THE concept is both powerful and simple – create a social network of farmers who support each other through the emotional challenges of life on the land.
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A local charity is on the brink of launching the unique Bush Telegraph program, which would form a cluster of 100 retired and active farmers all registered on the one mobile phone contract.
Each farmer would receive a phone capable of only calling other members of the group.
Run by charity group One of a Kind, the program comes as farmers across the region confront an ongoing drought.
“The idea came when I was with Lifeline, where a lot of the frequent callers were lonely and isolated people who just wanted someone to connect with,” One of a Kind CEO Michael Ticehurst said.
“Most farmers are men, and men don’t want to talk to a 25-year-old counsellor.
“They want to talk to someone who understands the land.”
He is hopeful of recruiting retired farmers to the program to share their experiences.
Each cluster will be a mixed group from towns across the region, affording members a degree of confidentiality.
The program will be part-funded by a federal government drought support grant and involve a number of agencies.
As part of the Bush Telegraph, a co-ordinator will hold the “master phone”, which they can use to send out text messages to the group if one of the farmers needs help fixing a fence or ploughing a paddock.
One of a Kind president and retired farmer Geoff Furlong said the program aimed to help address the silent killer in rural areas – suicide.
“There are too many family farms being ruined and too many farmers dying,” Mr Furlong said.
“When people are deeply depressed, it’s like they’re going down a dark tunnel and all reason flies out the window.
“If a farmer feeling that had a phone and a network he could call on, then perhaps he would discuss how he feels and prevent a tragedy.”
The program will cost about $20,000 for each cluster over two years.
