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With more than 50 years of local health experience, Bendigo Community Health Services has a strong connection to our community. We care for everyone - no matter who you are, where you live or how much you earn. We are a not-for-profit organisation and have more than 270 staff and more than 50 services funded through various government health programs, community donations and sponsorships. We envision better health and wellbeing across generations. Our services are either free or low-cost and include:
GPs
Mental health care and counselling
Alcohol and other drugs support
Sexual health care
Refugee settlement and support
Child and family services
Bendigo Family Day Care
Podiatry
Diabetes education
Exercise physiology
Youth
Community outreach and health promotion. We are also, proudly, the lead agency for:
We know this time of year can come with extra challenges for many people, so we asked our counselling team for their top self-care tips, which are:
💚Diet, sleep and exercise: These are the foundation of good mental health. To recharge your mental wellness battery, eat healthy, get a good night’s sleep and get out for a walk.
💚Practice gratitude: Deliberately focus on the good things in your life. Make a list of 5-10 things every day.
💚Notice your feelings, and check the facts: Feelings are not facts. Practice noticing that you are having a feeling, and then practice communicating your needs clearly and with respect.
💚Give and receive hugs (consensual of course!): Physical touch releases feel-good hormones. Cuddle the kids, grandparents, and your pets.
💚 Sing and dance (with others): When we move in time with others, we feel a sense of belonging and connection.
Take care everyone.
23/12/2025
All our sites and services will close from 12pm Wednesday, December 24.
Our Central site will be open between December 29 and January 2 for the following services:
💚Sexual and reproductive health
💚Medical practice services
💚Refugee health
All sites will reopen to the public from Monday, January 5, 2026.
Wishing you a safe festive season, from all at Bendigo Community Health Services.
23/12/2025
Thanks to the White Hills Wanderers for the countless kays spent in good company this year!
Members celebrated their last walk around the White Hills Garden for the Future of 2025 by sizzling a sausage or two this week.
If you're looking to enjoy the summer morning air, get moving and make new friends, this is the walking group for you. It's open to adults of any fitness level seeking a social weekly walk.
If you'd like to come along, simply email healthpromotion@bchs.com.au for the details. The first walk of 2026 will be on Monday, January 5.
22/12/2025
Book now for our free Loddon Children's Health & Wellbeing holiday program - fun and interactive sessions for parents and their children on topics related to mental health.
From handling big feelings to building social skills - check out the program and booking details on the website.
The Loddon Children’s Health and Wellbeing Local is offering school holiday sessions as part of our Parent Program. The sessions are interactive and fun on topics related to mental health. […]
22/12/2025
Do you need some support with food over Christmas?
Our friends at Bendigo Foodshare are taking care of community at the locations listed below.
18/12/2025
🔔 Christmas has come early for anyone needing childcare in 2026! 🎁
Our award-winning Bendigo Family Day Care has vacancies with qualified and passionate home-based early childhood educators in the following locations:
Give Lisa Walklate blackened bananas.... and she'll make banana cake.
Our AOD Wellbeing Services Senior Leader has spent the year value-adding to the food pantry at Wanyanimbik Wayawan - sometimes baking for clients in her downtime if there's leftovers to make use of.
A huge thanks to Bendigo Foodshare for partnering with us and ensuring the pantry is well stocked for our clients. We know they've appreciated the fresh food and pantry staples in these tough times - including the extra Christmas treats that have been included in the delivery this month.
The pantry will be closed from today and will re-open and operate as usual from Monday, January 5.
We look forward to sharing more wholesome food with our valued clients throughout 2026.
18/12/2025
💝 Your gift, your choice, your difference 💝
Our Gift the Love appeal is on until the end of December. We are raising funds for three BCHS projects that make a practical difference to people experiencing hardship in Bendigo.
You can make a tax-deductible donation of any amount at the link below 👇
“Donating as little as $5 will buy someone experiencing homelessness a cup of coffee,” BCHS CEO Mandy Hutchinson says. “A contribution of $50 will buy some native plants for our therapeutic garden, or $100 will provide a newly-arrived refugee child with a school uniform to begin their education in Bendigo in 2026.
“Whatever the amount, we will make the most of it to make a difference to the life of someone doing it tough.” 🙏
Bendigo Community Health Serviceshas been caring for the health andwellbeing of locals for 50 years.
18/12/2025
A fire truck siren sounded in Junortoun this morning - for the best possible reason. Santa was coming!
Thanks to the local brigade for delivering the big man himself to our Family Services Christmas party, at Parky's Wonderland.
