Increasing healthy eating

As of March 2023, 4.7% of Yarra Ranges residents had been diagnosed with diabetes compared to 6.1% nationally.
In 2021, 3.9% of residents had been diagnosed with heart disease, compared to 3.3% for Victoria.
In 2023, 8.9% of adults in Yarra Ranges had ran out of money to buy food in the past year, compared to 8% across Victoria.
In 2023, 37% of adults had drunk sugary drinks daily or several times a week, compared to 34.4% across Victoria.
In 2023, nearly 60% of adults in Yarra Ranges reported being overweight or obese, similar to the Victorian average.

Make sure healthy food and drinks are available at Council facilities, clubs, services and events.
Support partners to run programs that teach people how to prepare, find and grow nutritious food.
Advocate to other levels of government for better infrastructure, policies, and regulations to support healthy eating.
Support community gardens that help build skills and foster social connections.
Create neighbourhoods that provide easier access to healthy and affordable food.
Implement programs to encourage healthy lifestyles, especially for young children.
Support community led action through Council grants.

Supporting Community Gardens.
Council is part of the following networks: Local Food Connections, Eastern Alliance for Sustainable Learning (EASL), and Sustain, the Australian food network.
Establishment of the biochar facility at the Lysterfield Waste Transfer site in 2023.
Working in partnership to support Gardens for Harvest and Yarra Valley ECOSS.
Council provides grants and funding to community and agencies that increase access to food and promote health eating.

Shaping Yarra Ranges