East Gippsland Shire Council has thrown its support behind the High Country, voting unanimously to back an urgent, non-negotiable demand for the Victorian Government to secure the future of the Swifts Creek
24-hour health services.
At its ordinary meeting on Tuesday, May 19, council passed a powerful Notice of Motion introduced by Councillor Sonia Buckley. The resolution calls on the Victorian Minister for Health to guarantee recurrent funding for the remote township’s round-the-clock nursing services, warning that “community fear and risk are real and escalating”.
The Swifts Creek Bush Nursing Centre is widely considered a vital lifeline for the isolated district. However, under current state funding arrangements, the baseline model fails to reflect actual service demand. The centre has been forced to rely on short-term grants and community goodwill to sustain its after-hours
triage — a model Cr Buckley’s motion declares is “no longer viable for essential health services”.
The operational crisis comes at a time when the region’s population dynamics are shifting. While state funding is tied to a small, static resident base, Swifts Creek experiences massive population surges on weekends and during peak holiday periods due to booming tourism, including visitors hitting the local mountain bike trails and partaking in adventure activities.
The rationale presented to council highlighted that distance, treacherous terrain, and unpredictable weather make relying on distant regional hubs inherently unsafe. Emergency ambulance response times to the area can easily stretch past an hour, meaning the physical presence of local 24-hour nurses is frequently the sole difference between life and death.
Furthermore, the motion noted a severe absence of local home care, palliative care, and ageing-in-place infrastructure, forcing vulnerable older residents to face unexpected medical crises without adequate support.
“Rural and remote communities deserve confidence that their lives are valued equally, and that geography does not determine access to essential care,” the motion stated.
“Supporting bush nursing centres is not discretionary — it is a statement that rural lives matter equally.”
While council welcomed recent recognition from Ambulance Victoria regarding the immense pressures facing the Swifts Creek catchment, local leaders insist that systemic state-level reform is the only permanent solution.
The carried motion formally authorises the mayor and chief executive officer to write to the Minister for Health and local Members of Parliament to demand:
– A recurrent funding guarantee for 24-hour nursing services at Swifts Creek.
– A complete overhaul of the funding model to reflect real peak populations and geographic risk.
– Additional paramedic resources and essential infrastructure upgrades for the area.
– Dedicated funding to support home care and local palliative services so residents can age with dignity.
Council has requested a formal written response from the Minister for Health outlining specific decisions, funding commitments, and clear implementation timeframes. Council executives will engage in a coordinated advocacy campaign alongside local health services, Ambulance Victoria, and community representatives, with progress reports to be delivered back to the chamber.
