Deadly Day Out

Hosted by Bendigo & District Aboriginal Co-operative (BDAC), our Healthy Kids Advisors were proud to work alongside the Victorian Aboriginal Community Controlled Health Organisation (VACCHO) at this year’s Deadly Day Out Health & Wellbeing Expo.

VACCHO’s Nutrition team works collaboratively with their 32 Member Aboriginal Community-Controlled Organisations (ACCOs) and key stakeholders to improve food security and nutrition outcomes for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities. They believe food security and access to healthy, affordable and culturally appropriate food are key for vibrant, healthy, self-determining Aboriginal communities in Victoria.

BDAC was founded to represent and provide services to the Dja Dja Wurrung Community (Jaara people) and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander residents living in the Dja Dja Wurrung boundaries. The Dja Dja Wurrung country includes the regional city of Bendigo, where 1851 Aboriginal people live, and the surrounding districts of Boort, Redesdale and Creswick. More than half of the Aboriginal people living in Bendigo are under the age of 24.

BDAC welcomed the whole community to this year's Deadly Day Out. Close to 2,000 festival goers heard from health and wellbeing experts, participated in workshops, enjoyed live music and activities, tucked into a free lunch and collected a show bag along the way.

The free lunch was an inspiring example of how the much-loved sausage sizzle can be boosted to a healthy and tasty option at festivals, sports events, and fundraising efforts. Alongside the popular sausage sizzle, were kangaroo burgers and veggie burgers served in white, wholemeal, and multigrain breads. Plus, garden salad, coleslaw, pasta salad, fruit salad, fresh cut sandwiches, whole fruits, water and unflavoured milk. Plates were full of the colours of the rainbow and attendees of all ages were tucking in!

It was a pleasure to be present at the BDAC Deadly Day Out Health and Wellbeing Expo. BDAC did a phenomenal job organising the day; the event really helped to raise awareness of health and wellbeing matters in the community. I look forward to collaborating further with BDAC in the future to support local healthy eating priorities.  

Rebecca Fry, Healthy Kids Advisor or Greater Bendigo

VACCHO offered their nutrition and wellbeing knowledge and resources with hands-on activities that explored ultra-processed food and drink, plus ideas to make your own healthy, deadly lunchboxes.

Alongside VACCHO, Rebecca Fry (Healthy Kids Advisor — Greater Bendigo) connected with Aboriginal families and young people and showed them how to make plant pots from newspapers. These were filled with organic zucchini seeds to take home and plant. Rebecca and her team of Advisors handed out recipe cards with ideas on making healthy and delicious snacks and lunches and encouraged parents and young people to chat about the healthy and delicious food they wanted to see in their schools and kiosks.

We were thrilled to be invited to support the incredible work of BDAC and their Community at the Expo. This was a wonderful chance for our local Healthy Kids Advisor to support Aboriginal communities and showcase the benefits of the initiative and the Vic Kids Eat Well movement. 

About the Healthy Kids Advisors initative

Our Healthy Kids Advisor in Bendigo, Rebecca Fry, is connecting with schools, outside hours school care, sports clubs and community/council facilities to help boost access to healthy food and drink options. All these facilities in Greater Bendigo can receive free one-on-one support from their local Healthy Kids Advisor. 

Our dedicated workforce of Healthy Kids Advisors operate in 13 communities to deliver pleasurable food education and boost participation in the Vic Kids Eat Well movement. Vic Kids Eat Well is a state-wide initiative supported by the Victorian Government and delivered by Cancer Council Victoria’s Achievement Program, in partnership with Nutrition Australia’s Healthy Eating Advisory Service.

Want more information?
To connect with us or find out more, visit our web page and news page, or email hka@kitchengardenfoundation.org.au

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