Not-for-profit remote store operator Community Enterprise Queensland (CEQ) has launched a new health and wellbeing campaign across its network of remote stores in North Queensland, celebrating the strength, wisdom, and traditions that have supported Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander communities for generations.
The Healthy Ways – Old Ways are Our Future Ways campaign officially launches today – in collaboration with Health and Wellbeing Queensland – to coincide with National Nutrition Week 2025 (13–19 October) – a nationwide celebration of healthy eating led by Nutrition Australia.
Reflecting the spirit of this year’s Nutrition Week theme, Healthy Ways shines a light on the power of whole foods, family meals, and connection to culture as the foundations of strong, healthy living.
Throughout the campaign, CEQ stores will feature vibrant in-store displays, local artwork, family stories, competitions, and digital resources designed to help customers make healthier choices in-store.
CEQ Board Member Dr Mark Wenitong, a leading advocate for First Nations health, said the campaign recognises that Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples have long known the key to living well.
“Healthy Ways is about recognising that our people already know what keeps us strong – our food, our family, and our connection to land and sea,” Dr Wenitong said.
“Our ancestors lived long, healthy lives through balance, activity, and nourishment from the land. This campaign celebrates that wisdom and brings those lessons into our stores and homes today.”
Born from rich conversations with CEQ’s Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander team members and customers, the campaign reflects a shared desire to see more promotion of healthier choices in stores and communities.
Rolling out across 25 remote communities over the next two years through CEQ’s IBIS and ABIS stores, Healthy Ways will spotlight a new health theme every two months – starting with “Good Food for Family”, which celebrates the power of food to bring people together.
Families are encouraged to cook and eat together, turn off screens during mealtimes, and involve children in food preparation – simple practices that reconnect people with culture and strengthen wellbeing in body, mind, and spirit.
Dr Simone Nalatu, Director, Equity and Communities at Health and Wellbeing Queensland (HWQld), welcomed the Healthy Ways campaign’s empowering message and community-driven approach.
“The local store sits at the heart of many remote communities. The campaign’s messages – eating whole foods, sharing family meals, drinking water, being active, and connecting with family and Country – are the foundations of good health and wellbeing,” Dr Nalatu said.
“As Queensland’s prevention agency, Health and Wellbeing Queensland is deeply committed to creating a healthier future for all Queenslanders, no matter where they live.
“Through initiatives like Healthy Ways and Health and Wellbeing Queensland’s Gather & Grow initiative we’re helping to tackle complex challenges such as food insecurity and to remove the systemic barriers that drive health inequities, particularly for First Nations peoples.”
Dr Wenitong said the partnership with Health and Wellbeing Queensland and local communities ensures Healthy Ways is both evidence-based and culturally grounded.
“When we talk about health, it’s not just about food – it’s about identity, belonging, and community,” he said. “By celebrating traditional knowledge and bringing those stories to life in CEQ stores, we’re creating a space where health promotion feels familiar, positive, and empowering for our people.”
The campaign artwork, ‘Gathering’ by Aunty Edna Ambrym, a proud Gunggandji and Kuku Yalanji woman from Yarrabah, represents the rich food traditions of Indigenous culture – nourishing the body, nurturing the land, and gathering with family.
Supported by Health and Wellbeing Queensland, Healthy Ways is part of CEQ’s broader commitment to building healthier, more resilient communities across northern Queensland – guided by the organisation’s vision of Caring, every day, always, and its Nutrition and Health Strategy 2023-2027.
The installation forms part of CEQ’s broader commitment to investing in sustainable infrastructure across Queensland’s remote and regional communities, ensuring residents can access affordable food and services while reducing costs and supporting environmental responsibility.
🌐Learn More visit – https://www.ceqld.org.au/healthy-ways
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Image featured; Thank-you to David & Katrina Pearson with children Ronald, Jack, Adira & Elijah
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About CEQ
CEQ is a not-for-profit organisation responsible for providing goods and essential services to the Torres Strait, Cape York Peninsula and in Doomadgee and on Palm Island through its 31 stores. Of all the remote team members employed at CEQ, 90 per cent identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples.
CEQ manages Islanders Board of Industry and Service (IBIS) and Aboriginal Business, Industry and Service (ABIS) stores, as well as other stores including Col Jones, Mona’s Bazaar and Mitre 10 on Waibene and Community Home & Hardware in Bamaga.
For more information on CEQ, visit www.ceqld.org.au
