The Central Highlands Rural Health (CHRH) Population Health Team is funded by the Victorian Department of Health Community Health – Health Promotion Program (CH-HP) 2025- 2029 to deliver a broad range of health promotion activities and initiatives within the Hepburn Shire in response to community interest and need.

As a part of this program, CHRH Population Health have identified the following health priorities within their CH-HP 2025-29 strategic plan:

• Strengthening healthy eating
• Reducing tobacco smoking and e-cigarette usage
• Promoting wellbeing

Please note: Promoting wellbeing will encompass aspects of mental wellbeing, physical activity, sexual and reproductive health and prevention of violence.

These health priorities have been selected in an attempt to enhance health equity, equality, diversity and inclusion to improve health outcomes within the community, particularly amongst those most vulnerable/marginalised.

Climate change directly and indirectly affects health and wellbeing and contributes to health inequities. Due to this, and as directed within the CH-HP guidelines, climate change will be considered within each of the health priorities below, particularly when developing key actions, projects and initiatives.

Key health promotion activities and initiatives the Population Health team is currently undertaking include:

• Achievement Program
• Vic Kids Eat Well
• Smiles 4 Miles 
• Healthy Lunchbox Sessions
• Puberty Education
• The Cook, the Chef and Us 
• Vaping Cessation Program
• Creswick Men’s Friendship Shed

The team also support and promotes a range of health awareness campaigns, including:

• Dental Health Week
• 16 Days of the Activism Against Gender Based Violence
• Men’s Health Week
• Women’s Health Week
• Try for 5
• Body Image Awareness Week

To stay up to date with the health promotion work the Population Health team is undertaking, please subscribe to our quarterly Population Health and Wellbeing Newsletter.
To view back issues of the newsletter, visit our Publications Page.