East Wimmera Health Service

01/02/2026

Health Happenings | Seeds of Support Grants are now open! 🌱

East Wimmera Health Service is excited to launch the 2026 Seeds of Support Community Grants, with more than $18,000 available to help our region grow, share and learn through local food projects.

Funding is available for individuals, community groups, schools and early learning centres across Birchip, Charlton, Donald, St Arnaud, Wycheproof and surrounds.

📌 Apply now: www.surveymonkey.com/r/B536LPB
📄 Guidelines: bit.ly/3ZkWgNA
📅 Applications close: Friday 27 February 2026, 4pm

Let’s grow a healthier, more connected East Wimmera.

29/01/2026

Around the Grounds | Celebrating Local Youth Leadership! 💛💚

Congratulations to Grampians Youth Events (GYE) for being awarded Community Group of the Year at the 2026 Northern Grampians Shire Council Australia Day Awards!

GYE is a by youth, for youth committee dedicated to designing and delivering events for the young people of St Arnaud.

The EWHS Health Promotion Team is proud to support and coordinate this incredible group through the Amplify funding program.

You can read more about their nomination on the NGSC website: https://www.ngshire.vic.gov.au/Latest-News/News-Directory/Northern-Grampians-Shire-recognises-volunteers-during-2026-Australia-Day-celebrations

Please join us in celebrating GYE’s fantastic achievement!

29/01/2026

Health Happenings | 🦷 The Royal Flying Doctor Service Dental Clinic is now in Donald!

The RFDS dental team is currently located at East Wimmera Health Service, 1a Aitken Ave, and will be here from January 12 through to February 27.

They’re seeing eligible patients with a valid Health Care Card or Pension Card from Donald and surrounding areas.

📞 To book an appointment or find out more, call (03) 8412 0444.

26/01/2026

❄️Cool Spaces Available – Beat the Heat Together 🩵

With hot conditions expected today and most of the week, our local neighbourhood houses and community spaces can provide cool, welcoming places where you can take a break from the heat.

Opening times vary, so please check directly with your local venue to see what’s open.

✅ Cool Spaces may be available at:
📍 Wycheproof Resource Centre
📍 Birchip Neighbourhood House - open Australia Day
📍 Sea Lake Neighbourhood House
📍 Donald Library Hub
📍 Charlton Library and Senior Citizens

🔗 For more information on extreme heat and how to look after yourself and others, visit: https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/extreme-heat-and-heatwaves

☀️ Please remember to check in on friends, family and neighbours, and don’t forget your pets and livestock during this hot weather. 🌡️

23/01/2026

Health Alert | Extreme Heat 🔥🔥

Extreme heat can affect anyone, but some people are at higher risk, including:
• People over 65
• Young children and babies
• Pregnant women
• People with acute or chronic health conditions
• People who are socially isolated
• Anyone with limited ways to keep cool

How to stay safe in extreme heat
• Stay cool: Use air conditioning or fans, wear light and loose clothing, and keep your skin cool with a spray bottle, damp cloth or cool showers. If your home is too hot, consider visiting public pools or air‑conditioned community spaces.
• Stay hydrated: Drink plenty of water and keep drinking regularly, even before you feel thirsty—especially if you’re outdoors or active.
• Check in on others: Contact family, friends and neighbours, particularly those at higher risk, to make sure they’re coping in the heat.
• Plan ahead: Monitor weather forecasts and schedule activities for the cooler parts of the day.
• Hot cars kill: Never leave children, adults or pets in parked cars. Temperatures inside a vehicle can double within minutes.
• Health support: For non‑urgent advice, call Nurse‑On‑Call on 1300 60 60 24 or visit the Victorian Virtual Emergency Department at vved.org.au.
• Emergencies: Call Triple Zero (000) immediately.
-
-
-
-
-
Cool Places ❄️ St Arnaud

