Rural Mums Invest in Mental Health

(ENJOYMENT: The farming women in the corporate suite. Photo: Anna K Photography)

By Hayley Elg

With the Mums Who Wine events proving to be so popular in regional areas like Ballarat, Bendigo and Horsham, Ms Oliver said it had really shifted her focus.

"Motherhood can be really isolating. In the city it can be tough and difficult but for mums and dads in rural farming communities they're not only enduring that but also have to deal with physical isolation and tough working conditions," she said.

She recently organised a Thank A Farmer weekend which involved spoiling a group of farming mums, nominated by a friend or family member, by taking them on an all expenses paid weekend to Melbourne.

The weekend included a limousine ride around the city, an afternoon in a corporate box at the AFL and a meal in a private dining room.

There will be a similar event for farming dads next week.

"It was all about creating awareness about mental health, getting the mums off the farm and giving them some time out," Ms Oliver said. "It is something we are really passionate about and want to build and expand to doing regular events for farmers to enjoy."

"These events are about giving back. The conditions in rural farming communities are pretty tough at the moment with droughts and the water crisis. The rate of suicide is much higher in farming men than those in the city so we felt really passionate that instead of just giving money, we could bring them out and take them for some VIP treatment."

Benefits

Ballarat's Katie Wilkie nominated her friend, a farmer who has been through a lot, for the weekend and was asked to tag along.

She said the connection between the women was almost immediate and it was nice to see the farming women who had been chosen to let their hair down.

"Farming doesn't stop because it's Christmas day, because it's a birthday or because the weather is too hot; you just have to keep going all the time." Katie Wilkie

"And that's the same when you have a baby. It doesn't mean the sheep or the cows will give you maternity leave. It's really important for everybody's mental health. For the mums to get away and go and refill their cups and have time to [be made to feel] that they are important."

The group of women are still communicating after creating a group chat.

"We are all talking everyday. Being able to talk to like-minded people and bounce ideas off each other with people who are going through the same things has been really great," she said.