Healthy Loddon Campaspe (HLC) is celebrating the successful completion of its 2025-26 Activation Projects, with residents across the region benefiting from initiatives that promoted healthy eating, physical activity, community connection and food security.
Delivered in partnership with local councils, health services, community organisations, schools and sporting groups, the projects have created lasting opportunities for people of all ages and backgrounds to live healthier lives. From swimming lessons and community cooking programs to parkruns, vegetable-growing workshops and active recreation initiatives, the projects have left a meaningful legacy across the Loddon Campaspe region.
Building healthy food skills and food security
One of the achievements was the expansion of the Cooking for Change! Train-the-Trainer program in Campaspe Shire, delivered in partnership with Bendigo Foodshare and Echuca Regional Health. The initiative equipped local health promotion staff with the skills and resources needed to independently deliver food literacy and healthy cooking education programs.
Across the region, healthy eating initiatives continued to thrive. In Central Goldfields Shire, the new Cooking Together Manual and facilitator training resources were developed to help organisations confidently deliver community cooking programs, while online training sessions further strengthened local capacity.
In Greater Bendigo, HLC partnered with the Bendigo & District Aboriginal Cooperative (BDAC) to enhance an existing meal kit program supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander community members. The initiative combined greater access to nutritious food with practical cooking skills and food security support.
Creating more opportunities to be active
Physical activity projects delivered across the region helped residents find enjoyable and accessible ways to stay active.
In Central Goldfields Shire, residents enjoyed free children's basketball and netball skills programs, walking initiatives and expanded sporting equipment libraries, while additional lighting at local recreation reserves encouraged greater use of public spaces. However, the standout activity in Central Goldfields was pickleball, with over 200 participants attending sessions across a two month period.
Another great initiative was the establishment of the Breen Avenue Walking Track parkrun in Kyabram. Developed through a partnership between the Kyabram Development Committee, Campaspe Shire and HLC, the weekly event attracted 353 participants across its first four events, including 80 people who had never previously participated in parkrun. The free, volunteer-led activity has now become a sustainable fixture in the community.
Meanwhile, the Active Loddon project delivered pickleball activations, kayaking sessions and a Train-the-Trainer program designed to build a local workforce capable of leading future physical activity programs.
In Mount Alexander Shire, older residents participated in a diverse range of activities, including Tai Chi, chair yoga, ballroom dancing, boxing, belly dancing and strength-based exercise classes. The project also strengthened the Community Wellbeing Bus service, helping more people access health and wellbeing opportunities.
Supporting inclusion and participation
Several projects focused on improving access and participation for priority populations.
The Multicultural and First Nations Swim Program partnered with the Echuca War Memorial Aquatic Centre to address identified gaps in swimming skills, water safety and confidence. Across multicultural students, multicultural adults, and First Nations babies and toddlers, 35 swimming sessions were delivered, with the programs now incorporated into the centre's ongoing timetable.
In Macedon Ranges Shire, the Growing in the Ranges project helped young children and families learn about growing food through workshops and practical gardening experiences. Five kindergartens received Stephanie Alexander Kitchen Garden memberships, along with garden infrastructure and educator training opportunities.
The Very Veggie April campaign further encouraged healthy eating, engaging 29 hospitality businesses through the Edgy Veg Awards and complementing the initiative with community cooking classes, farmer's market activations and playgroup workshops.
A regional impact
At a regional level, HLC also expanded its Support Our Own. Choose Locally Grown. campaign, promoting locally produced food through more than 230 social media advertisements and reaching over 808,600 people. Approximately 80 businesses received promotional materials to help showcase locally grown produce, while an updated online map made it easier for consumers to find local food producers and retailers.
HLC also completed a comprehensive review of its cooking initiatives, working with Bendigo Foodshare to develop recommendations for a future Regional Cooking Model that will inform and strengthen cooking programs across the region.
Looking ahead
While the 2025-26 Activation Projects have officially wrapped up, many of the initiatives have already become self-sustaining or have been integrated into ongoing community programs. Through strategic partnerships, local leadership and community participation, Healthy Loddon Campaspe has helped create a lasting foundation for healthier communities across the region.
As communities continue to build on these successes, the impact of the Activation Projects will be felt well beyond the life of the program, ensuring residents have more opportunities than ever to eat well, stay active and connect with one another.