Big Bonang Arvo is on again, on Thursday, October 31, with a smorgasbord of health and other services on offer.

The isolated border communities of Bonang, Tubbut, Deddick, Delegate River and Bendoc are far from the health services most people take for granted. The nearest Victorian doctors are two hours away down the challenging Bonang Road, further for people in Tubbut and beyond.

Their proximity to the border means some people seek out services in Delegate and Bombala, who the community cooperates closely with.

For this reason, Victorian services must come to the communities and, once a year, they do.

“The Big Bonang Arvo doesn’t make up for the lack of a bush nursing centre or regular visits by councillors and other health practitioners, but it is an important event in the local calendar, providing access to doctors and allied health services,” president of Deddick Valley Isolated Community Group, Deb Foskey, said.

“Our communities raised the need for more coordination and better delivery of health services and other issues with the New South Wales and Victorian Cross Border Commissioners when they visited Delegate last week.

“It was a very positive meeting; the commissioners were impressed at the level of communication across the border and the solution-based focus of the communities.”

This year’s Big Bonang Arvo will run by a slightly different format.

“In past years, Orbost Regional Health has coordinated the event but this year Tubbut Neighbourhood House has taken it on, with the assistance of Birgit Schaedler, who has liaised with many of the services attending,” Deb said.

“The other big change is that this year the sumptuous feast, prepared as usual by the Bonang Hall Committee, will be served at lunchtime, 1pm, instead of dinner, and services will be available from 2 to 5pm.”

Among the services attending this year will be:

• General practitioner.
• Skin health checks.
• Blood pressure checks.
• Women’s health checks.
• Dietician.
• District nurse.
• Allied health physiotherapy, occupational therapist and more.
• Councillors.
• East Gippsland Shire staff, the library bus and perhaps a councillor or two.
• CFA.
• Department of Environment, Land, Water and Planning.
• Parks Victoria.
• And more.

“No matter which side of the border you live, you are welcome to attend,” Deb said.

“Please ring Tubbut Neighbourhood House for more information.”

The workings of the communities in these remote areas impressed cross border commissioners during their recent visit.

PICTURED: The Big Bonang Arvo returns to Tubbut on October 31 providing the surrounding isolated communities with health and community services and information not readily available to them otherwise.