Stories of survival: How Aussies are getting by in the bush

These stories of survival are similar in farming communities across the nation.

Farmers are battling more frequent environmental disasters due to climate change. The mouse problem continues across Eastern Australia, while other communities are still reeling from pre-covid bushfires.

And right now, a national shortage of agricultural workers is causing mental anguish for our fatigued farmers. But battling on year after year wears down even the most resilient human spirit.

A new study has found that a person’s risk of suicide in Australia increases the further they live from a city.

The rate of intentional self-harm deaths within rural communities was 11 per cent higher than the national rate and increased with remoteness, the University of Newcastle’s research found.

Researchers studied 3,163 cases of international self-harm deaths between 2010 and 2015 in New South Wales, Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania, concluding that the higher suicide rate may be attributable to less diagnosis and treatment of mental disorders in rural areas, particularly in men.

Critical support

Rural Aid is expanding its mental health services by tripling its counselling team. Its team lives in the community in which they work, speaking face-to-face with farming families to support them.

These in-depth therapeutical and meaningful conversations are building strong relationships when farmers need it most.

But the stress of lockdown has also been challenging. Kids already living remote lives aren’t so much battling isolation, but the lack of community connection is what has been difficult, Rural Aid’s manager of health and wellbeing, Lauren Stracey says.

“Due to Covid-19 our fatigued farmers haven’t been able to meet together through the drought or watch their kids play community sport, which builds and strengthens a community,” she says.

“Farming families [are] incredibly resilient. These are some of the toughest people trying to get on with it, but our strengths can also be our challenges, because if you conceptualise yourself as a strong, resilient person, it can be a lot harder to reach out and ask for help,” she says.

Rural Aid understands the importance of not just working with people when things fall apart, but looking at the continuum of mental health by focusing on early intervention, she says.

“We want people thinking about mental health just like you would about any other part of our health, because early intervention brings about positive cultural change,” she says.

“If people are feeling flat and aren’t connecting with loved ones like they normally would, we’re encouraging them to speak to someone. If we can start early with that support, the more we can have an impact,” she says.

Even if there are improvements in farming conditions on the horizon, one good season doesn’t mean everything is sunshine and roses. “It’s not a good season until the money is in the bank, and it’s going to take a number of good seasons to get back on top.”

Rural Aid is Australia’s most trusted rural charity. Rural Aid has supported farming families with critical assistance in times of hardship since 2015. Rural Aid is appealing to every Australian to support our mates in the bush this Christmas by donating to its Giving Day on 10 December.