Our team has had a beautiful morning celebrating a year of dedicated care with kids, parents and carers. Merry Christmas everyone 🎄🎁🎅🏽🤶🏽🌲
17/12/2025
If you've received mental health care with us, or supported someone who has, we want to hear from you.
Your feedback will inform mental health workforce development and help improve care.
Take our short survey - link in the comments 👇🏽
16/12/2025
Phew, it’s getting hot in here! 🥵
But don’t heed Nelly’s advice and take off all your clothes, especially if you’re in public! Instead try the tips in the video below 👇
For our Karen and Dari speakers, check the comments for a video in language.
16/12/2025
🎉Congratulations to Bili Anthony, aged 10, of Bendigo🎉
Bili's soft pastel on paper artwork is the winning entry of The Bruce Art Award.
We challenged local creatives to submit work on the theme of Bruce - our much-loved therapy cat at Nova House.
Last week, our clients at the residential withdrawal centre gathered to choose a winner from the many fantastic entries we received.
Bili’s beautiful work was selected as our clients felt it depicts Bruce “reaching for the light at the end of the tunnel, showing that there is hope”.
Yep - all the feels.
We will feature Bili's work on a correspondence card for future Nova House clients to use to write to their loved ones while they receive the care and support they need to safely withdraw from alcohol or other drugs.
Thank you to everyone who entered, we were all so inspired by your work. And thanks to Bili for gifting us a little of your very special creative spirit.
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Contact The Practice
Send a message to Bendigo Community Health Services:
Bendigo Community Health Services is a place you can go for health or well-being care, advice and support no matter who you are, where you live or how much you earn.
We are a not-for-profit organisation in the City of Greater Bendigo and offer a range of primary and community health services, most of which are free or have minimal cost.
We work with everyone but particularly those who are disadvantaged or vulnerable.
Our services cover family and children, mental health, alcohol and other drugs prevention and withdrawal, refugee settlement, sexual health, women’s health, men’s health, allied health such as podiatry and diabetes. See a full list at www.bchs.com.au
Bendigo Community Health Services has a team of understanding, supportive and experienced health care professionals who work in partnership with other health services across central Victoria to deliver the care you need.
It can be as simple as taking that first step – speak with one of our team and together we can work on a plan to assist you to improve and manage your health and well-being.
Our vision
We want: Better health and wellbeing across generations
Mission
We exist: To work hand in hand with our community to achieve healthier lives
Values
We strive for:
Integrity
We are authentic and accountable, and we honour our obligations
Respect
We build respectful relationships through trust, empathy and collaboration
Inclusion
We recognise and promote accessible, safe and holistic supports and services as basic rights
Innovation
Through continuous learning, we ensure an agile, responsive and sustainable service
Togetherness
We create a sense of connectedness, pride and support through enjoying our work and being passionate about making a difference
Principles
We are committed to:
· We make sure our services are reliable, safe and easy for you to access
· We deliver fair and inclusive services for you
· We respect and accept you for who you are and what you believe in
· We support you to take control in the decisions and actions affecting your health and wellbeing.
· We will make informed decisions by using data and learning from your lived experience
· We create trusted, strong and collaborative relationships with community, stakeholders and government
· We are committed to creating healthy and sustainable environments
Our pillars
Consumer and Community
The change we want to see: People in our community, especially those most in need, have improved health and wellbeing
How we will do it:
• Provide equitable supports and services that achieve measurable improvements
• Working together to deliver high quality, inclusive, safe and accessible supports and services
• Consumers are at the centre, having choice and control
Influence
The change we want to see: We use evidence, data and the voice of our community to shape our supports and services.
How we will do it:
• Our organisation uses its learning to influence better outcomes for consumers
• Working with consumers, recognising their lived experience, to influence and advocate for change
• Equipping our workforce to be skilled, resilient, capable of change and collaborative leaders
• Using data to improve
Visible
The change we want to see: Our service is identified as a quality provider and our people are recognised as leaders
How we will do it:
• Creating a strong, trusted public voice
• Providing a range of quality services that improve access
• Collaborating with others to maximise impact and improve health and wellbeing
• Contributing to better practice through research and review
• Maintaining a passionate, skilled and qualified workforce
Sustainable
The change we want to see: Our sustainability is based on a healthy culture, improved systems, outcomes and growth
How we will do it:
• Reviewing and improving processes to ensure long term sustainability
• Driving strategic growth and expansion where there are shared benefits to the community and our organisation
• Being a socially and environmentally responsible organisation
• Creating a work environment that is respectful, inclusive and staff are motivated to perform at their best
To find out more about how we can help you or your family please visit www.bchs.com.au