Library
Sat: 10am–12pm
Sun: Closed
Mon: Closed
Tues: 10am–5pm
-
Pool
Sat: 12pm–7pm
Sun: 12pm–5pm
Mon: 12pm–8pm
Tues: 6am–8am & 12pm–8pm
-
St Arnaud Senior Citizens Centre
Sat–Tues: 8am–12pm
-
St Arnaud Community Resource Centre
Mon & Tues: 9am–2pm
-
If you’re in Buloke Shire, please follow their official social media channels for heat‑related updates and local information:
https://www.facebook.com/BulokeShireCouncil
-
-
-
-
-
More Information
Bureau of Meteorology – Heatwave Service: http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/heatwave/
Department of Health – Heat Health Warnings: https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/extreme-heat-and-heatwaves
Better Health Channel – Extreme Heat: https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/extreme-heat
VicEmergency: https://emergency.vic.gov.au/respond/

09/01/2026

Poor air quality in Victoria, New South Wales and South Australia due to bushfires. Smoke exposure is dangerous to human health. Asthma attack risks are high in these locations with bushfires causing widespread poor air quality. If smoke is a trigger for your asthma, try and stay indoors during this time to lower your exposure to smoke. Keep your reliever medicine close by, pay attention to your symptoms and treat them immediately. Follow the steps for Asthma First Aid. If you experience any asthma symptoms and these don't improve, please seek medical care or in an emergency call 000 (Triple zero). If smoke is a trigger for your asthma, call our FREE 1800 ASTHMA (1800 278 462) service and speak with an Asthma Educator. https://buff.ly/zNhYAOL

08/01/2026

🚑 Red Escalation Declared Across Victoria

With catastrophic fire danger declared for tomorrow, please take care and follow VicEmergency advice.

RED ESCALATION OF AMBULANCE SERVICES ACROSS VICTORIA

Ambulance Victoria has declared a Red Escalation across Victoria from 7am on Friday 9 January 2026, in response to the catastrophic fire danger declaration for the South West, Wimmera, North Central and North Country regions and in consultation with our emergency service partners.

For their safety, paramedics and first responders are being relocated from branches within declared regions of catastrophic fire danger risk and where those branches have been identified as high-risk due to their proximity to bushland and limited road access.

Crews will only be redeployed into these zones in the case of serious or life-threatening illness and only after a thorough risk assessment to consider the safety of our people.

Victorians are asked to follow official advice on VicEmergency for their own safety and the safety of emergency services personnel.

A Red Escalation is the highest level of Ambulance Victoria’s response framework and is declared when an incident is, or has the potential to, cause severe impact to normal operations. It enables Ambulance Victoria to activate its Emergency Response Plan and take additional actions beyond normal business operations to maintain community and paramedic safety and patient care.

https://bit.ly/4qILCMm

08/01/2026

See below information from Buloke Shire Council regarding services and centres within the shire that will be open to help you keep cool and the beat the heat.

🌡️ Cool Spaces Available – Beat the Heat Together 🌿
With hot conditions expected over the next few days, we’re partnering with our local neighbourhood houses to provide cool, welcoming spaces where you can take a break from the heat.

☕ Support local while staying cool
We’re lucky to also have some great local food and beverage businesses across our communities. If you can, grab a cuppa with a mate, enjoy the air‑conditioning and support local at the same time.

✅ Open Designated Cool Spaces
📍 Wycheproof Resource Centre
🗓️ Today, tomorrow and Friday
⏰ 9.30am – 4.30pm

📍 Birchip Neighbourhood House
🗓️ Today, tomorrow and Friday
⏰ 8.30am – 4.00pm

📍 Sea Lake Neighbourhood House
🗓️ Today and tomorrow
⏰ 1.30pm – 5.30pm

📍 Donald Library Hub
🗓️ Tomorrow
⏰ 10:00am-4:00pm

📍 Charlton Library/Senior Citizens
🗓️ Today
⏰ 10am-4:00pm

Why this matters
Extreme heat can affect anyone, particularly older people, young children, people with chronic health conditions and those who may be isolated. Taking time to cool down can make a big difference.

Support local
Neighbourhood houses play a vital role in keeping our communities connected, safe and supported — not just during heat events, but all year round.
🙏 Thank you

🔗 Stay heat‑safe
For more information on extreme heat and how to look after yourself and others, visit:
👉 https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/extreme-heat-and-heatwaves

And please remember to check in on friends, family, neighbours and check on your pets and livestock during this hot weather.

