Gippsland Lakes Complete Health

Gippsland Lakes Complete Health At GLCH we deliver an extensive range of accessible health services and health promotion activities to the people of East Gippsland.

We really appreciate it when you contribute to our social media channels. Your feedback, experiences, and suggestions are an excellent way for us to connect with you and vice versa. Gippsland Lakes Complete Health’s (GLCH) social media accounts are moderated during standard operating hours only: Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm AEST (unless otherwise stated and excluding public holidays). All com

ments posted are reviewed by our moderator and subject to a few important rules. You can view our page rules and guidelines here https://glch.org.au/glch-social-media-page-guidelines/

Last week, our Homelessness Awareness team joined services from across the region in Traralgon for the Gippsland Homeles...
11/08/2025

Last week, our Homelessness Awareness team joined services from across the region in Traralgon for the Gippsland Homelessness Network’s closing event for Homelessness Awareness Week 2025.

The numbers are heavy...

🔸 In March 2025, 7,520 Gippsland households were on the Victorian Housing Register with priority access for social housing – 1,259 of them in East Gippsland alone.

🔸In 2024/25, 572 households told Gippsland Homelessness Entry Points they were sleeping rough in tents, cars, or the open – a 32% increase from the previous year. And we know the true number is even higher.

With no dedicated funding for Assertive Outreach in our region, many people sleeping rough miss out on vital support. Local homelessness agencies are reporting longer waits for safe housing, leaving people in crisis for extended periods.

The message is clear: homelessness is preventable – and everyone has the right to a safe home.

We’ll continue working alongside our partners to advocate for urgent action, more affordable housing, and the support people need to live well.

If you or someone you know needs housing support, contact our team on 5155 8300.

📷 Members of our Homelessness Support Team, of Melissa, Luke and Rachael with Minister for Housing, the Hon. Harriet Shing.

Back in the day, our team weren’t just in the office, they were out in the community, sleeves rolled up and CPR dummy in...
07/08/2025

Back in the day, our team weren’t just in the office, they were out in the community, sleeves rolled up and CPR dummy in tow!

From local fetes to the Kinkuna Parade, if you were out and about in the 80s or 90s, chances are you bumped into LECHC staff offering free health checks, handing out cheeky flyers, or pulling people in for a photo with Syd the Seagull.

We set up on street corners, inside supermarkets, and anywhere a crowd might gather, offering health info with a side of fun. Think: mocktails with the AOD crew, dunk tanks to raise funds for new equipment, SkillShare’s Battle of the Bands, and even the occasional three-legged race!

It wasn’t just health promotion… it was a show 🎉

Here’s to 50 years of connecting with community with humour, heart, and a whole lot FUN!



Image Use Disclaimer: We’re sharing historical photos as part of our 50th celebrations. Some images include past staff or community members and may date back decades. If you see yourself or someone you know and would prefer the image not be shared, please contact us via Facebook Messenger or marketing@glch.org.au and we’ll remove it straight away. Thanks for being part of our story!

Today is Aged Care Employee Day 🧡 a moment to pause and recognise the fabulous humans who support older people to live w...
07/08/2025

Today is Aged Care Employee Day 🧡 a moment to pause and recognise the fabulous humans who support older people to live well in their homes and across our community.

We’re sending a much-deserved shout-out to our team members who care with compassion, patience, and a whole lot of heart. Whether you’re in direct care, admin or supporting behind the scenes – your work matters, and it doesn’t go unnoticed.

You lift spirits, bring comfort, and help people feel safe, seen, and supported - every single day.

And sometimes, that looks like organising a trishaw ride along the foreshore with the local federal member!

So from all of us at GLCH: thank you for caring and for doing it so awesomely!

📸 Pictured: Care Managers Jessica and Linda with Home Care Package clients Averil and Tony, and of course, Darren Chester MP.

Helen Gottschalk has been delivering meals around Bairnsdale for more than half a century.At 92, she’s still out doing M...
05/08/2025

Helen Gottschalk has been delivering meals around Bairnsdale for more than half a century.

At 92, she’s still out doing Meals on Wheels rounds, often to people younger than she is, and she’s not planning to stop any time soon.

