Innovation Hub launched to address persistent health inequalities in rural Australia
Newcastle, NSW: Leaders in regional health, research and innovation came together in Newcastle on Tuesday 24 March 2026 for the launch of the Marathon Health Innovation Hub (mhi hub), a new initiative focused on turning research, collaboration and lived experience into practical, scalable solutions to improve health outcomes for rural Australians.
mhi hub has been established by Marathon Health with Westfund Health coming on board as a founding partner. Four joint projects are already in the pipeline, creating a baseline for regional health data and determining priorities for future investment.
Westfund's involvement as a founding partner reflects a shared commitment to improving access to care and long term health outcomes for regional communities.
“Westfund is proud to be the founding partner of the Marathon Health Innovation Hub, building on our long standing partnership with Marathon Health and our shared focus on improving access to healthcare for people living in regional Australia,” said Mark Genovese, Westfund’s Chief Executive Officer.
“Like Marathon Health, we don’t just represent rural and regional Australia — we invest in it. Around 70 per cent of Westfund’s more than 140,000 members live in regional areas, and a significant proportion of our workforce lives and works in those communities as well.”
“Becoming founding partners in this research initiative is a natural extension of that commitment. It builds on our work together on the ground, including the Westfund Care Coordination Pilot, which is supporting members across Australia to access the care they need to stay well and out of hospital.”
“It’s an honour to work together to help close the regional health gap, so that where you live does not determine your health outcomes.”
The launch event, held at Newcastle to coincide with the first meeting of the Hub's Research Table at the University of Newcastle, brought together the health, research and community sectors with attendees including Westfund Health, the University of Newcastle, Charles Sturt University, Monash University, NSW Government representatives, NSW Health and other regionally based healthcare providers.
The Research Table brings together research partners from across Australia to progress the first projects already underway and shape the Hub’s future research and innovation agenda.
The launch evening featured a panel discussion focused on how collaborative action can strengthen healthcare systems and outcomes for rural communities, as well as a keynote presentation from Professor Daniel Steffens, Director, Surgical Outcomes Research Centre (SOuRCe) at the University of Sydney, who presented recent work on enhancing Aboriginal community participation in clinical trials.
Marathon Health is a health charity with all its operations and workforce based in rural Australia. Established in 2015, the not-for-profit delivers community‑based health and wellbeing services across more than 90 local government areas nationwide. Each year, the organisation supports more than 22,000 clients, with 70 per cent of services delivered face‑to‑face and more than a quarter of clients identifying as Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander. Marathon Health is also one of the largest not‑for‑profit employers of allied health professionals in regional NSW, contributing more than $25 million in wages annually to the regional economy.
Marathon Health CEO, Megan Callinan said the launch unveils mhi hub as a collaborative initiative where community, industry, researchers and the health sector can come together to reimagine the future of rural health.
“Today is an important milestone for Marathon Health,” Ms Callinan said.
“The Innovation Hub is something we have been developing for some time, and this launch reflects the shift from concept to action. We’re not just announcing that the Hub exists, we’re already underway, with our first projects progressing and partners coming together to shape what comes next.”
She said the Hub was established to support long‑term systems change rather than short‑term ideas.
“mhi hub is focused on applying evidence in real‑world settings, strengthening workforce capability and ensuring solutions are designed in partnership with rural communities at the centre. Our priority is impact that can be sustained and scaled.”
mhi hub builds on Marathon Health’s experience delivering innovative community‑led models of care, such as the Flying Start Paediatric Service, which provides free face‑to‑face access to paediatricians and allied health for children in rural and remote areas, and the codesign and establishment of Australia’s largest headspace Outreach Project, delivering culturally safe mental health support for young people aged 12 to 25 across 10 Western NSW communities. The Hub also showcases Marathon Health’s existing focus on building an evidence base to inform planning and service delivery, with the organisation currently participating in $9.4m of research activity across 23 projects.
mhi hub lead, and General Manager of Business Innovation, Clare Knight, said the Hub provides a structured way for partners to collaborate on complex, interconnected challenges.
“The Hub brings together health providers, researchers, universities, industry and government partners to design, test and deliver credible solutions that address persistent health inequalities in rural Australia,” Mrs Knight said.
“mhi hub creates a shared space for partners to work together on the issues that directly affect the health and wellbeing of rural Australian’s, including access to services, affordability, changing populations needs such as an aging demographic, transient and seasonal workforces, and growth associated with renewable energy development.
“As the regions grow and change, there needs to be just as much focus on social prosperity and wellbeing as there is on economic development.”
Ms Callinan said Marathon Health is known for bringing together the right people to solve complex health issues in rural Australia and mhi hub creates a space for us to lean into the challenges.
“Westfund is the founding partner of the Innovation Hub, and we’re already working alongside a growing group of like-minded partners who are committed to this approach,” Ms Callinan said.
“The mhi hub has strong momentum from the outset, with several partnerships already in the pipeline, and we’re continuing to engage with organisations who share our focus on evidence‑based, collaborative solutions that deliver lasting improvements in rural health.”