Colac Area Health

01/09/2026

Join us for a series of Possum Skin Cloak Workshops led by Aunty Lisa Couzens.

These workshops are an opportunity for community to come together to contribute to the creation of possum skin cloaks and blankets for patients on their cancer journey or receiving palliative care. Supporting connection, comfort and cultural care.

The workshops are open to everyone, regardless of experience, and all materials will be provided. Workshop 1 in both Geelong and Colac will include an introduction to Possum Skin Cloaks, their cultural significance, and a demonstration on laying out and cutting the skins.

Geelong Region workshop 1 | Booln Booln Cultural Centre | Tuesday 15 September | 4.00pm to 6.00pm

Geelong Region workshop 2 | Norlane ARC | Tuesday 22 September | 11.30am to 2.30pm | Drop in at any time during the session

Please register your interest for catering purposes only.
Geelong registration link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/3smJQu9nrX

Colac Region workshop 1 | Colac Makers Space | Tuesday 29 September | 11am – 1pm

Please register your interest for catering purposes only.
Colac Registration link: https://forms.cloud.microsoft/r/p69DtAktCe

We welcome community members to come along, learn, connect and contribute to this meaningful project.

If you would like further information, please use the contact details below:
[email protected]
[email protected]
[email protected]

or Phone 0499321345 (Project Phone)

01/09/2026

Colac Area Health is looking for two Aboriginal Health Liaison Officers (AHLOs) to join our team!

The AHLOs will play an important role in supporting Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander patients and families to access services at Colac Area Health and continue to assist in building an environment that provides culturally safe and appropriate care for the local community.

This is a great opportunity to make a meaningful contribution to improving health experiences and outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people in our community.

👉 To learn more about the roles and apply, please visit the link below! https://peopleplus.swarh.vic.gov.au/CAH/job/Colac-Aboriginal-Health-Liaison-Officer-VIC-3250/1363888766/

26/08/2026

🗣️ Speech Pathology Week 2026 💬

This year's theme, "Communication creates possibility," reflects what our speech pathologists see every day. ✨

When communication and swallowing needs are supported, people have more opportunities to connect, learn, choose, participate and thrive 🌱 — creating stronger participation, greater inclusion, and better access across health, education, disability and aged care.

🩺 Our Speech Pathology team supports both adults and children (0 years–school entry) with:
🔤 Speech sounds
🧠 Understanding language
💬 Speaking & finding the right words (incl. slurred speech, voice changes, stuttering)
📖 Reading & writing
🤝 Social communication
🍽️ Chewing & swallowing

👥 Who we care for:
👶 Children (0 yrs–school entry)
🏠 Adults living at home
🏡 Nursing home residents
🏥 Inpatients at Colac Area Health

📋 How to access our service:
Referrals can come from a GP, medical specialist, or allied health professional — or you can self-refer!

For more information call 5232 5100, or https://cah.vic.gov.au/services/speech-pathology/

Pictured our CAH Speech Pathologists, (L to R): Lauren Ryan, Emma Harkness and Sarah McKenzie

19/08/2026

❤️Yesterday, our iHEART Team travelled to Canberra with patient Keith to present iHEART at Parliament House, part of an inaugural HCF event showcasing health research to federal ministers, staffers and policymakers.

The event was a great success, spotlighting Colac Area Health's work and the value of investing in the regional health workforce. iHEART's success comes not just from technology, but from skilled clinicians embedded in regional communities — a model with real potential to scale across Australia.

We'll keep advocating for the investment needed to expand this clinician-led model across regional and rural Australia.

In Keith's words: "Without this heart health project, I wouldn't be here today."

Heart@Home is Colac Area Health's heart failure service, bringing together the iHEART specialist cardiology telehealth clinic, remote patient monitoring, and a heart failure rehabilitation program.

Your general practitioner (GP), medical specialist, in-patient medical teams or urgent care can make a referral.

Pictured (L to R): Keith and Anna George, Cardiac Clinical Nurse Consultant

17/08/2026

What a wonderful day for our community! 💙

Despite the rain, the Colac community came out in force to support the Colac Area Health Foundation’s Otways Winter Festival — and what an incredible result! 🙌

Together, $11,000 was raised for the Long Road Appeal, bringing us one step closer to a new Colac Area Health Wellbeing Centre supporting people living with cancer and complex health conditions.

