Results from the 2025 Active Living Census were revealed on Thursday, June 11. The census collected data from over 8200 locals about their physical activity, access to nutritious food, use of public spaces and risky behaviours.
And while Loddon Campaspe residents are moving more and smoking less than the average Victorian, statistics show locals should be more concerned with food security.
In Campaspe, 21 per cent of respondents reported low to very low food security in their household, a rise of 11.4 per cent since the 2019 census.
But that statistical jump doesn’t quite match the pressure cooker environment ENH manager Sarah Peake is witnessing on the ground.
Where staff were putting together 15 to 23 food hampers a day in 2020, they are now churning out between 25 and 40 daily to meet the demand.
Ms Peake said food insecurity no longer had a “certain look” to it.
“It’s not just the homeless person that’s sleeping down the street ... it could be the person sitting next to you in the office,” she said.
The neighbourhood houses are doing what they can to help as many people as they can, and are making do, but are struggling to the finish line each time.
“We always purchase food for people, it’s just we sometimes struggle to make it go as far as it needs to,” Ms Peake said.
“(Food banks) can only distribute what they get in ... but they are splitting what they receive between 105 different organisations providing food relief.
“It’s a struggle to keep up with.”
Healthy Loddon Campaspe Regional Steering Group spokesperson Jess Howard said the census findings would guide councils, communities and organisations in investing where it mattered most.
“Good local data helps communities make better decisions,” Ms Howard said.
“It tells us what would help people live healthier and more connected lives.”
For neighbourhood houses, though, this data set is a wakeup call for governments to support the organisations on the front line of this crisis.
The neighbourhood house pre-state budget campaign, which ran last year, asked for the Victorian Government to increase annual funding by $11.7 million.
It went unanswered.
Ms Peake said there needed to be more funding across neighbourhood houses to meet this growing food insecurity crisis.
“The government needs to know that communities struggling like ours are a priority ... we need a long-term solution,” she said.
“Who are the community members going to turn to at the end of the day if neighbourhood houses aren’t open?”
Echuca Neighbourhood House is always looking for donations of pantry staples. If you are interested in volunteering, contact info@enh.org.au
