News

The Cranaplus Bush Support Service Toll Free Telephone Counselling and Support Service is available 24/7 to anyone and their family members who provide a health or health related service in rural or remote Australia. To access the free support service, call 1800 805 391.

Created to encourage metropolitan shoppers to buy from businesses in rural communities facing drought, #buyfromthebush is a social media campaign making a huge difference. Small business owners and sellers in rural communities such as Cobar, Walgett and Gilgandra are featured on the #buyfromthebush Facebook and Instagram pages, which combined have over 120,000 followers.

Another initiative, the public Facebook group One Day Closer to Rain (Drought) – Rural Cottage Crafts has over 34,000 members and is a place for people in rural Australia to sell their homemade crafts.

As the Christmas season approaches, there is no better time to buy from the bush and support drought-affected regional communities.

Tessa Caton, Program Manager for the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP), speaks about mental health in rural communities. RAMHP exists to educate, encourage and link people to mental health support.

What are the factors that contribute to excess stress and burnout for health workers? The Hunter New England and Central Coast PHN has been partnering with NSW Rural Doctors Network to educate clinicians on how to identify the signs and symptoms of depression, especially suicidal ideation, intent and plans in the first responder population.

Deciding to leave the land or stay is a hard decision. Finding ways to reduce the physiological effects caused by stress in these situations is paramount. Producers should treat their own mental health and wellbeing as an asset which requires the same sort of investment, management and attention as pastures and stock.

The award-winning Glove Box Guide to Mental Health aims to encourage rural people to talk about mental health, with this editions theme highlighting the ways rural Australian communities adapt to and cope with change. Now in its eighth edition, the guide is a partnership between The Land and the Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP).

Drought affected communities across rural and regional Western NSW can now access ‘NewAccess’, a free mental health coaching support developed by Beyond Blue and delivered locally by Marathon Health.

The program is for anyone aged 16 and over who is stressed, or feeling anxious or overwhelmed about everyday life issues such as work, study, relationships and loneliness.

Western NSW remains drought-stricken and the sustained stress on locals, along with uncertainty around livelihoods, can take a toll and leave lasting effects on people’s mental health.

The Australian Government funds the program via the Western NSW PHN.

The Rural Adversity Mental Health program aims to link rural people with the help they need, be it financial or personal counselling, social workers, nurses and other allied health professionals, to improve the quality of life in the bush. The Australian Farmer talks to RAMH mental health coordinator Dianne Gill about education, reducing stigma, asking someone if they are having a tough time and getting help.

Clinical Professor Leanne Rowe – a GP and past Chairman of the RACGP – shares her thoughts on helping colleagues deal with their own mental health.

As NSW continues to live through one of the worst droughts in 100 years, the effects are being felt beyond the farmer’s gate. With primary producers buying nothing more than the necessities, it’s the towns in rural areas that are feeling the pinch.

As long as the rain doesn’t fall, the money doesn’t flow. And the drought-stricken town of Quirindi is still struggling, despite some recent downfalls.