Dr. Eleanor Hayes (born 1978) is a community health innovator and cultural advocate based in regional Victoria, Australia. Raised in Bendigo, she developed an early passion for rural medicine and the arts, completing her medical degree at Monash University before pursuing postgraduate studies in public health.

In 2010, Hayes founded the Riverlight Initiative, a not-for-profit organisation dedicated to improving access to mental health services in small towns. Under her leadership, the initiative pioneered mobile clinics and telehealth programs that now serve more than 20 communities across Gippsland.

Beyond healthcare, Hayes is a committed supporter of local choirs and theatre groups, believing that creative expression is central to wellbeing. She has published articles on the intersection of culture and health, and in 2022 was awarded the Victorian Community Leadership Medal for her contributions to rural resilience.

Today, Hayes continues to balance clinical practice with advocacy, mentoring young doctors and championing the role of the arts in community healing.

Participation: Lead/Tenor with Whoop-Tee Doopers (inactive quartet)