Colac Area Health

Overview

Colac Area Health is a rural healthcare provider serving the city of Colac and surrounding communities in Victoria’s Western District. With approximately 120 beds across acute, subacute, and residential aged care services, the organisation provides emergency care, general medicine, surgery, obstetrics, pediatrics, dialysis, chemotherapy, rehabilitation, palliative care, and aged care. Operating as an independent health service, Colac Area Health offers extensive community programs, allied health services, and district nursing. The facility underwent significant redevelopment in recent years, enhancing its capacity and modernising infrastructure. Colac Area Health serves a population of approximately 20,000 people across the Colac Otway Shire, a diverse region encompassing dairy farming, forestry, and tourism. The organisation maintains connections with larger hospitals in Geelong and Melbourne through established referral pathways and telehealth capabilities. Colac Area Health plays a vital role in this regional center located approximately 150 kilometers southwest of Melbourne at the eastern end of the Otway Ranges, balancing the healthcare needs of both the urban population and surrounding rural communities.