Council & Politics
7 June, 2026
Continued care after hub closures
Following the conclusion of the hubs, East Wimmera Health Service (EWHS) will open an information centre at 51 Napier Street, St Arnaud.
NORTHERN Grampians Shire residents will continue to have access to health and wellbeing services following the closure of Thrive 50-plus Healthy Ageing Hubs in Stawell and St Arnaud at the end of this month.
The hubs were established in May 2023 as a pilot project, funded by Western Victoria Primary Health Network (PHN) and managed by council in collaboration with Grampians Health, Grampians Community Health and East Wimmera Health Service.
The pilot project was developed following the Royal Commission into Aged Care and was designed to encourage healthy ageing to minimise the strain on the aged care sector.
The hub at St Arnaud Town Hall was created to connect residents in the shire aged 50 years and older to community services, activities and events and to empower those who accessed the service to make their own choices as they aged.
Originally funded for 12 months, the program was extended thanks to additional funding from the PHN. However, with funding now exhausted, the hubs will close on June 30.
“Organisations, including St Arnaud and Stawell Senior Citizens centres, Stawell and St Arnaud Neighbourhood Houses, and St Arnaud Community Resource Centre will continue to provide programs and resources to help people aged 50 and older remain healthy, active, connected and empowered,” Mayor Karen Hyslop said.
Following the conclusion of the hubs, East Wimmera Health Service (EWHS) will open an information centre at 51 Napier Street, St Arnaud.
The centre will be a welcoming, accessible space for community members, consumers and carers to obtain information, ask questions and be supported to connect with appropriate clinical health and wellbeing services. This includes help navigating the My Aged Care portal and understanding EWHS’s aged and community care services.
The centre will open later this year.
“Even though we are sad to see the hubs winding up after such a successful two-and-a-half years, we are confident there are both new and existing services in place to fill the void,” Cr Hyslop said.
“Following the success of our pilot, we believe the PHN will roll out Healthy Ageing Hubs in other municipalities in the region, which is fantastic for our fellow rural communities.”
The team has initiated 238 programs, including pickleball.
Read More: St Arnaud