08/01/2026

See below information from Northern Grampians Shire Council regarding services and centres within the shire that will be open to help you keep cool tomorrow, 9 January 2026.

The Bureau of Meteorology has advised that temperatures are expected to reach 43 degrees within our shire tomorrow, Friday, 9 January 2026, with wind gusts up to 70km/h.

With the expected extreme heat, we ask our residents and visitors to take care, keep cool, drink plenty of water, make sure your pets are comfortable, and check in on your neighbours, elderly and those most vulnerable.

To help you beat the heat, we have listed services and centres within the shire that will be open to help you keep cool:

FRIDAY 9 JANUARY 2026

😎 STAWELL
Stawell Library: 9am - 8pm (extended hours)
Stawell Sports & Aquatic Centre: 6am - 8pm ($2 swim entry)
Stawell Health & Community Centre: 9am - 5pm
Stawell Hospital: 8:30am - 5pm (go to Main Entrance)
Stawell Neighbourhood House: 9am - 5pm (pets welcome on lead)
Stawell Visitor Information Centre: 10am - 4pm
Cato Park: shaded and pet-friendly option

😎 ST ARNAUD
St Arnaud Library: CLOSED - POWER OUTAGE
St Arnaud Outdoor Pool: 12pm - 8pm (free entry)
St Arnaud Community Resource Centre: 9am - 2pm
St Arnaud Senior Citizens Centre: 8am - 12pm
St Arnaud Visitor Information Centre: 10am - 4pm
Queen Mary Gardens: shaded and pet-friendly option

Please stay safe indoors and keep hydrated!

07/01/2026

Health Alert | Extreme Heat 🔥🔥🔥🌡️

Extreme heat can affect anyone. Those more at risk include:

• those over the age of 65
• young children and babies
• pregnant women
• people with acute or chronic health problems
• people who are socially isolated
• those with limited ways to keep cool.

There are steps you can take to protect yourself and others:

• Stay cool. Use air conditioning and/or a fan. Wear light and loose clothing. Keep skin wet, using a spray bottle or damp sponge and by taking cool showers. If you can’t keep cool at home, think about where you can go on hot days to cool down such as public pools or air-conditioned buildings.
• Stay hydrated. Drink plenty of water. Keep drinking fluids before you feel thirsty, especially if outdoors and performing physical activity.
• Check in with family, friends and neighbours. Let people know you are OK and check in with those at increased risk or who may need your support. Look out for those who might be more affected by extreme heat, like the those over the age of 65 years, babies and young children, pregnant women, people with acute or chronic health problems, those who are socially isolated or those with limited ways to keep cool.
• Plan ahead. Watch the weather forecast in your area and plan activities at cooler times of day.
• Hot cars kill. Never leave kids, adults, or pets in cars. The temperature inside a parked car can double within minutes.
• If needed, call Nurse-On-Call on 1300 60 60 24 or contact Victorian Virtual Emergency Department at https://www.vved.org.au/.
• In an emergency, call Triple Zero (000).

You can find more information at:

Bureau of Meteorology Heatwave Service for Australia - http://www.bom.gov.au/australia/heatwave/
Department of Health – Heat health warnings - https://www.health.vic.gov.au/environmental-health/heat-health-warning
Better Health Channel - Extreme Heat - https://www.betterhealth.vic.gov.au/extreme-heat
VicEmergency - https://emergency.vic.gov.au/respond/

24/12/2025

✨ East Wimmera Health Service wishes you a safe and happy Christmas ✨

Thank you to our community for your support throughout the year, and to our dedicated staff who continue to provide care over the holiday period. May your Christmas be filled with connection and kindness.

Christmas can be joyful, but it can also feel heavy. If you or someone you know needs support, we have a range of services in both the Buloke and Northern Grampians Shire to guide you through tough times.

A full list of mental health services can be found on our website:
https://ewhs.org.au/community/wellbeing-support

24/12/2025

💙 Our Health Promotion team is proud to have supported the development of these vital new community resources, created by locals for locals. 💙