Promoting Change Project

Promoting CHANGE is a partnership between local government, state government, academic and not-for-profit organizations to support local governments to transition towards healthier food offerings in council clubs and facilities using the Department of Health Healthy Choices guidelines for sport and recreation centres, 2016 (1). 

Maroondah City Council is an intervention site within The Promoting Change Project as of August 2023, with the implementation of a Health Promotion Officer to support the changes. The project is a joint Initiative with Deakin University to implement Healthy Choices at Maroondah Leisure's eight major leisure and sporting venues:

  1. Karralyka
  2. Aquahub
  3. Aquanation
  4. Croydon Memorial Pool
  5. Ringwood Golf
  6. Dorset Golf
  7. Maroondah Nets
  8. The Rings.

View the Promoting Change brochure(PDF, 1MB)

Progress updates – December 2025

  • Croydon Memorial Pool opened for the 2023-2024 season offering a fresh new food and drinks range in line with a whole site renovation which was well received. The site continues to offer options as per the Healthy Choices guidelines.
  • Ringwood Golf and Dorset Golf are offering new fresh options alongside public favourites as of July 2024. The site continues to offer a diverse range for the public to choose from such as drinks, fruit, fresh wraps and sandwiches as well as sushi.
  • Aquanation K-Cafe and Aquahub K-cafe are trialling providing an amended range of drinks, snacks and fresh, delicious food in line with the Healthy Choices guidelines over November and December 2025.
  • Maroondah Nets and The Rings are progressively working towards implementing the Healthy Choices Guidelines for 2026 and have implemented a new fresh food and drinks offering as well as healthy choices in vending machines.
  • Karralyka now offer healthier ice cream options and fresh platters to order. 

As per the Maroondah Liveability Wellbeing and Resilience Strategy 2021-2031 (2), Maroondah City Council has committed to:

1. Healthy Lifestyles, Healthy eating: Provide leadership in healthy eating through the promotion of healthier food and drink options for Council facilities, events, spaces and places.

2. Work in partnership to promote healthy eating through community education, initiatives and service delivery.

3. Encourage and promote sustainably grown local produce, enhanced food security and facilitate social inclusion.

The importance of physical activity and good nutrition is important for a healthy lifestyle and contributes to the health and wellbeing of the community. Current research of the Maroondah municipality shows residents are living with:

  • 52% of adults are living with overweight or obesity
  • Less than 2% of adults eat enough fruit and vegetables within the Maroondah electorate
  • 13% of adults drink sugary drinks every day

Inadequate access to nutritious food and drinks is leading to a reduced quality of life, and chronic disease as well as increasing burden on the health care system.

While Council’s leisure facilities provide outstanding opportunities to encourage physical activity, the kiosks and Cafés operating within these facilities provide a range of food and drink options that do not always support healthy eating opportunities. Healthy eating has been identified as a priority area in the Victorian public health and wellbeing plan. It is a key policy priority for the Victorian Government to encourage Victorians to consume a diet of healthy, sustainable, and safe food consistent with the Australian dietary guidelines.

[1] Healthy choices: policy guidelines for sport and recreation centres, Victorian Government, Department of Health, and Human Services, 2016, https://www.health.vic.gov.au/publications/healthy-choices-policy-guidelines-for-sport-and-recreation-centres

[2] Maroondah Liveability Wellbeing and Resilience Strategy, Healthy eating, 2021-2031

[3] Victorian Population Health Survey 2017 - https://www2.health.vic.gov.au/public-health/population-health-systems/health-status-of-victorians/survey-data-and-reports/victorian-population-health-survey/victorian-population-health-survey-2014

Promoting CHANGE is a joint initiative led by Deakin University, in partnership with City of Greater Bendigo, City of Greater Geelong, City of Greater Shepparton, City of Merri-bek, City of Monash, City of Yarra, Maroondah City Council, Menzies School of Health Research, Monash University, Municipal Association of Victoria, Nillumbik Shire Council, Nutrition Australia (Victorian Division), Sport & Recreation Victoria, The University of Newcastle, and the Victorian Department of Health. Promoting CHANGE is supported by a National Health and Medical Research Council (NHMRC) Partnership Project Grant (GNT2015440). The contents of this document are the responsibility of the authors and should not be attributed to the NHMRC.

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