ACT Government Health and Community Services

ACT Government Health and Community Services Official page for the ACT Health and Community Services Directorate.

Keeping you informed about Canberra’s public health system and the community services that promote healthy lives. House Rules:
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Winter is here! Time to pull out your puffer jackets as frosty mornings and cold winds become more frequent. ❄️ As the ...
01/06/2026

Winter is here! Time to pull out your puffer jackets as frosty mornings and cold winds become more frequent. ❄️

As the temps drop, it’s easy to feel a bit run down. But a few simple habits can help you survive – and thrive – this winter.

☀️ Go outside and get some sunshine (hello, vitamin D!)
🚶 Be active – even a short walk can boost your mood, energy and immune system
☕ Stay connected – check in with friends, family or colleagues – small chats go a long way
🥣 Eat nourishing foods – soup season is officially here and we’re all for it
😴 Prioritise sleep – your body will thank you
💙 Look after your mental health – if something doesn’t feel right, talk to a health professional – you don’t have to tough it out alone.

For a list of resources and services to stay well this winter, see our page www.act.gov.au/campaigns/staying-well-this-winter

More tips to survive or thrive this winter in our comments below 👇

[Image description: A person sits hunched on a weathered wooden bench outdoors in Canberra, bundled inside an oversized dark puffer jacket that almost fully covers the upper body. Colourful striped pants, red socks, and sneakers are visible below. The ground is scattered with brown autumn leaves, and behind the bench are low green shrubs, a tree trunk, and a beige brick building with large windows. Overlaid text reads, “Me in Canberra right now” with a snowman emoji.]

🎉 Reconciliation Day is happening TODAY at John Dunmore Lang Place, Parkes! Join us for a free, family-friendly day fil...
31/05/2026

🎉 Reconciliation Day is happening TODAY at John Dunmore Lang Place, Parkes!

Join us for a free, family-friendly day filled with cultural activities, live entertainment, and community connection.

🔥 Kick off the day with a community BBQ from 8.30am. Main program begins at 10am.

🧺 Bring a picnic rug and soak up the atmosphere while enjoying live performances and delicious eats from a variety of food vendors.

🚍 Free public transport is available for event-goers — Sunday timetable applies.

Plan your visit with the event program and map: bit.ly/recday26

Reconciliation Day is a time for all Canberrans to learn and share histories, cultures, and achievements and explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

[Image description: A blue promotional poster displays white text: “Reconciliation Day, 1 June 2026, John Dunmore Lang Place, and 10am to 3pm. A small rounded label at the bottom reads “Free Event.”]

Today, on World No To***co Day, we spoke to Alex, a member of the Cancer Council ACT team dedicated to helping Canberran...
30/05/2026

Today, on World No To***co Day, we spoke to Alex, a member of the Cancer Council ACT team dedicated to helping Canberrans quit smoking and va**ng.

Supported by the ACT Government’s Healthy Canberra Grants, Alex and his team are working to improve the Canberra community’s access to quit support.

In particular, Cancer Council ACT’s ‘VAPE Support – Schools’ program has received an incredibly positive response.

“We expected health and PE teachers to primarily be the ones engaging with our education program, so we’ve been blown away to see staff from a range of other faculties accessing the program to ensure they’re equipped to empower students to make positive decisions about their health and wellbeing,” says Alex.

As for Alex’s advice to anyone thinking about attempting to quit smoking or va**ng?

“It takes, on average, 15 or more attempts to quit for good, so don’t treat slip-ups as failures. If you’ve tried before–even if you only lasted a day, a week, or a month–you already have what it takes to quit, and you’ll get better at it every time you try.”

To find out about the many support services available to help Canberrans quit smoking or va**ng, visit www.act.gov.au and search ‘get help to quit’.

[Image description: Alex stands in front of a plain background with his hands behind his back, smiling at the camera. He is wearing light coloured pants with a brown belt, and a navy blue polo shirt which has the Cancer Council ACT logo on it along with the words ‘Tackling cancer takes all of us.’]

