and Thursdays, 9.15am-5.15pm
Good hearing care rarely happens in isolation. These relationships help ensure the best outcomes for our patients.
Renowned in his care for children with complex ENT needs; consider seeing him for your child, though private practice availability is limited.
We used to share premises with them, and maintain close bonds even now.
We've worked closely with our near neighbours, who continue to provide timely service to our community locals.
We recommend vestibular audiologist Dr Jessica Vitkovic's team for balance/dizziness testing should this arise for you.
Our audiologists are accredited through Audiology Australia.
Hear With Me is a member of this nationwide organisation advocating for small to medium audiology practices.
Professional & Research Connections
Dr Gerard William has presented at national and international audiology conferences and has been featured on the podcast of Melbourne ENT surgeon Dr Eric Levi — one of Australia’s most followed clinicians in the Ear, Nose and Throat space.
He continues to be involved with teaching Masters of Clinical Audiology students at the University of Melbourne and La Trobe University, and Hear With Me is frequently in conversations around research opportunities with both of these universities.
Locally, Ruby has been involved with alumni activities for her high school and has promoted audiology as a career option for current students.
We’re a local practice run by local people. Over the years we’ve built genuine relationships with a few nearby businesses we love and trust — not as commercial arrangements, but as neighbours. Here are a few we happily recommend.
They were there for us when we opened, offering complimentary coffees to scores of patients. Even though we’ve moved on from Heidelberg, we remain grateful to Fabian and his team.
The most delightful gourmet chocolates, made on-site — familiar to our regulars as post-appointment treats, subject to seasonal availability.
A warming cup of coffee and delicious food near our clinic — one we enjoy as a team, and recommend for a morning coffee or late lunch after your appointment.
A wonderful coffee experience even amid the CBD’s saturation of cafés. A go-to for us and our patients — stop in either side of your appointment.
“As an audio engineer who needs his ears in order to work, I felt more than safe to put my ears in his hands. If I weren’t just travelling through Melbourne, I’d make this my long-term clinic!“
Antoine – Melbourne CBD“Very thorough and experienced team. Friendly and very knowledgeable. I felt very well looked after and the appointment did not feel rushed.“
Aminee – Melbourne CBD“The clinic is modern with top-notch equipment, and the online pre-registration system is quick and easy. Many thanks to Sunny for her helpfulness and warm professionalism.“
Sina – Ivanhoe“Ruby was excellent — thorough, patient, informative and totally professional. Highly recommended.“
Michael – Ivanhoe“Gerard and his staff are really easy to deal with. The city location in Bourke Street is also so easy to get to. I highly recommend this practice to anyone.“
Julie – Melbourne CBDIf you’d like to know more before booking — about our approach, which appointment might be right for you, or how we compare to what you’ve experienced elsewhere — we’re happy to have that conversation.
Looking To Join Our Team?
We are always on the lookout for outstanding administration team members and audiologists.
To be considered:
Interested in the challenge? Feel free to email an EOI with an introduction or to be notified when a formal role is advertised.
