Community health leaders in region for statewide conference

IDEAS and partnerships to help overcome health inequity in rural and regional regions will be the focus of a major conference in Ballarat next week.

The Alliance of Rural and Regional Community Health (ARRCH) Conference on 12 and 13 March at The Goods Shed will bring together leaders in healthcare, community services, academia and policy to focus on improving health equity and wellbeing across rural and regional Australia.

The Future Ready – Driving Rural and Regional Health Forward event will celebrate innovation in community health and share strategies, partnerships and ideas to shape the future of rural and regional health.

It is the second statewide ARRCH conference and will include presentations on innovations and services such as mental health support, managing chronic

conditions in rural communities, responding to the climate crisis, building school readiness, social prescribing, health equity, and regional telehealth.

ARRCH chair and Ballarat Community Health CEO Sean Duffy said that community health is ready to face the challenges confronting rural communities.

“We want to engage with other organisations such as hospitals and government departments and work together to make things better and more equitable for our rural communities,” Mr Duffy said.

“We know that the further we get away from metropolitan Melbourne and then the further we get from big regional centres, the worse health outcomes are for the communities.

“Together we can change that.”

All ARRCH agencies will be represented at the conference along with metropolitan community health and other community-based organisations.

Headline speakers will include former federal health minister Greg Hunt, while former NASA astronaut Dr Jeanette Epps will be guest speaker at the conference dinner hosted by Brian Nankervis of RocKwiz and ABC radio fame.

International keynote speaker April Kyle, CEO of the Southcentral Foundation in Alaska, will add a global perspective on community-led, outcomes-focused healthcare.

The foundation is an Alaska Native-owned non-profit healthcare corporation delivering outpatient and inpatient regional health services to Alaska Native and American Indian people.

Mr Duffy described holding the conference in country Victoria as a point of pride.

“It keeps the conversation grounded in rural and regional realities and brings investment and attention to the communities where access and equity matter most,” he said.

“The conference provides a unique chance to hear from high-profile speakers while staying focused on practical solutions that can be implemented in rural and regional settings.”

The ARRCH represents independent community health organisations across rural and regional Australia.

Members include community health services in Ballarat, Bendigo, the Grampians region and more.

Conference tickets are available at arrch.org.au/conference-2026.