Building a healthier Queensland — No matter the postcode
Connecting with Queenslanders like Penny West, who lives and works in a remote community, highlights the impact of Health and Wellbeing Queensland’s commitment to working with prevention program partners.
Living remotely can make looking after your health harder – something Wallumbilla resident Penny knows all too well.
Despite working in health, Penny said accessing services while living remotely can be challenging.
‘I wanted a big-picture look at my health – especially around fatigue, strength … all the changes that are a part of my stage of life,’ Penny said.
Penny, 56, joined the Wellness my Way program last year after wanting a clearer, more holistic view of her health. The free program begins with a comprehensive health assessment. If needed, participants receive a tailored plan and are connected to support programs.
Penny was connected to a qualified health coach through the My health for life program where she received six free coaching sessions, delivered in a way and at a time that suited her.
My health for life, delivered by Diabetes Australia with key partner organisations is one of 6 preventive health programs, funded by the Queensland Government, through Health and Wellbeing Queensland and is designed to reach Queenslanders no matter who they are and where they live.
To date, more than 632,000 Queenslanders have participated in prevention programs, either delivered by our partners or Health and Wellbeing Queensland’s own in-house programs (all are free or low-cost) which are designed to stop health problems before they start.
The need for these programs has never been greater. According to ABS data, over half of Queenslanders (53.6% or 2.8 million people) were living with at least one chronic condition in 2022, a significant increase from 42.2% in 2011–12.
Along with My health for life, which is supporting Queensland adults to reduce their risk of type 2 diabetes, heart disease, and stroke, our prevention program partners are connecting with diverse communities, with tailored approaches, that are making a meaningful difference in people’s lives:
- Deadly Choices: Educating and empowering Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander young people, their families, and communities to make confident, healthy choices.
- 10,000 Steps: Encouraging individuals, workplaces, and communities to track their steps and embrace the idea that every step counts.
- QCWA Country Kitchens: Helping regional, rural, and remote Queenslanders adopt healthier lifestyles.
- Queensland Association of School Tuckshops: Supporting tuckshops to serve healthier food options to school students through the Healthier Tuckshops program.
- Life Ed Queensland: Empowering children and young people to make safer, healthier life choices.
In July 2025, the Queensland Government, through Health and Wellbeing Queensland, committed over $43 million in ongoing support for an additional two years to June 2027 to these programs. This funding ensures that Queenslanders, regardless of location, can access free or affordable community-based and online initiatives to support healthier lifestyles.
For Penny, having an alternative way to access support has been life-changing, particularly in a rural area where health services can be stretched.
Since joining the program, she has noticed significant improvements in her energy levels, established better routines around diet and exercise, and gained a stronger sense of control over her health.
“I feel clearer about what I need to do and why,” Penny said.
As a mother and hopeful future grandmother, Penny’s motivation to stay healthy is deeply personal.
“I want to live long and well — to get strong now, so I’m not weighed down by preventable diseases later in life,” she explained.
“And if I’m lucky enough to become a grandmother one day, I want to be up to the job.”
Through partnerships like these, Health and Wellbeing Queensland is paving the way for a healthier, brighter future for all Queenslanders — no matter where they are.
