VicHealth

VicHealth Focused on promoting good health. VicHealth acknowledges the support of the Victorian Government Welcome to VicHealth’s page.

We’re the world’s first health promotion agency, and we’re here to help improve the health and wellbeing of all Victorians. When using this page, you agree to comply with the Social Media Community Guidelines. They’re available to read here: https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/about-us/social-media-community-guidelines

This page is managed and moderated by the Victorian Health Promotion Foundation

(VicHealth). We’re online during business hours (9am – 5pm, Monday to Friday). We’ll do our best to respond to all queries within 3 business days; however, we may take longer during busy periods. We appreciate your patience. All health promotion advice shared on our platforms is general in nature. We are unable to offer specific or personalised advice in any health situation. Questions relating to the Victorian Government, the Department of Health, or other government bodies may be referred to the relevant Department for a response. As an independent statutory authority, VicHealth remains politically neutral and does not participate in political discussions.

Racism steals more healthy years of life from Australians than smoking does. 🚨 And research by Deakin University shows i...
16/04/2026

Racism steals more healthy years of life from Australians than smoking does. 🚨

And research by Deakin University shows it’s costing our health system almost $38bn a year 💰

More medical appointments, more hospital visits, more pressure on the health system.

The personal cost of racism? Devastating. It simply can’t be calculated.

The good news is that local sporting clubs are critical places for change. Taking action now can address harm, and help reduce racism for future generations.

That’s why we created Set The Standard. A campaign giving coaches and club leaders practical tips and tools to shape inclusive club spaces.

👉 Join a growing community taking action: https://setthestandard.vic.gov.au/ -form

As Mary-Anne Thomas MP steps down as Victoria’s Health Minister, we thank her for her service and commitment to improvin...
15/04/2026

As Mary-Anne Thomas MP steps down as Victoria’s Health Minister, we thank her for her service and commitment to improving the health and wellbeing of Victorians.

Her advocacy for women’s health and leadership in addressing the harms of to***co has helped shape a more equitable and prevention-focused health system.

We thank her for her support of VicHealth’s work, including the launch of our 10-year strategy and our Local Partnerships for Food First initiative, and for progressing plans to mandate Health Star Ratings as Food Minister.

VicHealth also looks forward to working with the newly appointed Minister for Health Harriet Shing MP to continue improving the health and wellbeing of all Victorians.

Fresh, healthy food shouldn't be a luxury. Since 2014, The Community Grocer has been doing something simple but powerful...
14/04/2026

Fresh, healthy food shouldn't be a luxury.

Since 2014, The Community Grocer has been doing something simple but powerful: bringing affordable, fresh produce directly into the communities who need it most.

They’ve opened markets in Carlton, Richmond, Melton, Flemington, Fitzroy and Pakenham where they sell fruit and veg for around 30% cheaper than surrounding fresh food outlets. That affordability matters.

If we all ate just one extra serve of veg per day, it could save Australia around $1.4 billion in healthcare costs by 2030 by reducing the burden of chronic disease.

By making fresh food more accessible, The Community Grocer is helping families eat well, stay healthier, and prevent chronic disease ... before it starts.

And now, it's growing. The Community Grocer was named a recipient of one of VicHealth's Growing Healthy Communities Grants. It’ll help them work with other organisations to set up more markets in more communities. This is what investment in prevention looks like.

Learn more about the impact The Community Grocer is having on the health of Victorians here https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/our-health/be-healthy-blog/food-dignity-at-the-heart-of-community-markets

13/04/2026

Students are speaking out about va**ng 😤

From struggling to breathe to friends who panic without their v**e, Monash University students are seeing va**ng's real impacts every day.

That's why VicHealth backs student-led prevention at universities across Victoria. When students hear the facts – not lectures – from peers who get the social pressure, they can make healthier choices.

At Monash, 10 V**e Free Champs had over 1,300 peer conversations in just two months, making healthier choices more visible on campus.

If you’re a parent wondering how to talk to your teen about va**ng, we can help.

👉 Get our evidence-based conversation guide here: https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/parent-va**ng-guide

School holidays don’t have to mean big spend or big stress.​Here at VicHealth, we believe the school holidays can be a g...
10/04/2026

School holidays don’t have to mean big spend or big stress.​

Here at VicHealth, we believe the school holidays can be a great time to boost your family’s health and wellbeing.

From free ​local council activities to getting outside, cooking together and planning fun days out, we’ve pulled together six easy, budget-friendly ​ideas to keep everyone active, connected and feeling good these holidays — supporting both physical and mental health along the way.​

Head to our website for more healthy school holiday ideas: https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/our-health/be-healthy-blog/six-school-holiday-activities-for-the-whole-family

Sport is meant to be where you find your people .... not where you feel pushed to the sidelines. 💚 But belonging doesn’t...
09/04/2026

Sport is meant to be where you find your people .... not where you feel pushed to the sidelines. 💚

But belonging doesn’t just happen.

