Healthy Loddon Campaspe
What is Healthy Loddon Campaspe?
Healthy Loddon Campaspe (previously known as Healthy Heart of Victoria) is an initiative aimed at improving health outcomes in the Loddon Campaspe region – the heart of Victoria.
The initiative was developed in response to the region showing higher than Victorian average rates of obesity, chronic disease and high-risk health behaviours.
Healthy Loddon Campaspe (HLC) projects are designed to focus on those parts of the community that are the least supported to help encourage healthy eating and get more people, more active, more often.
There are six local Councils involved in the initiative – Campaspe Shire, Central Goldfields Shire, City of Greater Bendigo, Loddon Shire, Macedon Ranges Shire and Mount Alexander Shire.
Background
In 2016, the community told the Loddon Campaspe Regional Partnership that it was concerned about health statistics and outcomes in the region. They also believed that health is everyone’s business, not just that of health services and professionals.
To address these concerns, a series of design workshops were undertaken involving over 100 stakeholders from local government, health services, primary care partnerships, universities and state government departments to develop what was originally known as the Healthy Heart of Victoria and is now known as the Healthy Loddon Campaspe implementation framework.
Subsequently, in 2018 Stage 1 of the initiative was funded $5M.
Projects implemented in Central Goldfields Shire as part of Stage 1 of the initiative include:
- Upgrade to the path at Goldfields Reservoir, the implmentation of the Parkrun event at the site; and the installation of a nature play area
- Upgrades to the Maryborough Community House - including support of the kitchen garden project; the installation of a new BBQ and shade structure; and playground enhancements.
- Installation of a basketball court, pump track and outdoor exercise equipment at Gordon Gardens in Dunolly
- Outdoor exercise equipment at Pioneer Park, Talbot
- Outdoor exercise equipment at Market Reserve, Carisbrook
Stage 2 of Healthy Loddon Campaspe
Following the positive impact of Stage 1 of the initiative on health outcomes in the Loddon Campaspe region, especially during the COVID-19 pandemic, the Victorian State Government provided further funding for an additional four years as part of the 2022 State Budget.
The initiative will continue to work within the region by:
- Implementing place-based activations focusing on physical activity and healthy eating. Projects will continue to focus on those parts of the community that are the least supported to help encourage healthy eating and get more people, more active, more often.
- A workforce of localised Health Brokers in each Local Government Area focused on developing relationships to help build knowledge about health and wellbeing.
- Utilising and sharing the findings from the Healthy Loddon Campaspe Active Living Census to help ensure that investments, infrastructure, programs and services across the region are what is needed and where it’s needed.
Planning is currently underway for the implementation of Stage 2 of the Healthy Loddon Campaspe initiative, with new projects to be announced in early 2023.
Components of the Healthy Loddon Campaspe initiative
Activation to encourage healthy eating and get more people, more active, more often
Healthy Loddon Campaspe is implementing place-based activations focusing on physical activity and healthy eating. Projects will continue to focus on those parts of the community that are the least supported to help encourage healthy eating and get more people, more active, more often.
Health Broker workforce
A workforce of localised Health Brokers work within the six Loddon Campaspe Local Government Areas to help build knowledge about health and wellbeing.
The Health Broker’s role is to make health everyone’s business – developing relationships between Council, local organisations and community groups to help build knowledge and influence decision making with respect to health and wellbeing.
Active Living Census
All households in the Loddon Campaspe region were invited to take part in the Active Living Census (ALC) in May-June 2019. Almost 25,000 responses were received.
The results from the ALC provide important information about people’s health and wellbeing. It also includes information about barriers to healthy eating and active lifestyles.
The ALC findings provide evidence at a local level, and enable reliable comparisons with other data, as well as across townships and demographic groups such as age and gender.
No other region in Australia has this type of data at this level of detail. The data supports planning for health and recreation services and a better understanding of people’s activity levels and preferences. It also gives us valuable information on what would help people meet national guidelines for healthy eating and active living.
We encourage any interested members of the community to view and utilise the data for their needs.
Key findings from the 2019 Active Living Census for Central Goldfields Shire include:
- 69% of adults are overweight or obese
- 51% of adults meet the guidelines for physical activity
- 85% of people use the open spaces in Central Goldfields; and 62% of the 85% use the spaces for exercise and fitness
- Walking is the most popular physical activity
- 70% of 3 to 17 year olds eat the recommended amount of fruit each day; 44% of adults do
- 14 % of 3 to 17 year olds eat recommended amount of vegetables; 11% of adults do
- 13% of 3 to 17 year olds drink sugary drinks daily; 16% of adults do
- 15% of households reported they had run out of food and could not afford to buy more.
The 2019 Active Living Census reports for Central Goldfields Shire Council can be found:
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