“When people ask me why I keep going, I tell them simply: I belong to the caring profession. I nursed all my life, and now this is how I care.”

Helen is our longest-serving volunteer at Gippsland Lakes Complete Health, with more than 50 years of service to the Meals On Wheels Victoria program.

Her connection goes all the way back to 1968, when a local subcommittee – including her husband – helped establish the service in East Gippsland.

Within months, nine Bairnsdale residents were receiving hot, three-course meals delivered to their doors for just 40 cents.

She remembers how she used to bundle the kids into the car for deliveries, and how she’d let them hold the soup ladle – always hoping they wouldn’t drop it on someone’s lawn.

These days the program looks a little different, but the spirit is the same. Around 200 volunteers now support Meals on Wheels across the region, delivering more than 300 meals each week in Bairnsdale, Lakes Entrance and Paynesville.

Helen’s story will be featured as part of our 50th anniversary celebrations this October. We’re proud to share her legacy – and the stories of so many others who have helped shape community health in East Gippsland.

For Helen, volunteering is more than a role. It’s part of who she is.

“It's not just what I do—it's who I am. And as long as there are people who need a meal and a friendly face at their door, I'll be there to provide both.”

Helen says she’s learned a lot in her 92 years – but one lesson stands out.

“I always look on the bright side, but I've learned something important over the years: happiness is fleeting, but if you are content, contentment is far better than happiness. That's what keeps me going.”

We’re always looking for volunteers like Helen – people who want to give back in small, meaningful ways. If you’re interested in volunteering, you can call Karren on 5150 9388 or visit www.glch.org.au.

And if you'd like to join us at our 50th celebration on October 11, email marketing@glch.org.au to join the mailing list, or follow this page for updates.

We’re looking for volunteer drivers in Lakes Entrance – and here’s why it matters.Every week in Lakes Entrance, a group ...
04/08/2025

We’re looking for volunteer drivers in Lakes Entrance – and here’s why it matters.

Every week in Lakes Entrance, a group of locals come together for shared cooking, gardening, gym sessions and the occasional fishing trip. It's all part of a long-standing social support program we run – and none of it happens without someone behind the wheel.

We’re currently looking for volunteer drivers to help keep this program running smoothly. Whether it’s picking participants up in the morning or dropping them home in the afternoon, even one day a week or fortnight makes a real difference.

The Lounge has been running for 14 years and creates a space for people with disabilities to connect, learn new skills and be part of community life.

Lakes Entrance local Jamie Singleton is a regular.

“I think it's just mixing with each other and learning from one another,” Jamie said. “Different days have different aspects. Whether it’s the garden or the woodwork in the sheds. Just the community and mingling with each other.”

Jamie said the program has helped him grow in confidence.

“I'm 56 years of age, and I'm still learning. When I did come here, I was a bit shy, it's just in my nature. It's like your first day of school, but then you warm up.”

Kitchen volunteer Di McKinnon says she gets as much out of the program as the clients do.

“I love to cook, and I have a helper. Someone picks each week what they are going to cook, and helps me prepare it. It’s a lasagne today and the hordes will be here later to test if I’ve succeeded,” she said.

“It’s very satisfying and there’s never a dull moment. I love the clients; they are a great bunch of people. I just feel it’s my time to put into the community. I very much enjoy it.”

Our bus is a 12-seater that can be driven on a standard driver’s licence. Volunteer shifts are short – morning runs from 9–10am or afternoons from 1.30–3pm.

If you have a few hours to spare, and want to help keep a great program rolling, we’d love to hear from you.

To find out more or register your interest, visit https://glch.org.au/get-involved/volunteer/ or call our Volunteer Engagement Officer, Karren on 5155 8300.

04/08/2025

Today we celebrate National Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day, held each year on 4 August, and established in 1988 by SNAICC, the national voice for Indigenous children 🖤💛❤️

It’s a moment to highlight how vital culture, family and community are in shaping the identity and wellbeing of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander children.

This year’s theme, “Little Footsteps, Big Future”, the journeys Aboriginal children take as they grow - each step guided by culture, community and connection to Country.

