Girgarre rallies for farmers and their families

Organised by the Girgarre Community Cottage and backed by major sponsor Goulburn Campaspe Dairy Farmers Trust, as well as a grant awarded by National Centre for Farmer Health, the event aimed to remind farmers that they don’t have to carry their burdens alone.

“We’re basically here for the community and we thought there was a need to celebrate farmers, (and) support the farmers,” Girgarre Community Cottage manager Sally Canny said.

Various service groups including Kyabram District Health Service, Centrelink and Dairy Australia and representatives from National Australia Bank, M+S Group and Morrison & Sawers Lawyers attended to offer access to financial, legal and health advice.

A highlight of the event was a presentation delivered by guest speaker Ivan Lister, a Goulburn Valley-based rural outreach worker.

In his presentation, Mr Lister spoke about the importance of mental health and wellbeing, sharing practical strategies to help farmers and their families recognise the signs of stress, anxiety and depression and how to combat them.

“What I’ve learnt over the years is on farming families, stress is never far away,” he said.

“You know what it’s like to look after our animals, our machinery, our properties, (and) we do the best we can.

“Nothing’s going to work if we don’t look after ourselves.

“What we’re trying to do, and all these agencies are trying to do, is to get a balance in your life, not just work on the farm.”

The kids were well catered for too, with a petting zoo, face painting and a craft corner keeping little ones entertained throughout the event.

Beyond the fun, the farming community proved that looking after one another was just as important as looking after the farms.