APRIL 4, 2017 \ STARWEEKLY.COM.AU
NEWS + SPORT + PROPERTY GUIDE
Track champ hits the big time
(Shawn Smits)
Thanks to Sunbury Little Athletics, Elias Kahasy is enjoying life in the fast lane. The 13-year-old, who took up running late in 2015, has quickly established himself as one of the fastest 800-metre runners in the country from his age group. Last week he represented Victoria at the Australian Athletics Championships and, later this month, will again represent Victoria, this time at the Australian Little Athletics Championships. ■ Full story: Page 28
$10m health overhaul By Esther Lauaki Ageing health services at Kyneton are earmarked for a $10 million revamp, the state government announced last week. Cobaw Community Health, based in a 90-year-old building in High Street, Kyneton, will oversee the building of a new hub for family and community health as the current service struggles to keep up with central Victoria’s burgeoning population. Cobaw chief executive Margaret McDonald said the expansion, dubbed the Healthy Community Access Hub, would mean better health outcomes for people.
“We have been operating out of a site that has really been lacking, in terms of what we would expect our clients and customers to visit,” Ms McDonald said. She said a number of options are being considered for the revamp. “One option might be that staff may have to decamp from the current site, so that buildings could be demolished and rebuilt – another may be a greenfield site, or we might purchase another site.” Plans for the purpose-built hub combine primary health and community health services, private practitioners and counsellors, and will include more multi-purpose consulting rooms.
“[The new hub] will meet the strong and growing community demand for accessible wrap-around services, addressing the changing needs of a regional population,” she said. “We also have allied health clinicians – from dieticians, physiotherapist, occupational and speech therapists and housing support services.” The new health centre will feature the latest in e-health technology, making it easier for clients to create and change bookings and access care from remote areas of the region. Construction is expected to commence early next year and be complete by late 2019. Health Minister Jill Hennessy, who visited
the clinic last Wednesday with Macedon MP Mary-Anne Thomas, said the project would be funded through the state’s new regional health infrastructure fund. “In Kyneton, we’re investing [in] a modern ‘one-stop-shop’ for accessing a range of community health services,” Ms Hennessy said. “The new hub will bring together a range of health and family services.” Ms Thomas said the centre would make life easier for patients in and around the Macedon Ranges. “Cobaw Community Health already provides a terrific service,” she said. “This will mean room to grow and expand.”