It’s National Reconciliation Week and if you’re unsure about attending an event, take it from local resident Lisa who co...
30/05/2026

It’s National Reconciliation Week and if you’re unsure about attending an event, take it from local resident Lisa who comes from the Eora nation:

‘If you’ve never been before, just come along and experience it. We love people. We love people, land and animals. It’s all about sharing and caring’.

Lisa is a proud Aboriginal woman passionate about showcasing First Nations culture and the role we all play in caring for Country.

Lisa is a regular visitor and presenter at our Gungahlin Child and Family Centre and she comes to share her knowledge of culture with local children and families. ‘Yuma’ she will say, sharing language like it is a gift, something alive.

Lisa uses native language in her conversations as much as she can, wanting to share it with others, especially the Tiddas Girls Group she connects with through the CFC. There she doesn’t just teach facts, she builds connection, shows children and their families that caring for Country means understanding it, respecting it and sharing it.

Reconciliation for Lisa is real and powerful – sharing, caring, learning, where all generations walk forward together.

Take Lisa’s advice – get out and experience what’s on offer this Reconciliation Week.

Our CFCs run many programs for children and families throughout the year.
Find out what they have on offer by visiting https://www.act.gov.au/community/families/child-and-family-centres

🎉 Reconciliation Day is back on Monday 1 June at John Dunmore Lang Place, Parkes! Join us for a free, family-friendly d...
28/05/2026

🎉 Reconciliation Day is back on Monday 1 June at John Dunmore Lang Place, Parkes!

Join us for a free, family-friendly day filled with culture, connection, and community.

🖌️ Get creative with arts and crafts like traditional weaving and beading
🐾 Meet zoo animals and enjoy face painting
📖 Experience traditional storytelling and language workshops
🎶 Enjoy a full lineup of live entertainment — featuring headline act Casey Donovan
🍔 Grab a bite from a range of delicious food vendors
🚍 Free public transport for event attendees on all Transport Canberra regular bus and light rail services (Sunday timetable applies)

Reconciliation Day is a time for all Canberrans to learn and share histories, cultures, and achievements and explore how each of us can contribute to achieving reconciliation in Australia.

📲 Plan your day and view the full program:
👉 bit.ly/recday26program

[Image description: A group of four people participate in an art activity at a reconciliation Day event, standing around a table. Two adults and two children hold paintbrushes and work together on a large black surface decorated with colourful dot patterns, handprints and circular designs in red, green and white.]

Is getting your influenza vaccination still on your To Do list? It’s one of the most effective ways of keeping yourself ...
28/05/2026

Is getting your influenza vaccination still on your To Do list?

It’s one of the most effective ways of keeping yourself and your family well this winter.

Emily (pictured) got her influenza vaccine this week from her GP clinic and shared some sound advice.

‘You need to get your flu injection because it will help teach your body how to fight off the virus.’

You can get your influenza vaccination from your:
• GP
• community pharmacy (from 2 years and older)
• Early Childhood Immunisation Clinic (from 6 months to less than 5 years).

‘I was a little bit nervous but I concentrated on my penguin toy called Pengie which helped. She is purple and very cute. It was done really fast.’

Well done Emily! Thank you for helping to keep yourself and those around you safe this winter. 👏👏👏

Find more tips on how to stay well this winter at https://www.act.gov.au/campaigns/staying-well-this-winter

[Image description: Emily sits on a wooden bench in an outdoor park area, holding a purple plush penguin toy. Emily wears a flower headband, a sleeveless top, a sparkly skirt, and patterned tights. One hand points to a small adhesive bandage on the upper arm. Trees, greenery, and pavilion structures are visible in the background.]

Join us this Reconciliation Day with special guest Casey Donovan — ARIA Award-winning artist and proud Gumbaynggirr and ...
26/05/2026

Join us this Reconciliation Day with special guest Casey Donovan — ARIA Award-winning artist and proud Gumbaynggirr and Dunghutti woman — as she headlines a powerful day of culture, connection and community.

“I’m excited to perform at Reconciliation Day 2026 and join the Canberra community for such an important celebration of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people, stories and culture. Music has a powerful way of bringing people together, and I hope this year’s event encourages people to embrace the spirit of All In by continuing to listen, learn and walk together on the journey of reconciliation.”

