Mr Daniel Wong | Specialist Hernia & Abdominal Wall Surgeon | General surgeon
MBBS FRACS | Fellow, Royal Australasian College of Surgeons
Member, ANZ Hernia Society | Member, General Surgeons Australia
Why Patients and GPs Choose Daniel
Daniel Wong performs over 400 hernia repairs each year — one of the highest volumes of any hernia surgeon in Victoria. For patients with complex, large, or previously failed hernia repairs, Daniel offers a level of subspecialty expertise that has historically required a trip to Melbourne. That expertise is now available in Ballarat.
His approach goes beyond fixing a hernia. Daniel is committed to optimising each patient before surgery, achieving the best possible repair utilising the most up to date techniques, equipment and technology, ensuring recovery is as fast and complete as possible — not just reconstructing abdominal walls, but reconstructing lives.
Clinical Focus
Daniel’s practice is built around hernia surgery and abdominal wall reconstruction, with particular expertise in:
Complex and recurrent hernias — including cases where previous repairs have failed
Large incisional hernias following prior abdominal surgery
Abdominal wall reconstruction (AWR) — often requiring 4–6+ hours of surgery
Day case hernia surgery — minimally invasive techniques that return most patients to work and normal activity within days
Robotic hernia repair — utilising the da Vinci robotic platform for enhanced precision in complex cases
Laparoscopic (keyhole) hernia repair — laparoscopic, or hybrid open approaches selected based on individual patient need
Concurrent abdominoplasty at the time of hernia repair, reducing wound complications and improving functional outcomes
Emergency hernia surgery — available on-call for acute presentations
Daniel also performs a broad range of general surgical procedures including gallbladder surgery, skin cancer and lesion excision, colonoscopy, and gastroscopy.
For Referring GPs: When to Send to Daniel
Daniel welcomes referrals for any hernia — routine or complex. In particular, consider referring to Daniel when your patient has:
A hernia that has recurred after previous repair
A large or symptomatic incisional hernia following prior abdominal surgery
Significant comorbidities requiring careful preoperative optimisation
Had a hernia repair elsewhere with an unsatisfactory outcome
A hernia requiring robotic or advanced laparoscopic techniques
Any hernia where the patient wants subspecialty-level care closer to home
Prompt communication back to referring GPs after every consultation and procedure is a priority. Referrals are accepted via fax, email, or the online referral form.
Training & Credentials
Daniel graduated from Monash University in 2000 and completed advanced surgical training at the Royal Melbourne Hospital and Western Health, becoming a Fellow of the Royal Australasian College of Surgeons (FRACS) in 2010.
Daniel undertook further post-fellowship training in colorectal, breast, and thyroid surgery at Northern Health, before developing a focused subspecialty interest in complex abdominal wall reconstruction — collaborating with leading international mentors and completing advanced hernia courses in Australia, the United Kingdom, and the United States.
He attends international hernia conferences and surgical workshops annually, and in 2024 incorporated robotic surgery into his hernia practice using the da Vinci platform.
Leadership & Teaching
Daniel’s commitment to surgical excellence extends beyond his own operating theatre:
Lead Surgeon, Complex Hernia Clinic - Grampians Health
Director of Surgery - Maryborough District Health Service
Supervisor of Surgical Interns - Maryborough Hospital
Supervisor of Surgical Training, Ballarat - 9 years
He is actively involved in the education and mentorship of surgical trainees and takes a leadership role in advancing hernia surgery standards across the Grampians region.
Hospital Appointments
Daniel holds consultant positions at:
Grampians Health Ballarat
St John of God Hospital Ballarat
Ballarat Day Procedure Centre
Maryborough District Health Service
A Little More About Daniel
Daniel has lived in Ballarat with his family since 2011 and is deeply committed to providing world-class surgical care to the people of western Victoria — without them having to travel to Melbourne to get it.
In addition to medicine, Daniel studied art and graphic design — a background that informs his meticulous eye for detail and his natural comfort with precision work. He has four years of training under plastic surgeons, and is experienced in techniques that include local flap reconstruction of the face and concurrent abdominoplasty with hernia repair.
His driving motivation: every complex hernia patient who walks through the door has typically been living with a significant physical burden — often for years. Getting the repair right, by optimising the patient, optimising the surgery and then seeing patients return to full function with dramatically improved quality of life, is the most rewarding part of his work.
