With NSW Forestry Corporation’s approval, Cycle Tumbarumba created a mountain bike trail network on Mason’s Hill, approximately 3km west of Tumbarumba, NSW. However, while separate bike paths got cyclists to within 500m of the entrance to Mason’s Hill, the last stretch forced riders, including children, onto the busy Wagga Road, presenting a safety issue.

After the Black Summer Bushfires impacted the local area, the group knew that by creating a separate off-road path on the final 500 metres, they could make it safer for everyone and encourage people to get back out riding and connecting. They also saw an opportunity to construct a short children’s mountain bike trail, which would help attract local families and visitors alike.

Thanks to the support of a $10,000 grant from FRRR, via the Visy Tumut Region Recovery Fund, the group was able to not only build the short loop for children but also add in a table, shelter, bike stand, workstand, tools and a pump. This has made it a great location for children’s birthday parties, club social events and club social races. The funding also allowed for the purchase of some additional maintenance and safety equipment, which means that volunteers maintaining the trails no longer need to bring their own equipment. They even stretched the funding to include some additional planning and concept work that will hopefully be implemented in future.

This is a great example of a relatively small amount of funding having a big impact – bringing a community together, increasing recreation and strengthening the social fabric, while also having economic benefits.

With support from our long-time partner, The Sally Foundation, FRRR awarded $12,000 through three grants to not-for-profit community organisations in the Mildura region. These grants are helping bring to life ideas generated during the Mildura Takeover Summit.

The FRRR ABC Takeover Youth Catalyst Grants empower communities to act on innovative ideas proposed by local youth at a leadership summit. Over the course of a week, up to 36 young people collaborate to explore the issues that matter to them and devise creative solutions. Local not-for-profits are then invited to apply for funding to work alongside these young idea-makers, bringing their concepts to life.

These grants provide a pathway for youth-led ideas to be piloted in their communities, creating opportunities for young people to connect with local organisations and have their voices heard on issues important to them.

Thallon State School P&C is dedicated to supporting the local school, and in turn the vibrancy and sustainability of their small town.

After severe drought, a mouse plague and then COVID, student numbers were dwindling, so the P&C decided to upgrade the school playground, hoping to encourage new families to join. But first they needed to raise some funds. This led to the annual Thallon Team Truck Pull event. In its first year alone, the event drew 300+ attendees and raised more than $17,000 for the school playground project.

To make the event even more comfortable for those attending the Truck Pull – and to provide vital sun protection to students – the Thallon State School P&C Association received an $8,577 Small & Vital Strengthening Rural Communities grant, funded by Hand Heart Pocket – The Charity of Freemasons Queensland, to buy new shade structures. They are designed to be set-up with ease (just 60 seconds) and are 100% waterproof and UV protected, ensuring the safety and comfort of students and the wider community. The covers are also branded, showcasing the Thallon State School logo, which creates a sense of identity, wellbeing and place for its users.  

The structures are also now available to the whole community for a variety of purposes, including swimming days, athletic carnivals and community events such as ANZAC day and Christmas in the Park. To the Thallon community’s delight, the structures arrived before ANZAC Day, ensuring that they could be used for both the in-school and community service.

P&C representative Janna Spierenburg said, “This is one way that the school can offer support back to the community, as a thank you for their continued support.”

A clever project led by Yorke and Northern Local Health Network Incorporated (YNLHN) has improved health and wellbeing outcomes for Aboriginal people living in rural and remote regions in South Australia. The campaign involved offering a free shirt, featuring First Nations art, to connect community members to a vital health check program.

YNLHN recognises that an Aboriginal-specific health service is crucial for the delivery of culturally appropriate care. It encourages community members to interact with clinical staff in a comfortable environment, provides valuable opportunities for Aboriginal health professionals to practice their clinical skills and helps to give Aboriginal people autonomy over their health.

The 715 Aboriginal Health Checks are an opportunity for early detection and prevention of a range of health issues through treatment, education and support. YNLHN data showed that only 21.17% of their regular clients were up to date with their 715 checks. Incentives have been proven to increase the number of Aboriginal people seeking these assessments, which aid in closing the gap in health inequalities for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Peoples.

