Central Highlands Rural Health

01/05/2026

Happy Spudfest 2026

We are looking forward to being part of the Trentham Spudfest 2026 when our town shines in all its Autumn glory.

Staff from Central Highlands Rural Health will be out and about chatting about the services we offer including Trentham Aged Care residential living and Trentham Treehouse Program.

See you all there.

30/04/2026

Today we recognise National Administrative Professionals Day and take a moment to thank the people who keep everything running smoothly at Central Highlands Rural Health.

Our administrative teams in Clunes, Creswick, Daylesford, Kyneton and Trentham are often the first point of contact for patients, families and visitors. They bring organisation, care and calm to busy environments, support our clinicians, and help ensure our services run efficiently every day.

We are grateful to have such a strong and committed admin team at CHRH.

📷 Here are some photos of our admin teams across our campuses.

28/04/2026

Today, on World Day for Safety and Health at Work, we acknowledge the importance of safe, healthy and decent work for all.

It is a reminder of the need to prevent workplace injuries and illness, while also acknowledging those who have been impacted by work-related harm.

In 2026, the focus is on creating a healthy psychosocial work environment. This includes supporting mental health, managing workload, and fostering a positive organisational culture.

At Central Highlands Rural Health, we are committed to providing a safe and supportive workplace for our people. Creating a positive, safe and mentally healthy environment for everyone remains a priority in the care we provide to both our staff and our community.

For more information, please visit the Safe Work Australia website:
👉 www.safeworkaustralia.gov.au/media-centre/campaigns/2026-world-day

25/04/2026

A lasting legacy.

This ANZAC Day, Central Highlands Rural Health pays tribute to the local nurses who served abroad, many of whom made the ultimate sacrifice.

Their legacy of resilience lives on.

Across our communities today in Clunes, Creswick, Daylesford, Kyneton and Trentham, CHRH staff attended ANZAC Day ceremonies, laying wreaths in memory of those nurses and all who served.

Lest we forget.

📷 Pictured is Kelly Dart, Director of Nursing at Daylesford Health, laying a wreath at the Daylesford ANZAC Day ceremony.

23/04/2026

We’re excited to support six early learning services participating in Smiles 4 Miles in 2026, with Aussie Kindies Creswick and Early Learning Victoria Wirmal (Clunes) joining the program for the first time.

Smiles 4 Miles is an initiative of Oral Health Victoria that supports early learning services to promote oral health for children and families through three key messages: Eat Well, Drink Well and Clean Well.

To learn more about Smiles 4 Miles and how the program supports oral health promotion in early learning settings, visit: https://www.ohv.org.au/oral-health-programs/smiles4miles

For more information about Smiles 4 Miles locally, please contact the Population Health team at pophealth@chrh.org.au.

We’re excited to support six early learning services participating in Smiles 4 Miles in 2026, with Aussie Kindies Creswick and Early Learning Victoria Wirmal (Clunes) joining the program for the first time.

Smiles 4 Miles is an initiative of Oral Health Victoria that supports early learning services to promote oral health for children and families through three key messages: Eat Well, Drink Well and Clean Well.

To learn more about Smiles 4 Miles and how the program supports oral health promotion in early learning settings, visit: https://www.ohv.org.au/oral-health-programs/smiles4miles

For more information about Smiles 4 Miles locally, please contact the Population Health team at pophealth@chrh.org.au.

Aussie Kindies Early Learning Creswick
Creswick Preschool
Early Learning Victoria Wirmal (Clunes)
Daylesford Community Child Care Centre
Hepburn Kindergarten
Trentham Kindergarten

21/04/2026

A Chief Health Officer alert has been issued as dangerous mushrooms are appearing in gardens and parks across Victoria.

Key points:
◾️ Some varieties, including death cap and yellow-staining mushrooms, are highly toxic and can be fatal
◾️ Cooking, peeling or drying does not make them safe
◾️ There is no home test to tell if a mushroom is safe to eat
◾️ Mushrooms bought from supermarkets and greengrocers are safe
◾️ Avoid picking or eating wild mushrooms
◾️ Remove mushrooms from your garden using gloves and dispose of them in general waste

If you think you or someone may have eaten a wild mushroom,
call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 (24/7 Australia-wide)

In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000)

👉 More info: https://go.vic.gov.au/4svhTa5

Poisonous mushrooms: the facts behind the headlines.

