Last Friday I attended Cessnock Hospital to officially open the Walkabout Kitchen. It was a great event as it featured cultural entertainment including Aboriginal dancing and didgeridoo playing; and a bush tucker afternoon tea.
The Walkabout Kitchen, is a mobile kitchen trailer which incorporates a number of healthy eating programs including the six-session Deadly Cooking Program that focuses on simple, healthy foods which can be cooked on a budget. The recipes will incorporate traditional bush foods such as kangaroo stew or fruit crumble with lemon myrtle custard.
NSW Aboriginal Education Consultative Group (AECG) together with Hunter New England Health are promoting the importance of healthy eating, nutrition and exercise in the prevention of chronic disease to the Aboriginal community.
This initiative has been made possible with funding from the Community Building Partnership Program. Community Building Partnership was introduced in 2009 by the then State Labor Government in response to the Global Financial Crisis, to stimulate and drive much needed local infrastructure, development and employment. It has been an amazingly successful program and initiatives such as the Walkabout Kitchen, would not get off the ground without it.
Here are some more images from the opening.