The Check Me Out project, brought to life by Mums of the Hills, Women’s Health East, and Phoenix Australia, was a compassionate, community-driven initiative aimed at nurturing the well-being of women, AFAB, and non-binary individuals. Through local roadshow events, this project created a welcoming space where people could connect with healthcare professionals, ask questions, and learn about their health. This initiative sought not only to empower individuals with knowledge but also to make mental and physical health support more accessible for those living with the unique challenges of life in the hills. Here’s a look at the outcomes, capturing both the strengths and needs within the community.

When it comes to the impacts of climate change, we see our community as Australia’s metaphorical canary in the coalmine. Our community is experiencing the early impacts of a climate change and serves as an early indicator of what other communities are likely to experience in the future.  

In this blog we call on our Yarra Ranges councilor candidates to consider the concerns of our community on key issues exacerbated by climate change.

The housing situation in the Yarra Ranges, particularly in the Dandenong Ranges, has become increasingly dire, exacerbated by a confluence of factors including rising homeownership rates, a booming short-term rental market, climate-related disasters, and family separations following the COVID-19 pandemic.

MotHs will continue advocating for solutions that keep families close, strengthen community ties, and ensure that the Yarra Ranges remains not just a tourist destination, but a home for its long-term residents.

MotHs has applied for grant funding through the Xero Beautiful Business Fund to help develop programs and awareness in our community to stop family violence from being the shameful crisis it is. Even if we are not successful with this grant round, we hope that this video will spark conversations and opportunities. To our wonderful network of friends, researchers, and orgnanisations, please hear our call to action and join us in making a difference in our community.

Every year, Mums of the Hills, Inc (MotHs) conducts a survey to ensure we are advocating on the issues that matter most to our community and to deepen our understanding of the people we support.

These insights have highlighted the need for ongoing targeted support and resources to address these pressing community issues.

Three years ago, the dual challenges of COVID-19 lockdowns and impending storms created an objective conflict with opposing threats and guidelines creating uncertainty as to the best course of action. Today MotHs again observes the effects of conflicting emergency warnings on residents, hampering their ability to make prudent, well-informed decisions.

Most people know MotHs has a large online group at its heart, with many smaller branch groups. But MotHs is much more than this. More than simply supporting each other through these challenges, we’re working towards preventing them.

While storms, flash flooding, and bushfires have long been familiar to the hills, their intensity and frequency are on the rise. Our families now face heightened vulnerability to the impacts of climate change, evident in events like the devastating 2021 storms that led to a monumental loss of trees (approximately 25,000). This loss may have contributed to the increased number and severity of landslides on our roads this week, as the weakened soil, no longer supported by tree roots, inevitably succumbed to the immense volume of rainwater that fell on Sunday and Monday.

That’s a wrap for 2023, we're immensely proud of the challenges we've conquered. Looking forward, we're excited to steer MotHs towards a sustainable future in 2024. Read the President’s report. Here's to more growth, connection, and success!

MotHs has been raising awareness, connecting mothers, supporting research and promoting local businesses since 2015 and we’ve dedicated ourselves to supporting women through the years of motherhood, connecting mothers to services and promoting local businesses. Reducing misinformation has always been a high priority for MotHs. Here is a list of official and approved links so you are informed come Referendum day on October 14th.

For parents wishing to return to work, finding childcare that suits your needs is incredibly important. Sadly in an area considered a childcare desert this decision is one of the most stressful.

We need to get women’s health in Australia back on track. In the wake of disruptions from multiple natural disasters and lockdowns, the health service system is overburdened, basic health checks have lapsed, and mothers in particular are struggling to find the time and funds to manage their basic care.

MotHs advocates on telecommunications, particularly the nbn and the need for them to be legislated as an essential service. Read more about our efforts on this topic, along with other issues including domestic violence, mental health and siloed information.

Stress, a feeling of being overwhelmed or unable to cope with mental or emotional pressures, is the top mental health issue facing women today, with almost 70% of women in Australia experiencing stress. Unsurprising given research showing that women often perform far more cognitive and emotional labour than men.

We’ve learned a lot in the process of getting my daughter onto the National Disability Insurance Scheme. I share a few brief points to highlight inherent challenges, recognising everyone’s experience is different.

We are edging towards the Victorian State election on November 26 and with 5200+ voting members, Mums of the Hills is keen to understand how candidates will address our local issues.

Women’s post partum health and care has been neglected and is due for a much needed overhaul. We are facing a nation of women that are overworked, burnt out, physically and mentally traumatised from our current birth practices and the lack of post partum support and healthcare.

Pregnancy is not just about carrying a baby for nine months. Society tells us that we must “bounce back” physically after having a baby, that we should resume our normal sex and exercise lives 6 weeks post partum and that we should be happy that we get to be mothers – all the time. Osteopath Rebecca Lovett is here to dispel those myths.

The late US Supreme Court Justice, Ruth Bader Ginsburg (RBG) once said that "reacting in anger or annoyance will not advance one's ability to persuade". With RBG firmly in mind, I calmed myself and set about gathering some facts.

As Federal election voting day draws closer, voters were keen to learn what their local candidates had to say about their electorate. Our Meet the Candidate was a great success and now you can view the recording here.