Council partners with VicHealth to improve access to healthy food

Published on 09 September 2026

The City of Whittlesea is partnering with VicHealth through the Partners in Place initiative to deliver Healthy Plates, Strong Cultures: Equity in Local Food Systems.

Through Partners in Place, Council will work alongside community members, local organisations and businesses to improve how healthy food is supplied and accessed locally, making it easier for people from different cultural backgrounds to access affordable, healthy food that reflects their cultures and dietary needs.

A key feature of the project is the establishment of a local food partnership, known as the Healthy Plates, Strong Cultures Coalition, co-led by Council and community representatives. The coalition will bring together community organisations, local growers and food businesses, health services, schools and neighbourhood houses to identify barriers to accessing healthy food and work together on practical solutions which may include:

• local spaces or programs that make healthy food easier to access
• a shared Healthy Food Charter outlining commitments to improve access to healthy food
• training and small grants for community members leading local food initiatives
• better coordination between growers, food businesses, community organisations and health services
• research to understand what is working and where further action is needed.

By bringing together community members, organisations and local services, the project aims to make healthy food easier to access and support long-term improvements in food security, health and wellbeing.

Partners in Place is VicHealth's long-term initiative supporting councils and communities to improve health and wellbeing locally, bringing together 23 councils and community coalitions across Victoria to improve the everyday factors that affect people's health and wellbeing, including access to healthy food.