The lunch, marking Close the Gap Day, included family activities and guest speakers. 

Respiratory nurse educator Heather McDonald told the crowd of about 70 community members that third hand smoke was only just becoming understood. 

Goolum Goolum's Dean O'Loughlin said Ms McDonald’s message about the harm to children who lay down for an afternoon nap on lounges saturated in smoke, highlighted the many dangers of smoking.

He said the co-operative was trying to highlight these dangers with its Spot the Difference anti-smoking campaign. 

“We heard about the statistics in this region and how we are really fighting a battle with lung cancer and chronic disease tied to smoking,” he said. 

Goolum Goolum will soon spread the Spot the Difference message in shop-fronts and waiting rooms, asking people to pledge not to smoke near children, or to kick the habit altogether. 

A video is being put together as part of the campaign, which will be released later this year, exploring Wimmera people’s journeys with smoking.