‘Eurobodalla Scalebusters’ blitzed the statewide competition against 30 other teams with a total weight loss of 96.7 kilograms over the 10 week health and fitness challenge.

Now in its third year, the NSW Koori Knockout Challenge is endorsed by well-known Aboriginal sportspeople such as George Rose, Kyle Saunders, Ronnie Gibbs and Julie Young.

The team of 30 local people was organised by Southern NSW Medicare Local and Southern NSW Local Health District Aboriginal health workers, who ran a weekly bootcamp with two qualified trainers in Moruya and provided meal plans and weekly monitoring for contestants.

Local Health District Aboriginal health worker Ivan Goolagong said contestants, aged from 18 to 64, all reported weight loss, more energy, and reduced diabetes symptoms.

“It’s so encouraging to see the mob looking after their health and getting more motivated,” he said, adding that most of the contestants were existing clients of the Aboriginal health teams and many were family groups.

Jess Jackson, a nurse with SNSWML’s Aboriginal health team who took weekly observations for each participant, said the change in people over the 10 weeks was striking.

“People were initially embarrassed and a little secretive but by the end of the program they were really proud of their achievements and sharing their weight loss and fitness improvements with everyone,” she said.

“At least 80 per cent of chronic disease is preventable by addressing risk factors like an unhealthy diet, physical inactivity and smoking.

"This challenge shows how powerful communities can be when they support each other to be the best they can be.”

The $10,000 prizemoney has been reinvested in another weight loss challenge in July, which is already booked out.