Murwillumbah residents will soon have more support to stay connected and age well, with local community leaders set to gather in the town on Tuesday, 21 July to launch the Healthy Towns program.
The initiative is commissioned by Healthy North Coast and funded by the Australian Government through the Primary Health Network program, delivered in partnership with Tweed Shire Council, Murwillumbah Family Doctors, general practices, community organisations, local businesses and other local health services.
It is aimed at improving the health, wellbeing and social connection of the Murwillumbah community over time, strengthening community networks to help reduce avoidable chronic conditions and future pressure on the health system. Wauchope has also been selected for the program.
A core part of Healthy Towns is an investment in social prescribing, aimed at reducing social isolation and connecting older locals with non-medical supports such as social groups, arts and culture, physical activities and volunteering. Growing evidence shows reducing loneliness and increasing community participation plays a critical role in tackling some of the region’s most pressing health challenges, with studies showing the impact of social isolation on physical health is comparable to smoking, obesity and lack of exercise.
Member for Richmond Justine Elliot said the program would help improve residents’ health and wellbeing by strengthening connection.
“Healthy Towns is a great initiative to help improve people’s health and wellbeing by supporting stronger connection while reducing social isolation,” Ms Elliot said.
“As your local MP, I’m proud to be delivering $977,000 in federal funding from the Albanese Labor Government for Healthy North Coast to provide this program in Murwillumbah.”
Murwillumbah was chosen as one of two North Coast pilot sites for Healthy Towns. Its population of nearly 10,000 is large enough to make a real impact while still small enough to achieve full coverage within two years. The town is also forecast to see higher-than-average growth in its ageing population, with 25 per cent of Murwillumbah’s population aged 65 and over, compared to the NSW average of 16 per cent. It has a higher prevalence of chronic disease, including cardiovascular disease at 5 per cent, diabetes at 6 per cent, stroke at 2 per cent and dementia at 1 per cent, along with clear evidence of social isolation and limited access to support, and strong backing from Tweed Shire Council.
Tweed Shire Mayor Chris Cherry welcomed the program’s arrival in the town.
“Tweed Shire Council is pleased to partner with Healthy North Coast and local health and community organisations to bring Healthy Towns to Murwillumbah. This program recognises the importance of social connection, active ageing and community-led solutions in helping residents live well,” Mayor Cherry said.
“Murwillumbah has a strong community spirit, and Healthy Towns will build on that strength by creating more opportunities for older residents to connect, participate and access the supports they need close to home.”
Healthy Towns builds on earlier social prescribing investment on the North Coast, including the Healthy Me, Healthy Community initiative and the first iteration of Healthy Towns, which ran in six locations from 2018. Murwillumbah’s program is a $977,000 investment funded by Healthy North Coast through the North Coast PHN program, and follows a Healthy Towns launch in Wauchope in June 2026.
Healthy North Coast Chief Executive Monika Wheeler said the program would help older residents stay active and connected.
“Healthy Towns is about helping people stay connected, active and well as they age, and we’re excited bring the program to Murwillumbah,” Ms Wheeler said.
“We know many older people in Murwillumbah experience social isolation and face challenges accessing local activities and support. By working alongside Tweed Shire Council, local organisations, Aboriginal community partners and residents, we can build on the town’s strengths and create more opportunities for people to stay healthy, connected and independent.”
Over the coming months, Healthy North Coast will work with older people and stakeholders across Murwillumbah to design a healthy ageing plan for the town, bringing communities, organisations and services together to map what exists, what is needed, and a roadmap to becoming a Healthy Town. That work includes developing a Town Plan through co-design and consultation, and setting up a community-wide working party to steer an Action Plan and identify new opportunities.
A dedicated link worker will also be based at Murwillumbah Family Doctors, helping connect patients and non-patients alike to social prescribing supports, alongside a Community Development Officer employed by Tweed Shire Council to build community connections, activities and volunteering opportunities matched to local need. A formal evaluation will assess the program’s impact and provide recommendations for sustaining and scaling the model in Murwillumbah and beyond.
Murwillumbah Family Doctors Practice Manager Kayleigh Thompson said the link worker role would let GPs address health issues beyond the consult room.
“As a general practice, we see every day how loneliness and social isolation affect our patients’ health, not just their mental wellbeing, but their physical health too. Having a dedicated link worker to connect our patients with community supports means we can look beyond the consult room and address other areas driving poor health outcomes,” Ms Thompson said.
“Healthy Towns gives our community’s GP clinics another avenue to support patients holistically. We’re looking forward to working alongside Tweed Shire Council and the wider Murwillumbah community to help our patients stay well, connected and independent as they age.”
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