La Trobe University, Bendigo

20/10/2026

There’s always something happening on campus, and our sports courts are no different 🏀

La Trobe Sport and the Bendigo Spirit recently teamed up for a 3x3 basketball competition, bringing students together for some friendly competition and a chance to take a break from study before exams.

Thanks to the Bendigo Spirit team for umpiring, leading and helping make the event happen. Great to see our student community out on court!

19/10/2026

Communities are key to solving rural healthcare challenges.

At the recent Violet Vines Marshman Oration, Dr Louise Manning explored how local advocacy, partnerships and multidisciplinary approaches can help strengthen rural health services and improve workforce retention.

The event brought together health professionals, researchers, students and community members to discuss practical solutions for healthier regional communities.

Read more about this years Oration: https://brnw.ch/21x6vcD

14/10/2026

If you've ever looked in the mirror only to feel embarrassed or disappointed at the state of your teeth, it's likely some of the preventable issues stem back to how well your oral health was managed in childhood 🪥🦷

Cavities (or dental caries) are Australia’s most common chronic childhood disease — and if left untreated, they cause pain, can disrupt sleep, affect eating and learning, lead to hospitalisations and contribute to long-term health concerns well into adulthood.

Thee challenges of managing oral health can be amplified in rural and remote communities, where workforce shortages, travel distances and limited service availability can make accessing routine dental care more difficult.

For children already experiencing disadvantage - such as those in out-of-home care - these barriers can compound existing health inequities.

😁 The Protecting Smiles project, led La Trobe Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research, is collaborating with children and young people, their carers, practitioners and oral health services to find practical ways to address these barriers.

Funded by The Borrow Foundation, Protecting Smiles is based on a simple premise: when children experience trauma, moving between care placements and relying on multiple services, oral healthcare needs to be coordinated around their circumstances.

Learn more about how our researchers are working to improve the smiles of communities across Victoria 👇

For children and young people in out-of-home care, looking after their teeth is not always as simple as being told to brush twice a day. For one young person wh

14/10/2026

“I want to support people who don’t always have easy access to care, and make the experience a bit gentler for those who find it hard.”

For fifth-year Dental Science student Dona Wijayasinghe, dentistry is about more than treating teeth; it’s about making a real impact in regional and rural communities.

“My placements have shown me how much of a difference good, accessible dental care makes in these areas, and that's the kind of work I want to be part of long-term.”

Dona’s path to dentistry began with work experience at a dental clinic and grew through volunteering with Red Dust, a charity working alongside remote Indigenous communities.

“Dentistry offered something rare: a career where you can physically see the change you make and watch your work come to life.”

That sense of purpose was reinforced in her first week at the La Trobe Rural Health School, when she began applying theory in the simulation labs.

“Working with my hands and putting theory into practice, I just knew this was the career I was meant for.”

Through placements across Bendigo, Melton, Wonthaggi and Mildura, Dona has experienced both the rewards and challenges of regional dentistry.

“The biggest thing these placements have taught me is how much dental anxiety people carry. It’s made me really want to help patients work through that fear of the dentist at their own pace.”

Her advice to future students is simple:

“Don’t worry if you don’t have it all figured out yet. Say yes to work experience and getting involved in your community – that’s often where the clarity comes from.”

13/10/2026

Associate Professor Erin Smith has been awarded a prestigious 2026 Tim Fischer Fellowship to develop an innovative education program that will help prepare future health professionals to respond to disasters and major emergencies in rural and regional communities.

Associate Professor Smith, Head of the Department of Rural Allied Health at La Trobe Rural Health School, is one of two Australians selected for the Fellowship, which recognises individuals with bold ideas to create lasting change in regional Australia.

The $50,000 Fellowship, awarded by the Country Education Foundation (CEF), will support the development of Rural Ready: Preparing the Next Generation of Rural Health Professionals for Disasters.

The project will expand an existing award-winning, game-based mass casualty simulation to include immersive rural disaster scenarios such as industrial incidents and severe weather events affecting rural hospitals.

Designed for students in paramedicine, nursing and allied health, the program will provide realistic but psychologically safe learning experiences that strengthen critical decision-making, communication, leadership, teamwork and disaster management skills before graduates enter the workforce.

Associate Professor Smith said rural health professionals often face unique challenges when responding to emergencies.

"Rural health professionals are often at the frontline when disasters strike, and they may be required to make complex decisions with limited resources and support," Associate Professor Smith said.

"By giving students the opportunity to experience realistic disaster scenarios before they enter the workforce, we can help build their confidence, strengthen teamwork across health disciplines and better prepare them to support rural communities when they need it most."

With more than 25 years' experience across higher education, research, disaster health and rural workforce development, Associate Professor Smith's work has focused on improving health, wellbeing and resilience in rural and regional communities.

The Fellowship-funded project will be embedded within programs at the La Trobe Rural Health School, with potential for the resources to be adapted and shared across other rural health education settings nationally.

08/10/2026

We're teaming up with the Bendigo Spirit to bring an exciting 3v3 Basketball Competition to Bendigo!