Come along for a full program of live music, dance and storytelling, alongside hands-on cultural workshops including weaving, beading, language and art. There’ll also be market stalls, food vendors and plenty of family-friendly activities to enjoy throughout the day.

The event opens with a Welcome to Country and Smoking Ceremony, welcoming everyone to reflect, connect and be part of the reconciliation journey.

🕙 Monday 1 June | 10am–3pm
📍 John Dunmore Lang Place, Parkes
🚌 Free public transport is available — just let the driver or customer service officer know you’re attending.
🔗 Find out more: www.act.gov.au/reconciliation-day

[Image description: Casey Donnovan smiles at the camera with a dark red background behind her. She has dark curly hair, a green and orange patterned scarf over her blue jacket, her eyes twinkle and her smile is open and engaging. Her hand is lifted toward her ear like it is holding a headphone and she is about to break into song.]

Today, on National Sorry Day, we remember the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, known as...
25/05/2026

Today, on National Sorry Day, we remember the forced removal of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children, known as the Stolen Generations.

The Stolen Generations are not a distant chapter of our history, and the impact on Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and communities continues through intergenerational trauma. We also acknowledge the resilience and strength of Stolen Generation survivors and our Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities.

This year’s theme From Sorry to Action reflects there is still much to do to achieve real change within survivors’ lifetimes. You can learn more about National Sorry Day here: https://healingfoundation.org.au/stolen-generations/national-sorry-day/

Tomorrow is the beginning of Reconciliation Week – a time for us to reflect personally, and as a nation, as we move forward in our reconciliation journey. Remembering the lessons of our shared history on days like this is a part of that journey.

The annual ACT Reconciliation Day even - a significant occasion recognising and celebrating Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander cultures - is held on 1 June at John Dunmore Lang Place, near Reconciliation Place and Questacon in Parkes. Find out more by visiting the website at https://www.act.gov.au/community/aboriginal-and-torres-strait-islander-peoples/reconciliation-day

[image description: The words National Sorry Day 26 May appear on a black background in a gradient of colour including yellow, green, blue and orange. Purple Aboriginal style dot and line art cross the word “sorry”. At the bottom the theme for the day is written “From Sorry to Action” using the same colour gradient and purple Aboriginal style art.]

25/05/2026

Gungahlin Child and Family Centre is closed for maintenance.

From Wednesday 27 May 2026 services will be provided from Gungahlin Community Centre.

📍 corner of Efkarpidis Street & Gungahlin Place
📞 6207 0120
🗺️ map in the comments.

If you are planning to visit the Centre over the coming weeks, or need a service from the Gungahlin Child and Family Centre, you can pop over to the the brand new Gungahlin Community Centre instead. Watch the video below to see how easy the walk is!

For more information visit https://www.act.gov.au/community/families/child-and-family-centres -a-Child-and-Family-Centre

GPs are one of the few doctors who care for people throughout their whole lives – from birth to end-of-life. ‘We suppor...
19/05/2026

GPs are one of the few doctors who care for people throughout their whole lives – from birth to end-of-life.

‘We support patients through chronic illness, mental health challenges and everything in between. It’s not just separate visits, it’s one ongoing story that I get to be part of.’

Dr Susannah, a GP in Canberra, says this long-term care is what makes general practice so valuable.

‘I get to know my patients as people first before anything else. Over time trust builds and they feel more comfortable sharing what’s really going on. That helps me understand them better.

Today is World Family Doctor Day. This year’s theme Compassionate care in a digital world is about balancing new technology with kindness and patient-focused care.

Dr Susannah says technology can help – but it shouldn’t replace human care.

‘Digital tools and AI are useful for cutting down admin work. That means I can spend more time doing what really matters – listening to my patient, understanding their story, and making thoughtful decisions about their care.

‘Used well, technology helps me focus more on the person in front of me, not the screen.’

She also highlights the important role GPs play in bringing everything together.

‘When patients are seeing multiple specialists or managing different health issues, we help connect the dots and make sense of the bigger picture.’

Thank you Dr Susannah and all the GPs for the care, dedication and hard work you give to our community.

Address

Bowes Street
Canberra, ACT
2606

Website

https://www.act.gov.au/act-g

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