General News
10 April, 2026
Western district digs deep
DESPITE the pressures of high fuel costs and general living expenses, residents across the district once again dug deep for The Royal Children’s Hospital Good Friday Appeal.
The generosity of residents and visitors to the region once again shone bright last Friday, with the regional tally board showing Warrnambool ninth on the top 10 fundraising towns with an incredible total of $103,027.
Also on the regional board, the township of Garvoc collected $34,261, Port Fairy $21,788 and Koroit $9,206.
Koroit fire brigade captain Steve Giblin expressed his gratitude to volunteer collectors and those who donated.
“We had a wonderful response in our town; we collected just over $5,000 in the tins and a further $1,000 online which was amazing. Our community is very generous.”
Overall, the 2026 Good Friday Appeal raised a record-breaking $25,268,485 for The Royal Children’s Hospital.
The 95th annual appeal saw Victorians unite to support sick children, surpassing the previous year’s total by more than $1.4 million.
Eighteen towns across regional Victoria marked 50 years of fundraising, including Koroit and Port Fairy.
An incredible $2,150,000 was raised by the CFA this year, with over 225 brigades fundraising.
Penny Fowler, chair of the Good Friday Appeal, said each year was a reminder of just how far the work of The Royal Children’s Hospital goes across the state.
“Giving for the kids is at the heart of the Good Friday Appeal,” she said.
“The incredible generosity of regional Victoria continues to shine; from small towns to larger regional centres, communities have again united to make a meaningful difference for sick children and their families.
“Families are doing it tougher than ever when it comes to cost of living.
“Their unwavering support highlights the compassion and strength of our regional volunteers, donors and supporters and we are deeply grateful to everyone who contributed to this year’s remarkable result.”
According to Rebecca Cowan, executive director of the appeal, this year’s appeal will continue its commitment to regional Victoria by funding essential equipment, scholarships and programs.
“A further $3 million will be distributed to five regional health services, bringing the total over three years of regional health service funding to $8.5 million.”
Since 1931, the Good Friday Appeal has raised over $517 million.
