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Local governments are well‐placed to respond to communities' health and wellbeing needs. However, in the Australian state of Tasmania, the sector's roles in that respect are unclear. We interviewed 10 municipal personnel in Tasmania to understand their views on local governments' community health and wellbeing functions. Participants had an integrative understanding of community health and wellbeing and recognised that collective effort from all tiers of government, community members, and other place‐based stakeholders would improve outcomes. They identified several roles local governments have to support and drive such improvements, including in relation to diverse place‐specific determinants of health and wellbeing. Capacity and capability to fulfil what is needed varied, with rural and remote councils generally less able than urban counterparts to respond consistently or comprehensively to community members' complex needs. However, in the presence of clear expectations and parameters, and appropriate support from other tiers of government, participants were eager for their councils to do more to improve their communities' health and wellbeing, including via a mandate in legislation. Local governments have the potential to do more to improve health and wellbeing outcomes in Tasmania, and the greatest gains could be made by addressing spatial inequalities faced by the sector. That insight is extensible to other comparable jurisdictions. We argue the need both for a shared societal goal of equitable wellbeingsupported by all tiers of government and for actions proportionate to the needs of council areas.

Physical activity is lower and rates of preventable common diseases are higher in regional/rural than urban Australia. Active commuting (walking/bicycling to get from one place to another) may benefit health through increased physical activity, but most evidence of its correlates come from urban studies. This study aimed to investigate associations between active commuting, socio‐demographic characteristics, behaviours, total physical activity and health in a regional/rural Australian state. This study used data from the 2016 Tasmanian Population Health Survey, a representative cross‐sectional self‐report survey of 6,300 adults in Tasmania, Australia. Logistic regression modelling investigated associations between socio‐demographic, behavioural and health characteristics and past week active commuting frequency. In multivariable models, being younger, having tertiary qualifications, living in a socio‐economically advantaged area, being physically active, having a healthy body mass index and good/excellent self‐rated health were associated with engaging in more active commuting. Inner regional dwellers were no more likely than outer regional dwellers to actively commute after covariate adjustment. Strategies to promote active commuting in regional/rural areas might consider targeting older adults, those less educated, those living in socio‐economically disadvantaged areas, those less physically active, those with poorer health and those with higher body mass index. Research could further investigate why these groups appear to be less active for commuting purposes. Increasing physical activity and active commuting may help to reduce rates of preventable common diseases in regional/remote areas.

•It is unclear whether financial incentives increase public transport use.•The intervention increased public transport use in this COVID-19 interrupted trial.•Financial rewards may be a useful strategy for increasing public transport use.•Fully powered studies with longer term follow-up are warranted.

There is untapped potential for public transport-related physical activity to make an important contribution to total physical activity and hence improve health. This study aimed to determine the willingness of public transport users to walk further than necessary to a stop, and the characteristics of those willing to do so.