The Ararat Active8 program, an innovation which saw eight Ararat and district people turn their lives around through exercise and healthy eating over 12 weeks, after each being teamed up with a former Biggest Loser contestant and a personal trainer, came to a close on Saturday night at a Gala Finale Ball.

Speaking at the ball, Mayor Cr Paul Hooper said the Active8 program was one of the highlights of his mayoral term and he thanked the Active8 group for inspiring him and the community to live healthier lives.

"Your leadership in the Active Ararat program has seen some truly amazing results," he said.

Over the past 12 months Ararat's health indexes have improved from the worst 25 percent in the state to the best 25 percent in Victoria, excluding nutrition, with Cr Hooper acknowledging that there was still a lot of work to do in that area.

Almost 2000 people have been encouraged to monitor their steps with pedometers - or pebbles - the use of the Ararat Recreation and Aquatic Centre (YMCA) has increased by 40 per cent, and the community's efforts have already saved the health system $2.4 million in reduced stroke risk alone.

"We've gone from a town publicly shamed as the fattest in the state to one that is envied for its health program. Ararat Active City is so much more than a slogan, it's a culture, it's our culture," Cr Hooper said.

"Now I want the rest of our country to have the same opportunities as us. Over half of all Australians are overweight or obese - 14 million people - our children have a shorter life expectancy than our generation simply due to their weight. Obesity costs us as a nation in excess of $120 billion a year. Our hospitals are filled with queues suffering from obesity's effects, we need to treat the cause of the problem, not its result, we need to prevent our children from dying young."

Cr Hooper said it was time for preventative action and leadership across all levels of Government.

He said the National Partnership Agreement on Preventive Health (NPAPH) was what all councils signed up for, and while Local Government and the State were doing their bit, the Federal Government rescinded this partnership in the 2014 budget.

"The federal Abbott government has slashed $360 million from preventative health by ripping up the national prevention partnership," Cr Hooper said.

"I want the government to learn a lesson from our small but powerful community. We need to invest in prevention. Obesity is a national problem, it is crying out for national leadership, vision and of course funding to find solutions. Our country needs their support.

"In their absence I know we have to continue our battle - your efforts have motivated us to conceive the proposal called Active Community Renewal Project where we in Ararat want to write the book on preventative health in rural communities.

"Our vision is to test and demonstrate and evaluate what it takes to shift the culture and social norms of the typically rural community, from one that is sedentary to one that is active and healthy and to understand its impact on the wellbeing indicators.

"And as I stand here tonight I commit to doing everything I can to further Ararat Active, I also commit to support all of you to continue in your work."

The Active8 program was seen as the 'jewel in the crown' of Ararat's health promotion activities over the past year.

"A call was put out to the community and we would have been happy just to get the 8 people," manager community development and client services Angela Hunt said.

"Instead we had 38 people wanting to participate! We couldn't leave anyone behind who wanted to be involved so we found a way to include them all."

The extra 30 were also offered a gym membership and were mentored as a group by Craig Booby, Winner of 2014 The Biggest Loser Challenge Australia.

Each of the 38 participants had achieved varying results on the scales but the big message was that this was not about numbers or winners, this program was about people changing their lives.

There were amazing and positive stories told on the night of the Active8 Finale, but not just by the 8 who received more intensive support but also from people who had worked together within the group.

From people whose families had also been making changes, winning horse riding comps, improved ability to take on stressful situations and someone no longer taking their ante anxiety medication - the list of stories throughout the final week of the program were inspiring.

Cr Hooper said although Ararat was a small municipality with a low rate base and limited resources, Council and the community was working hard to turn things around

"Keep up the hard work and maintain your passion, because we're not done yet," he said.

"Ararat Active City - get on board."