Every four years, Bass Coast Shire Council develops a plan to set priorities and create strategies that improve community health.

The Healthy, Safe and Resilient Bass Coast Plan 2025-2029 builds on the Healthy Communities Plan 2021–2025, retaining its strong focus on equity and inclusion while responding to new and emerging challenges such as cost-of-living pressures, climate change, and community safety. It is closely aligned with Council’s new Disability Action Plan 2025-2029 which sets a clear direction for improving equity and access across the Shire and adoption of the Plan will ensure measurable progress toward a more inclusive Bass Coast where all people can participate fully in community life.

Both plans are built around the same 5 key themes:

• Healthy and Active Living

• Safe and Inclusive Communities

• Equitable Access and Social Infrastructure

• Thriving Children and Young People

• Country, Connection and Climate

During the initial engagement period, Council engaged with over 400 people including children and people living with disability to determine the key themes that would inform the Healthy, Safe & Resilient Bass Coast Plan 2025-2029 and the Disability Action Plan 2025-2029.

Further engagement with key stakeholders and the broader community during Stage 2 helped to refine the Plan.

Some of the key priorities raised during the consultation included mental health, vaping, gambling harm, transport, affordability, and everyday infrastructure such as roads, lighting, toilets, safer and more accessible roads and footpaths, playgrounds and recreation spaces designed with accessibility and neurodiversity in mind, stronger recognition of carers, and disability-specific emergency planning.

Older adults emphasised the importance of aquatics, age-friendly spaces, and transport access, while young people sought more action on recreation, transport, and career pathways. Stakeholders also asked for clearer accountability, defined partners, and stronger monitoring.

Both Plans have been strengthened across these priority areas in response to what we heard during the consultation.

Read the Stage 2 Engagement Summary Report.

Thank you!

We would like to thank the Access and Inclusion Advisory Committee, the Bass Coast Service Providers and the wider community for their feedback and input into the development of this Plan.

We look forward to continuing to work together to make Bass Coast accessible and inclusive for everyone in our community.