A huge thank you to everyone who braved the winter weather, donated, volunteered and helped make the day such a success. This is community spirit at its best! 💫

Wow, Colac! 💫

What an incredible response — thank you for coming out on a rainy day to support the Colac Area Health Foundation’s Otways Winter Festival! 

The winter weather certainly kept things interesting, but your community spirit shone through.

Together, we raised $11,000 for the Long Road Appeal, helping us move closer to building a brand-new Colac Area Health Wellbeing Centre. This vital addition to our community will support cancer patients and people managing complex health conditions, offering programs that foster social support and connection.

If you’d like to be part of this exciting journey, please contact Ami at [email protected] for more information.

15/08/2026

📢 Birregurra Community Group – Annual General Meeting

Join us for our AGM! All welcome, and we're especially keen to have new committee members come on board.

🗓️ Monday 7th September
🕕 6pm
📍 Birregurra Community Health Centre

If you have a query please email [email protected]

14/08/2026

🙏 Celebrating Six Years of Community Service

Today we want to acknowledge and thank two outstanding members of our Community Advisory Committee, Rosemary Richardson and Jacqui Campbell who have completed six years of dedicated service on the Committee.

During their tenure, Rosemary and Jacqui have made a lasting impact on our community, contributing to a number of key pieces of work including:

📖 The Bereavement Booklet - providing comfort and guidance to families during difficult times
🔬 DELIVER Research - helping shape evidence-based approaches to community wellbeing
☕ Guided the development of 'Community Connections' - a process that will strengthen genuine community connection and engagement

Their commitment, insight, and generosity of time have helped shape meaningful outcomes for our community, and their contribution will continue to be felt for years to come.

Please join us in sincerely thanking Rosemary and Jacqui for their six years of dedicated service to the Community Advisory Committee. 👏

Our Community Advisory Committee brings together consumers, patients, and carers to participate in the design and delivery of health services, ensuring their voices and lived experience help shape decisions that affect them. If you would like to get involved, please call 5232 5100.

For more information: https://cah.vic.gov.au/services/community-advisory-committee/

Pictured (L to R):
Rosemary Richardson, Joseph Muvengi – Chair Community Advisory Committee, Jacqui Campbell

14/08/2026

🔬 Colac Area Health was proud to host its third Research Symposium on Wednesday 12th August, welcoming more than 50 staff, consumers and partner organisations. 🎉

The event showcased a diverse range of research projects underway in our community, highlighting the important role research plays in improving health outcomes. 📊

It was a wonderful opportunity to share achievements, inspire future projects, and demonstrate what can be achieved through collaboration, innovation and a commitment to research. 🤝💡

Thank you to everyone who attended and supported the event! 🙌

You can learn more about the CAH Research Unit and publications here: https://cah.vic.gov.au/services/colac-area-health-research-unit/

📸Credit: Colac Herald

14/08/2026

Yesterday we brought together staff, students and volunteers for an important conversation on providing safe, inclusive care for our LGBTIQ+ community.

We were honoured to hear from two respected leaders in this space:

Joe Ball, Victorian Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities, appointed in 2024. One of Australia's most senior openly transgender public servants, Joe brings over a decade of experience across family violence, housing, disability and su***de prevention, advising government on policies that strengthen safety, dignity and inclusion across systems.

Starlady, activist, artist and community worker, Director at the Zoe Belle Gender Collective. Known for her work in remote Indigenous and regional communities, Starlady leads the Transfemme project, promoting safe and healthy relationships for trans women and advancing violence prevention and consent culture.

Their insight was a powerful reminder of the actions we can take as an organisation to ensure everyone in our care feels safe, respected and included.

Thank you to both speakers, and to everyone who attended such a wonderful opportunity.

Victorian Commissioner for LGBTIQA+ Communities
Zoe Belle Gender Collective Inc
Colac Area Health

10/08/2026

Create bubbles of magic and learn about lacto-fermentation!

Discover this ancient cultural practice in a messy, creative and addictive hands-on experience.

Learn how to ferment food, as well as the health benefits of lacto-fermentation. Plus the benefit of reduced food waste.

Join the founder of Farm to Ferment, Patrick Meaney, walk away with a greater understanding of this art as well as jars of ferment to enjoy at home.

Lacto-Fermentation workshop with Patrick Meaney
📅Wednesday 16th September
⌚5:30pm-7:00pm
🖲️Colac Secondary College, Colac

Bookings via https://events.humanitix.com/host/farm-my-school
Places are limited!