The YNLHN Aboriginal Health Team was conscious of engaging the beneficiaries in every step of the project. They called for expressions of interest from community members to develop artwork that focussed on place, community, health and wellbeing. This was an opportunity for local artists to showcase their abilities and connect to culture through artwork and storytelling. The successful submission received overwhelming support from community voters and was used for the final shirt design.

The slogan was the only point of contention. Originally it was ‘Stay alive, have your 715’. However, the artist workshopped it with her high school art class to find a culturally relevant alternative. They chose ‘715 Deadly Unna’ which, roughly translated, reads ‘having your 715 is good yes?’ This meant that the project’s reach extended to young people in high school, a notoriously difficult age group to engage with.

A $10,000 Strengthening Rural Communities grant funded the printing of the shirts, which was executed by Aboriginal-owned and operated printing company We Create Print Deliver.

The shirts were officially launched at a health and cultural event, Tarpari Wellbeing Day in Port Pirie in April 2024. This was fantastic exposure for the project, with 66 agencies and more than 3,000 community members in attendance.

The project has been a huge success: there has been a significant uptake in MBS 715 health checks since its launch. The Aboriginal Health Team was even required to develop a new schedule to manage the influx, and additional funding has been sourced for a further 250 polo shirts to accommodate their popularity. In addition, the artist has had an increase of commissioned artwork; discussions have opened between healthcare professionals and the Aboriginal community; and the wider community is more open to discussing the discrepancies in health outcomes for Aboriginal people.

YNLHN representative Kit Prior said, “We are so proud of this project and what it has achieved. People from all walks of life love these shirts and we have had numerous requests to purchase them.”

Health outcomes in the Yorke and Northern region have improved considerably because of this project, a fantastic example of how targeted small grants can have a profound impact.

The Buloke region in Victoria has endured years of spirit-crushing events – from drought to COVID restrictions and flooding rains – and the Buloke Women’s Network has been crucial to keeping spirits up through it all.

The need to come together to recover from isolation and respond to the challenges wrought by these events is how the Celebrating the Women of the Buloke Shire project started. Women came together regularly from across the shire to hear inspiring local speakers at events such as Champagne at Sunset at Lake Tyrell, and a dinner prepared by a local small business at the beautiful Watchem Church.

A Tackling Tough Times Together grant covered catering, venue expenses, advertising and transport. “I could see the impacts of drought, floods, climate change, rising farm costs and declining prices. And there was nothing to support women in the area,” co-founder Ellen White says.

“They wanted to meet other people from other places and connect with them and hear what was happening for them, and if they had the solutions to some of the problems that they had, and just to share their stories.”

Co-founder Julie Slater says their initial aim was enabling social opportunities for women, but in retrospect she realises how pivotal these gatherings were in helping the entire district survive.

“One of the things that we found really quickly was that what women were looking for was for social connection. Women wanted to be able to stop and take that breath and really sort of say, yep, I’m busy. I have a lot going on, but at the end of the day, I need to fill my own cup if I’m going to be there and fill the rest of my family’s, the rest of my workplace, the rest of my community’s cup.”

FRRR’s CEO, Natalie Egleton, recently spoke at the Social Impact in the Regions Conference. Before participating in a panel discussion that was focussed on addressing challenges in remote, rural and regional Australia, Natalie delivered a brief presentation. The following are her speech notes.

All too often, regional communities are only visible to the rest of the country and to policymakers through a lens of crisis, disadvantage, or as somewhere from which resources needed by others can be extracted.

From the hundreds of community grants and conversations we have at FRRR, we know that is not the narrative regional communities want to focus on. The challenges are definitely there; regional communities live them every day. But what would happen if we flipped the narrative to one where regions are understood, invested in and valued for their intrinsic value – their innovation, intelligence, creativity and contribution to their own and the nation’s wellbeing and economies?

The possibilities are remarkable when we do this. I’m going to share three case studies of communities and organisations that FRRR has partnered with over multiple years as they navigated these very questions. I’m not telling their story on their behalf but sharing what we noticed throughout our funding partnerships with them. They stand out but are by no means the only such organisations and communities. And a hint – there are some common themes about the different types and roles of backbone organisations; the capacity for challenges to catalyse innovation; and why place-based change takes time – sometimes generations.

