Gather + Grow

Affordable access to healthy food and drinks.

Gather + Grow

Affordable access to healthy food and drinks.

The Gather + Grow program is focused on improving remote food insecurity for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities in the Torres Strait, Cape York and Lower Gulf regions of Queensland.

In partnership, we are working to build the capacity and capability of remote food stores. We are also engaging with communities and community organisations to identify priorities and lead actions that will improve access to healthy food and drinks.

Gather + Gather Queensland’s Remote Food Security Strategy

Health and Wellbeing Queensland (HWQld) is leading the development of the draft Gather + Grow Queensland Remote Food Security Strategy 2023–2032 and draft Action Plan 2023–2026.

The Strategy will be delivered across a 10-year timeframe and utilise a whole-of-system approach to build on the resilience and strength in remote Queensland communities. Public consultation on the Strategy and the Action Plan is now closed. Feedback is being analysed prior to seeking official Government endorsement, with a view to finalise this work later in 2023.

Food Security

Food security means consistent access to affordable, nutritious food via:

1. Availability—healthy food is available in communities

2. Access—healthy food is affordable

3. Utilisation—healthy food is chosen and prepared

Lack of food security is at the heart of a 15 per cent health gap between Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and other Australians, leading to poor nutrition: a major factor in cardiovascular disease, cancer and diabetes.

Source: Chief Health Officer Report, 2018

Remote Food Security Framework

Gather + Grow is working with communities and community organisations to influence systemic changes that will have positive impacts on individuals and families.

Read how: Gather + Grow Queensland Remote Food Security Framework (PDF, 221KB)

Working in Partnership

Partnerships with Apunipima Cape York Health Council, Gidgee Healing and Mura Kosker Sorority will see each of the Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Community Controlled Organisations supported to gather and grow locally-led strategies and actions to establish food security across the Torres Strait, Cape York and Lower Gulf regions of Queensland.

Healthy Remote Food Stores

In partnership with Community Enterprise Queensland (CEQ), which manages remote food stores, the Healthy Remote Food Stores project will support managers and staff of local stores to boost customers’ healthy purchasing behaviours.

This project will be supported by a Remote Stores ECHO® learning series, while a health promotion professional will identify priorities, develop strategies, facilitate local engagement, and coordinate activities such as shopping tours and cooking demonstrations.

A partnership with remote stores researchers from Monash University, the University of Queensland, and Menzies School of Health Research will support the research element of this work to deliver evidence informed practices.

Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote Indigenous communities

Food security leadership

We're connecting with existing governance structures, stakeholders and forums to ensure a comprehensive strategy and action plan to guide a resilient and stable food supply.

In June 2020, we made a submission and a further Response to the Standing Committee on Indigenous Affairs into the Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote Indigenous communities.

The Report and recommendations out of the Inquiry were published in December 2020 and despite known significant food security issues, the report also shone a light on collaborative practices to get food to where it needed to be, brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic.

In October 2021, in partnership with the Torres and Cape Indigenous Council Alliance and the Local Government Association of Queensland, we delivered a series of Remote Food Security Roundtables focused on three priority areas; freight and supply chain, healthy housing and economic development. The learnings and practices uncovered by the roundtables and the Inquiry is what Gather + Grow is working to harness and amplify.

Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote Indigenous communities

Remote Food Security Roundtable Summary
Remote Food Security Roundtable Report

A local presence

We have established a Far North Queensland presence managed by an Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander-identified professional. This person is based in Cairns and will work closely with our funded community-controlled and store-based position as well as other key stakeholders.

We also have a Community Nutritionist in the Torres area supporting the Torres Strait Island Regional Council’s Healthy Lifestyle Officers to deliver health and wellbeing initiatives on each of the outer islands.

Gather + Grow program outcomes

Success of the Gather + Grow program will see gaps addressed in healthy food availability, accessibility and utilisation, as well as a strong research and evaluation component embedded within the work.

Federal Parliamentary Inquiry into food pricing and food security in remote Indigenous communities

Motif artwork produced for Queensland Health by Gilimbaa.

Learn more about our work in the region

In December 2020 we came together with 12 Torres Strait Island Regional Council Healthy Lifestyle Officers to strengthen and share knowledge and skills around healthy eating, physical activity, self-esteem, behaviour change and growing food.

Following the initial gathering, our Far North Queensland representative, together with the Healthy Lifestyle Officers has launched a holistic health and wellbeing program tailored to local communities called KERIBA Way, which means ‘Our Way’.