Everyone’s invited to get involved — whether you’re a keen basketballer, a Bendigo Spirit fan or simply looking for a fun afternoon out. Get a team of four together and enjoy free 3v3 basketball, music, giveaways, sausages, Red Bull and plenty of action.

📅 Tuesday 13 October
⏰ 2.30–5 pm
📍 La Trobe Sport Centre outdoor court, Bendigo
🔞 Open to the public | 17+ event

Register your team now: https://brnw.ch/21x6fhC

07/10/2026

A new model of culturally safe maternity care is being introduced across the Loddon Mallee, supporting First Nations women and families through pregnancy, birth and the postnatal period.

Led by Bendigo Health Dhelkuk Dangatuk Baring — meaning ‘Healthy New Journey’ — will provide continuity of care from a known midwife, building on the successful Baggarrook Yurrongi model.

Research led by La Trobe’s Judith Lumley Centre found that women receiving culturally tailored continuity of midwifery care were more likely to have a healthy birth, with fewer babies born preterm, at low birthweight or requiring admission to neonatal intensive care.

The expansion brings together research, clinical expertise, community knowledge and cultural safety to strengthen maternity care for First Nations families across regional Victoria.

Read the full story 👉 https://brnw.ch/21x6dGL

Photo courtesy of Bendigo Health

05/10/2026

We often associate climate change with heat and drought.

But as the El Niño effect strengthens, Australian farming regions could also face increasingly severe and frequent frosts.

La Trobe's Professor in Plant Biology, Phil Brewer explains how frost can devastate crops — and what can be done to support Australian farmers.

Papua New Guinea’s frost disaster suggests heat and drought aren’t the only symptoms of a changing climate.

02/10/2026

New research shows most Australians are not prepared for the death of a loved one.

Researchers from La Trobe's Public Health Palliative Care Unit and the Death Literacy Institute surveyed more than 3,000 people to create a comprehensive view of the nation's understanding of death.

"Death happens to everyone but it's surprising how few people are actually prepared. About two-thirds of Australians haven’t discussed their end-of-life wishes with their families," said Dr Kerrie Noonan, Acting Head of La Trobe’s Public Health Palliative Care Unit and Director of the Death Literacy Institute.

The researchers have developed READYConnect, a new online tool to help people prepare better for end of life.

READYConnect provides a short digital quiz to assess a person's ‘death literacy’, providing personalised insights to help people start conversations with relatives and carers about dying.

Assess your own Death Literacy at: https://brnw.ch/21x66Es

01/10/2026

Riley Lythgo is drawn to the parts of healthcare that happen before a patient reaches hospital — and to the challenge of making those services available in rural and remote communities.

Studying the Bachelor of Paramedic Practice (Honours) here at our Bendigo campus, Riley is particularly interested in the diversity of prehospital care and the ways paramedics can support people beyond traditional emergency settings.

“I chose to study paramedicine because I have a strong interest in healthcare outside of the hospital/primary care structure. Prehospital care is the right path for me as I particularly enjoy learning about rural healthcare and how paramedics can bring access to rural/remote areas. I also like the diversity of this degree and how the scope is slowly expanding to allow us to learn about prehospital care pathways outside of emergencies.”

That broader view of paramedicine has been reflected in Riley’s practical learning, including major incident management training and mass casualty simulations.

“I’ve enjoyed learning from some amazing lecturers and having the opportunity to practice things hands on. I’ve especially enjoyed being given the opportunity to complete a major incident management course which is an international recognition. I then had the opportunity to consolidate my skills by assisting in running another major incident management course for my peers. Our in class activities have helped consolidate that learning by putting us through mass casualty simulations.”

The transition from high school to university also brought new challenges, particularly as Riley balanced her studies with three jobs.

“It was especially challenging learning how to balance work and uni. Coming from high school and working 3 jobs it was a huge change at the start to balance the study load. Over time and with the help of some friends I developed a routine and gained confidence to know my limits on workload and study load so that I can complete uni to the best of my abilities.”

Riley’s two placements so far have provided valuable opportunities to develop her communication skills and become more comfortable working with patients and healthcare professionals.

“So far I have only completed two placements however each experience was extremely valuable, even if it meant the most valuable part was getting comfortable communicating with patients and other healthcare staff.”

Her commitment to rural healthcare was further strengthened through the NextGen Medics Program in Queensland, run by Heart of Australia. The rural immersion program brought together medical and allied health students to experience healthcare in communities including Miles, Dalby and Roma.

“I was one of six students lucky enough to go on this trip to Miles, Dalby and Roma. Although it seemed like this was out of my depth, it ended up being an amazing learning experience both from the patients and doctors, but also from my peers. The trip confirmed my passion for rural healthcare, and I hope to one day work in an environment similar to the Heart of Australia team out in rural communities.”

As she works towards graduating in 2027, Riley hopes to build a career that helps address healthcare inequity in rural and regional communities.

“I would love to work rural or regional and work towards a role where I can make a difference in creating equal access to healthcare in communities that otherwise don’t have access.”