Incorporated in 1920, the NHAA is the oldest complementary medicine association in Australia. Our roots go back even further than 1920, as we were created by the joining of active associations of the time. We were originally incorporated as the National Herbalists Association of NSW, with the merger of the New South Wales Union of Herbalists and the Medico-Botanic Eclectic Association NSW. In 1952 we became the National Herbalists Association of Australia including all states and territories and simultaneously merging with 2 more active contemporary associations, the Queensland Association of Herbalists and the South Australian Herbal Association.

In 2016 we changed our name to the Naturopaths and Herbalists Association of Australia to reflect and better represent our growing membership base of naturopaths, while protecting our rich history and core practice of Western herbal medicine. It also facilitated better recognition at a national and international level.

We have a long history in the Complementary Medicine (CM) field and have always set standards and been active at both the political level and at the coal face of clinical practice and education.