Macedon Ranges Health

13/10/2026

National Carers Week | 11–17 October

This National Carers Week, Macedon Ranges Health would like to acknowledge and thank the many carers across our community.

Carers provide unpaid care and support to family members and friends who may be living with disability, mental health challenges, chronic or terminal illness, alcohol or other drug issues, or frailty associated with ageing.

For many people, caring is simply part of everyday life - and they may not even think of themselves as a ‘carer’.

The 2026 theme, Care for a carer: Making carers visible, is a reminder to recognise the enormous contribution carers make to families, workplaces and communities every day.

To all the carers across the Macedon Ranges - thank you for the time, care, patience, advocacy and support you provide.

And this week, we encourage everyone to think about the carers in their own lives. A simple check-in, offering practical help, sharing a cuppa or asking “How are you going?” can be a meaningful way to show that their wellbeing matters too.

💙 This National Carers Week, let’s make carers visible - and make sure they feel supported too.

12/10/2026

🦶 Podiatry Week | 12–18 October 2026

Our feet carry us through everyday life – whether that’s getting out for a walk, playing sport, working, gardening or simply staying active and independent.

This Podiatry Week, we’re celebrating the important role podiatrists play in helping people of all ages look after their foot and lower limb health.
Podiatrists can support a wide range of concerns, including foot and ankle pain, injuries, children’s foot development, diabetes-related foot care, skin and nail conditions, footwear, orthotics, gait and rehabilitation.

Here at Macedon Ranges Health, our Podiatry team works with people across our community to help them stay comfortable, mobile and doing the things that matter to them.

👣 Healthy feet can make a big difference to your overall wellbeing.
Learn more about Podiatry Week and the role of podiatrists:
https://www.podiatry.org.au/

08/10/2026

October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month 🩷

Breast Cancer Awareness Month is an opportunity to raise awareness, support those impacted by breast cancer, and recognise the importance of ongoing research.

In Australia, around 56 people are diagnosed with breast cancer every day, and thousands of individuals and families are affected by the disease each year.

Thanks in part to advances in research, the breast cancer death rate in Australia has fallen by more than 40% since 1994 - but there is still more work to do. The National Breast Cancer Foundation continues to fund research focused on prevention, earlier detection, stopping progression and recurrence, and improving treatment for metastatic and hard-to-treat breast cancers.

This October, take a moment to:
🩷 Learn about breast cancer and your own risk factors
🩷 Be aware of what is normal for your breasts and speak with a health professional if you notice a change
🩷 Check that you are up to date with any recommended breast screening
🩷 Support the people in our community whose lives have been affected by breast cancer

Every conversation, every step forward in research and every person who knows when to seek help can make a difference.

Together, we can help create a future with fewer lives lost to breast cancer.

07/10/2026

🎉 Victorian Seniors Festival is here! 🎉

October is Victorian Seniors Festival, and there are so many fantastic opportunities for older people across the Macedon Ranges to connect, create and celebrate.

Throughout the month, locals can get involved in a huge range of free and low-cost activities from croquet, table tennis, yoga and Pilates to dancing, social outings, live music, community lunches and more. There are events happening across Gisborne, Kyneton, Woodend, Riddells Creek, Macedon and beyond, with something to suit all kinds of interests and abilities.

The festival is a wonderful opportunity to try something new, reconnect with an old interest, meet new people and celebrate positive ageing in our community.

There are also some special outings on offer, including a Country Concert trip to Castlemaine, a lunch prepared by Braemar College students, and a Safari Bus Tour at Werribee Open Range Zoo.

👉 Explore the full Macedon Ranges Seniors Festival program and find an event near you:
https://www.mrsc.vic.gov.au/Live-Work/Older-People/Seniors-Festival-2026

The Victorian Seniors Festival is a major state-wide festival for and involving seniors. The festival runs from 1–31 October every year, with free and low-cost events right across Victoria.

05/10/2026

Together We Thrive 🌱

October is Mental Health Month, and this year’s theme is Together We Thrive.

Our mental health is supported by the people, places and communities around us - and sometimes it’s the small, everyday things that can make a meaningful difference.

This month, Mental Health Australia has created a 31-day wellbeing calendar, with a simple idea for each day to help strengthen connection, belonging and wellbeing. From moving together and sharing a meal, to checking in with someone, spending time in nature or simply saying hello - there are plenty of small ways to take part.

