Sustainable Rural Community Stories

The National Rural Women’s Coalition recently embarked on a project to collect stories of communities able to effect change in the quest to become sustainable. We now are pleased to publish the first of these on our website. It is hoped that through the sharing of these accounts of resilience, hope and survival, others will be inspired and motivated to make improvements or use these ideas in their own community.

Dover Mum’s Community Market – Mum’s the word

Location: Dover, Tasmania, 7117

About Dover     The picturesque village of Dover hugs Esperance Bay in southern Tasmania, looking over the islands of Faith, Hope and Charity. Situated on the Huon Highway, 81km south of Hobart, Dover claims to be the southern most town of significance in Tasmania. There are a sprinkling of villages further on from Dover, but it serves…

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Riverland exposed

Location: , South Australia, 5345

About the Riverland Just over the Victorian border lies the Riverland region in South Austraila, where the Murray River snakes its way through some 300km of fruit growing country. Approximately two hours from Adelaide, the region encompasses the towns of Barmera, Berri, Blanchetown, Cobdogla, Glossop, Loxton, Lyrup, Morgan, Renmark and Waikerie….

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Tackling challenges head on

Location: Condamine, Queensland, 4416

About Condamine Predominantly a farming and grazing district, the township of Condamine is located on the banks of the Condamine River, approximately 373km west of Brisbane, and sits on the intersection of the Warrego and Leichhardt Highways. There are eight cattle feedlots operating in the area, as well as a large scale fish farm.  Reference…

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Rise Above

Location: Childers, Queensland, 4660

About Childers An ancient volcano made its mark on the town of Childers in Central Southern Queensland, with the volcanic loam presenting perfect conditions for fruit and vegetable production. The distinctive ochre soil is studded with fruit trees of every description, and row upon row of vegetables; fields are patch-worked with thick green leafy…

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Cann River Community Building Initiative

Location: Cann River, Victoria, 3890

About Cann River   Last count saw a population of just 223 people in the hamlet of Cann River, located 450km from Melbourne at the junction of Princes Highway and Monarao Highway in the East Gippsland district.    Suffering from the effects of the downturn in the timber industry, the population has reduced significantly in the last…

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Blyth Community Cinema

Location: Blyth, South Australia, 5462

About Blyth   Driving west of Clare in the mid-north of South Australia, the plains open to breathtaking views approaching Blyth; a patchwork of colour representing the diversity of agriculture in the district. A rural hub, cereal crops, legumes, hay, olives and livestock production (including cattle, sheep and pigs) support the region. The…

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Kimba Community Development Group

Location: Kimba, South Australia, 5641

Many hands make light work Facing drought, depression and devastating loss to suicide, has banded one small community together to prove that anything is possible when people work together; providing opportunity for growth and a future for generations to come, but above all hope, pride and ever-present community strength. About Kimba Driving in to…

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