📹 Watch: This year's Children’s Day Ambassador, Otis Hope Carey, proud Gumbaynggirr and Bundjalung man, professional surfer, and artist.

In this clip, Otis shares what Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Children’s Day means to him, and why celebrating culture, identity and connection to Country is so important for our young ones 🖤💛❤️

🎨 Calling all young creatives!Applications for the Young Makers Market are still open – and James from our Healthy Equal...
03/08/2025

🎨 Calling all young creatives!

Applications for the Young Makers Market are still open – and James from our Healthy Equal Youth East Gippsland team, has just locked in the date: Friday 22 November!

If you (or someone you know) is a young artist, crafter, designer or maker with creations to sell, we’d love to showcase your talent at this vibrant, youth-led event.

Registrations close in September, so don’t miss your spot!

🔗 https://ow.ly/8Q6M50Wx83s

Please share this post with your networks 🙂

Looking after your sexual health?Clinic 281 in Bairnsdale offers friendly, confidential care for all your sexual health ...
31/07/2025

Looking after your sexual health?

Clinic 281 in Bairnsdale offers friendly, confidential care for all your sexual health needs – including contraception, STI screening, unplanned pregnancy support, cervical screening, menopause care, immunisations and more.

We welcome everyone and provide inclusive, expert care in a safe space.

📍 281 Main St, Bairnsdale
📞 Call 5168 9639 or book online: https://glch.org.au/medical-and-nursing/clinic-281/
GP referrals welcome.

💜 Victorian women and gender-diverse people deserve equitable, accessible, and empowering health care.
Yet, sexual and reproductive health services remain difficult to access for many. That’s why Community Health First partners have been working since 2017 with the Victorian Government to ensure care reaches those who need it most – helping establish and operate 13 of Victoria’s 20 sexual and reproductive health hubs.

Providing affordable, confidential sexual and reproductive healthcare in a safe and welcoming space, the hubs offer:
✅ Contraception choices
✅ Cervical screening
✅ Pregnancy support and care
✅ Period and menstrual health
✅ Termination services including medical abortion
✅ Affordable & accessible care, with many services bulk-billed through Medicare

With long-standing community partnerships and strong ties to local Women’s Health Services, community health organisations are well placed to deliver gender-sensitive, culturally appropriate care.
💜 Together, let’s keep pushing for .
📌 Learn more: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/site-5/sexual-and-reproductive-health-hubs

cohealth DPV Health Each IPC Health Ballarat Community Health Bendigo Health Gateway Health Gippsland Lakes Complete Health Latrobe Community Health Service Nexus Primary Health Primary Care Connect Sunraysia Community Health Services

🎉 50 years of GLCH = 50 years of stories – and we want yours!Were you part of our journey sometime over the last five de...
30/07/2025

🎉 50 years of GLCH = 50 years of stories – and we want yours!

Were you part of our journey sometime over the last five decades? Maybe you worked here, volunteered, received care, or just crossed paths with our team in a meaningful way.

Big moments, little memories, funny stuff – we’re collecting them all for our 50th-anniversary celebrations!

✨ Your story could be featured in our upcoming anniversary publication!

Share your memory here: https://forms.office.com/r/J9xNvXEcA3

And don’t forget to pass this along to someone who’s been part of the GLCH story.

Let’s celebrate our story – together ⭐

29/07/2025

Walk in. Reach out. Feel better - Free mental health support now available in Bairnsdale and across East Gippsland.

After relocating from the NSW South Coast, one local mum found herself juggling the demands of raising two young childre...
28/07/2025

After relocating from the NSW South Coast, one local mum found herself juggling the demands of raising two young children — including one with additional needs — while trying to find space for her own wellbeing.

Like many parents and carers, her focus was always on supporting others. But with therapy sessions, appointments, and advocacy taking up so much time and energy, she realised there was little support available for the parents themselves.

A simple Google search led her to Gippsland Lakes Complete Health. The process was easy and free, and she was connected with a counsellor quickly.

“It was just really nice to have someone to talk to who wasn’t family,” she said. “I actually looked forward to our sessions — I felt comfortable from the start.”