Save this handy calender and choose a few ideas to try – or follow along each day.

Here in the Macedon Ranges, connection can start with something as simple as a chat with a neighbour, a walk with a friend, joining a local activity or reaching out to someone you haven’t spoken to in a while.

Small moments of care, kindness and connection all count.

Together, we thrive. 💚

24/09/2026

Macedon Ranges Health will be closed tomorrow, Friday 25 September, for the Grand Final Public Holiday.

We will reopen on Monday 28 September.

22/09/2026

🧠 Dementia Action Week | 21–27 September 2026

This Dementia Action Week, it’s time to talk about dementia.

Almost half a million Australians are living with dementia, with around 1.7 million people involved in their care.

Yet dementia is still something we don’t always feel comfortable talking about. Starting a conversation can help build understanding, reduce stigma and make it easier for people living with dementia, their families and carers to feel supported and connected.

💬 A conversation can make a difference.
Take the time to learn more about dementia, check in with someone you know, listen without judgement and help create a community where people living with dementia feel valued, included and supported.

And remember – dementia is not a normal part of ageing.

For information, advice or support, contact the National Dementia Helpline on 1800 100 500, available 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.
Learn more about Dementia Action Week 👉

https://www.dementia.org.au/get-involved/dementia-action-week

Dementia Action Week is a major leadership, awareness and advocacy campaign led by Dementia Australia as the peak body for people living with dementia, their families and carers.

16/09/2026

🏃‍♀️ Young Athletes School Holiday Program 🏃‍♂️

Designed for young people aged 12–17, our Young Athletes School Holiday Program helps participants build strength, improve movement and develop skills to support sporting performance and reduce injury risk.

Led by a Macedon Ranges Health physiotherapist, the session includes:
• Age-appropriate strength training
• Squats, deadlifts, presses and other key movement patterns
• Running, agility and plyometric drills
• Core strengthening using Pilates equipment
• Cool-down and recovery techniques

📅 Thursday 1 October
🕜 1.30pm–3pm
📍 Macedon Ranges Health, 5 Neal Street, Gisborne

It’s a fun and supportive session designed to help young people build confidence, strength, mobility and injury resilience across a range of sports and physical activities.

✅ Government subsidised places are available for eligible participants.

To express your interest, scan the QR code or submit an EOI here:
https://events.humanitix.com/young-athletes-school-holiday-program

Once your EOI is submitted, a member of the Macedon Ranges Health team will contact you to discuss eligibility and confirm your place.

Places are limited.

15/09/2026

👩‍🍳 Calling all young chefs! 👨‍🍳

These school holidays, we’re putting kitchen skills, creativity and teamwork to the test with a free hands-on Mystery Box Cooking Challenges!

🌈 Little Chefs Cooking Challenge | Ages 9–13
Open a surprise mystery box of fresh, healthy ingredients and work in a small team to create a tasty, colourful masterpiece!

Just like on MasterChef, our young chefs will use their creativity to design, prepare and present their creation, with our friendly judges looking for:
✨ Creative ideas
🎨 Colourful, nutritious choices
🍴 Eye-catching presentation
🤝 Great teamwork

It’s a fun, fast-paced way to build confidence in the kitchen and discover just how delicious healthy food can be!

They’ll build skills in:
🍳 Hands-on cooking techniques
🔪 Food preparation and kitchen confidence
🥗 Creating balanced, nutritious meals
🧑‍🍳 Planning, problem-solving and teamwork
🍽️ Plating and presentation

Expect challenging recipes, plenty of cooking and a little friendly competition!

Register today by using the QR code or visit:
Little chefs: https://events.humanitix.com/kids-cooking-competition-mystery-box-challenge-ages-9-13

10/09/2026

💛 Women’s Health Week x R U OK? Day | To breathe

Today, two important health messages come together.

Day 4 of Women’s Health Week is “To breathe”, encouraging women to check in with their mental wellbeing, recognise stress and make space to pause.

It’s also R U OK? Day - a reminder that a simple conversation can make a real difference.

Take a moment today to check in with yourself: How am I really going? And while you’re at it, check in with someone around you too.

You don’t need to have all the answers. Sometimes listening, noticing and asking “Are you OK?” is enough to open the door to support.

💛 Pause. Breathe. Check in. Connect.