Racism can shut people out of the game, and all the really good things that come with it.

That’s why some of Australia’s most respected athletes are backing Set The Standard our new campaign calling on coaches and club leaders to step up and create safer, more inclusive clubs.

Because when leaders take action, clubs get stronger.
And more people get to stay in the sport they love.

The good news? Small steps make a huge difference.

👉 Join a growing community of coaches and club leaders taking action.
Get free, practical tools, real-world tips and ready-to-use resources — straight to your inbox.
Sign up: https://setthestandard.vic.gov.au/ -form

💚 Thanks to the incredible line-up of sports stars using their voices to champion change: Lauren Jackson, Darcy Moore, Sam Mitchell, Kyah Simon, Sharon Milner, Meg Lanning, Melissa Barbieri, Christian Welch, Simone McKinnis, Kayla Morrison and Dean Vickerman

Musician Paul Kelly was right. If you want big things to grow, you have to start small – and young. That’s what the Mi...
08/04/2026

Musician Paul Kelly was right.

If you want big things to grow, you have to start small – and young.

That’s what the Mini Movers “From the Ground Up” program in Colac is all about.

It’s part of our long-standing Regional Sport Partnership, helping set young people up with a lifelong love of movement … and now nutritious food, too!

Over two weeks, kids and their families come together to try out sports for the first time, and to learn about growing fruits and vegetables.

We know that early childhood is the best time to start building healthy habits for life. And the best way to do it is by literally getting your hands dirty.

This program is led by Leisure Networks, one of nine Regional Sport Assemblies backed by VicHealth to support young people across Victoria to be active and healthy.

Local programs like this work because they are built by people who know their communities.

Read more here: https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/our-health/be-healthy-blog/move-play-grow-in-colac

The Salvation Army Colac Wyld Work Projects Give Where You Live Foundation Colac Otway Shire Council

The clocks changed. Bedtime… not so much. Somewhere between the extra glass of water, another toilet trip, and the very ...
06/04/2026

The clocks changed. Bedtime… not so much.

Somewhere between the extra glass of water, another toilet trip, and the very important question about what happens when you die, time gets a bit blurry.

Has it been 47 minutes or four hours? Hard to say. What we do know: April school holidays + long weekend + clocks changing = bedtime chaos was always going to happen.

Sleep matters — for kids' growth, mood, and wellbeing. And for yours, too. You can't pour from an empty cup. (Or apparently from the wrong cup, but that's a different problem.)

Tick every square that happened in your house tonight. 👇

Still in the thick of it? Take a breath. You're doing great.

Need some help switching off tonight? Give this podcast a listen - Dr Moira Junge, CEO of the Sleep Health Foundation, on why stressing about sleep might actually be making it harder.

Visit: https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/resources/podcasts/in-good-health/how-our-ever-growing-obsession-with-sleeping-well-is-making-us

Feeling overwhelmed by the news lately? You're not alone. The non-stop news cycle is a lot for anyone to absorb. There's...
01/04/2026

Feeling overwhelmed by the news lately? You're not alone. The non-stop news cycle is a lot for anyone to absorb.

There's a lot happening in the world right now. Staying informed matters — but so does protecting your mental health.

Here are a few simple tips to help you do both, or read more here: https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/our-health/be-healthy-blog/when-the-world-feels-like-a-lot-stay-informed-without-burning-out

If you’re finding things harder than usual, reach out:
Beyond Blue | beyondblue.org.au or 1300 22 4636
Lifeline | lifeline.org.au or 13 11 14

31/03/2026

Sport hits different when everyone feels like they belong.

But that doesn’t happen by accident.

VicHealth’s Set The Standard campaign is about preventing racism in community sport and helping clubs be places where everyone can thrive.

Because racism isn’t always loud.

Sometimes it’s the joke that goes unchecked.

Or a player being left out because of the colour of their skin.

And when it shows up, people get pushed out — missing out on all the good things sport brings.

Set The Standard ambassador and footy superstar Darcy Moore says it best: more diverse voices = stronger clubs.

The good news? Small actions from leaders can make a big difference.

👉 Ready to set the standard?
Sign up to VicHealth’s Set The Standard newsletter for free tips, tools and resources: https://setthestandard.vic.gov.au/ -form

New research released today from UNSW has shown the strongest evidence yet that va**ng likely causes cancer, with early ...
31/03/2026

New research released today from UNSW has shown the strongest evidence yet that va**ng likely causes cancer, with early signs like DNA damage already detected.

While the long-term evidence is still emerging, the health impacts are real — and young people are especially at risk.

☁️ That’s why VicHealth’s UNCLOUD campaign is working to protect young people from the harms of va**ng, by cutting through misinformation and sharing the facts.

👉 Learn more: https://www.vichealth.vic.gov.au/our-focus/commercial-economic-systems/va**ng

**eFree

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355 Spencer Street
Carlton, VIC
3008

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Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm

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