Dangerous mushrooms like death cap and yellow-staining mushrooms are starting to appear in gardens and parks across Victoria. Consuming a death cap mushroom may result in death. Here is what to know to keep yourself and others safe:

• Cooking, peeling or drying these mushrooms does not remove or inactivate the poison. Mushrooms purchased from a supermarket, greengrocer or other reputable source are safe to eat.
• There is no home test available to distinguish safe and edible mushrooms from poisonous mushrooms.
• Remove any mushrooms growing in the home garden by wearing gloves, carefully placing them in a bag, and disposing of them in a general waste bin.
• Because of the risks involved, Victorians are strongly advised to avoid picking and eating wild mushrooms.

If you think you or someone may have eaten a poisonous wild mushroom don’t wait for symptoms to occur:

📞 Call the Poisons Information Centre on 13 11 26 (24/7 Australia-wide)
🚑 In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000)

More info: https://go.vic.gov.au/4svhTa5

08/04/2026

Ever wondered what our Population Health team gets up to? Now is your time to find out!

Sign up to our Population Health Newsletter for updates and to see what fun things they get up to!

Sign up here: https://www.surveymonkey.com/r/pophealthnews

07/04/2026

🌍 World Health Day 2026 🌍

Today, we recognise World Health Day and this year’s theme: Together for health. Stand with science.

At Central Highlands Rural Health, this message strongly aligns with our Best Care goals, particularly our commitment to making decisions based on the best available evidence. It’s about ensuring the care we provide is informed, safe, and grounded in what we know works.

We also take a moment to thank those at the forefront of science whose work continues to drive breakthroughs and advancements in healthcare. Their dedication is helping to shape a future with better treatments, improved care, and stronger health outcomes for all.

03/04/2026

📣 Urgent Care available 24/7 in Kyneton and Daylesford 📣

With some GP clinics closed for the Easter break, you can still access timely care close to home.

If you or someone you care for needs urgent medical attention, our experienced nursing teams can assess and treat a wide range of urgent health concerns.

📍 Kyneton Health Urgent Care Centre
📞 03 5422 9900
➡️ 7-25 Caroline Chisholm Drive, Kyneton. Present at the nurses’ station or use the after-hours security buzzer at the front entrance.

📍 Daylesford Health Urgent Care Centre
📞 03 5321 6500
➡️ 17 Hospital Street, Daylesford. Press the buzzer at the dedicated entrance to be let in.

In a life-threatening emergency, always call 000.

31/03/2026

Seeing Through the Haze at Daylesford Primary School!

Over the last three weeks, Sam visited year 5 & 6 classes at Daylesford Primary to participate in the Seeing Through the Haze Education Program. This program runs through what a v**e is, how the to***co industry markets them to young people and plays out scenarios with the students to help make informed decisions when they are exposed to v**es in the community and when heading to senior school.

It was very impressive to hear the knowledge the students already had about the harms of va**ng and see through the ‘haze’ of how the industry targets and wants young people to take up the habit.

26/03/2026

We're pleased to share our Autumn Community Newsletter.

This edition is packed with news, community information and photos from our organisation over the last few months.

We welcome you to dive into the pages to read about what we’ve done recently for your local community.

Happy reading!

👉 www.chrh.org.au/articles/autumn2026communitynewsletter

25/03/2026

Central Highlands Rural Health was honoured with the Excellence in Collaboration Award at the Annual Health Service Awards on Tuesday 3 March, recognising the organisation’s work in meeting the Healthy Choices: Policy Directive for Victorian Public Health Services.

CHRH received this award for the team’s successful multidisciplinary collaboration to meet the Policy Directive targets across five campuses. Achieving this milestone required strong coordination across teams, working through a range of operational challenges to ensure 100% compliance of the Healthy Choices targets for 2025.

Health Promotion Officer, Laurey Sherren, attended the awards ceremony online to accept the award on behalf of CHRH.

In addition, Wendy VanderPol (Hotel Services Manager), Howard Bradfield (Support Services Manager), Jemima Hill (Dietitian) and Laurey Sherren were nominated for the Healthy Choices: Policy Directive Local Champion Award, recognising their collaborative efforts in implementing the Policy Directive at Central Highlands Rural Health in 2025.

This recognition highlights the dedication and teamwork across the organisation in creating healthier food and drink environments for staff, visitors and the wider community.