It was her first time accessing counselling in East Gippsland, and the support made a genuine difference.

For parents who are carrying a lot, GLCH’s counselling services offer a space to talk, reflect and feel heard — without judgment, and close to home.

Call us on 5155 8300 or visit glch.org.au/counselling to learn more.

You don’t have to go it alone. We’re here when you’re ready.

Are you looking for a new role with purpose, heart, and a healthy dose of “feel-good” at the end of each day? Look no fu...
25/07/2025

Are you looking for a new role with purpose, heart, and a healthy dose of “feel-good” at the end of each day? Look no further...

We’re currently recruiting for several positions across our growing team:
⭐ IT Manager
⭐ Community Support Worker – Qualified
⭐ Community Support Worker – Unqualified
⭐ Administration Officer – Early Childhood Education and Care Service
⭐ Early Childhood Educator

We offer an inclusive, flexible and values-driven workplace where you can feel supported, connected, and proud of the work you do.

Ready to join us? Visit https://careers.glch.org.au/jobs/search to apply or learn more.

Address

18 Jemmeson Street
Lakes Entrance, VIC
3909

Opening Hours

Monday 8:30am - 5pm
Tuesday 8:30am - 5pm
Wednesday 8:30am - 5pm
Thursday 8:30am - 5pm
Friday 8:30am - 5pm
Saturday 8:30am - 1pm
Sunday 8:30am - 1pm

Telephone

+61351558300

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We welcome your input

We really appreciate it when you contribute to our social media channels. Your feedback, experiences and suggestions are an excellent way for us to connect with you and vice versa. GLCH’s social media accounts are moderated during standard operating hours only: Monday to Friday 8.30am to 5.00pm AEST (unless otherwise stated and excluding public holidays). All comments posted are reviewed by our moderator and subject to a few important rules. 1. We welcome all feedback, both positive and negative, but it will sometimes be necessary to moderate content without your prior agreement on our social media channels and website. The decision to moderate content will be at GLCH’s absolute discretion and may be based on the factors including, but not limited to, the following criteria: a) No private or confidential information may be disclosed. The privacy of our customers, clients and stakeholders is of paramount importance to us and taken very seriously. b) No inappropriate content or personal attacks will be posted. Please don't post demeaning, disrespectful, offensive, obscene, threatening or abusive comments. If your post contains vulgar or inflammatory language, or information that purposely or inadvertently identifies a person in a way that breaches their privacy it will not be posted. c) Participation needs to be relevant to the topic, and helpful to the community. We may decide not to post content that is unrelated to the topic and any content that repetitively talks to the same subject, i.e. flame-wars, personal agendas, etc. We will not post any content that solicits sales, or which appear to be for personal, political or commercial gains. d) Any material which is illegal, misleading or deceptive, which may infringe a third party's intellectual property rights, or which may in any way present a risk to GLCH, its staff/volunteers, or stakeholders will not be posted.. e) Be courteous and respectful to community members. Just like in everyday life, good manners are important online. Please try to refrain from shouting (ALL CAPITALS), excessive use of slang and misrepresenting yourself to others. f) We reserve the right (where the social media channel allows) to block users from GLCH social media channels at our sole discretion and without notice. 2. All contributors should be transparent We will assume that community members will not misrepresent themselves or post false and misleading information. 3. Our social media channels are NOT customer service points We will try to answer questions and contribute to the discussion, however our social media channels are not meant for customer service or handling complaints. Sometimes we may redirect you to other more appropriate channels, such as our website, consumer feedback officer, or team managers. 4. Privacy statement GLCH only records information for the purpose of administering its social media pages and considering and/or addressing any comments made. No attempt will be made to further identify individuals. GLCH is not responsible for the privacy practices or content of the host or any linked websites. Users are reminded that social media sites are public spaces on the Internet and interactions are publicly viewable and searchable over time i.e. comments, likes etc. Social media services provide their own disclaimers and policies on collection and use of visitor information, over which GLCH has no control. GLCH encourages users to familiarise themselves with the terms of use of each social media site before use. GLCH cannot control what members of the public may do with the content you have contributed.