Red Ridge Interior Queensland

Red Ridge Interior is in Blackall – almost the centre of Queensland. They are an arts organisation at their heart and evolved into so much more during the drought that crippled much of western Queensland in the mid 2000’s until very recently. Their model is one of collaboration that supports outcomes like intergenerational connection, First Nations economic self-determination, women’s health and wellbeing, and leadership development.

The first grant we awarded was just $2,500 to help them build a better business model. We have since supported many of their initiatives. Over the years, as they’ve grown in confidence – and people have built confidence in them –they’ve blown it out of the park.

Red Ridge described themselves as an auspice for local projects – but I would argue that they have played a backbone role for western Queensland.

In remote communities like Blackall, there are fewer services, small, dispersed populations, and narrow economies. They need organisations that can play integrated and multifaceted roles across population groups, industries and join dots in policy and funding systems to make them work for their local context.

One of their activities is the now annual Channel Country Ladies Day – an event with the tagline ‘inspiration in isolation’. It brings together women from across the channel country, right down into Birdsville and further north to Longreach and surrounds.

It was an idea born during the drought, when the load that women were carrying – caring for family, finding ways to generate off-farm income, managing the farm business – was noticed, alongside the fact that they weren’t caring for themselves. This is not any ordinary event; it brings together hundreds of women for reprieve, wellbeing support, fun and skill development. It also builds economic opportunity by creating space for micro-enterprises, and enterprise development. It’s a space for hard conversations and care for people doing hard work.

As the drought’s impacts deepened, Red Ridge saw an opportunity to play a role in ‘finding beauty in the drought’ and created the Dress the Central West event. They partnered with Central West Hospital and Health Service (CWHHS) and Central West Aboriginal Corporation (CWAC) to create the fashion parade of the year, Dress the Central West. Teaming with Fashion designer Claudia Williams from Llani Creative, each outfit represented the history and traditions of the four communities involved in the project – Winton, Blackall, Longreach and Barcaldine.

The event tapped into layers of talent in the community and gave people who were often excluded from opportunities a platform to shine. With support from a fashion designer, communities designed several outfits that best represented their towns, stories and culture in the adversity of drought, using recycled or found material.

The work that Red Ridge and the communities of the Central West faced – and still face – include big challenges, but they have found ways to create energy from within communities to co-create new stories and futures.

Red Earth Community Foundation

Red Earth Community Foundation is one of about 40 place-based philanthropic foundations in Australia – a network that is growing and evolving dynamic community-owned models of generating and redistributing capital in their local communities. Red Earth covers the North and South Burnett and Cherbourg communities in Queensland.

FRRR has partnered with Red Earth since it was a seed of an idea, through many grants and strategic partnerships. It’s a leading model of community mobilisation and transformation from the ground up.

Like many innovations, a crisis was the catalyst for the formation of Red Earth Community Foundation, following a major flood event in 2014. Conversations among a few key people were about what the Burnett needed in 100 years’ time – it was a different vision and one that held a new narrative about its challenges. This was in a context of the Burnett describing the region as the hole in the doughnut – the region that had high needs and one of the highest rates of socio-economic disadvantage in the country. They saw investment flowing everywhere but the Burnett Inland.

Funding to support flood recovery occurred around the same time as funding to support setting up good governance for the emerging Foundation. The latter involved much consultation and education about what a community foundation structure might bring to the Burnett.

There was a space to shift – they could continue blaming and being victims of poor systems, or they could mobilise and create something else. So, they set out on a different path to most community foundations – instead of starting with money, they started with people and developed a community leadership program. More than 200 people have now graduated from the program and are activating opportunities across the region.

In just a decade, Red Earth has become a vital backbone for the region – they are a trusted convenor of community voice and action. Beyond the leadership program, they are facilitating major drought resilience and disaster preparedness initiatives, and brokering opportunities for community benefit from renewable energy projects.

FRRR and Red Earth are currently partnering on the Disaster Resilient: Future Ready program, which is supporting community co-design of disaster resilience across the small towns in the Burnett Inland region. The teams were together at the recent AIDR conference to showcase the work and learnings.

Red Earth’s is a story of people power and a collective decision to adopt an opportunity mindset.

Toolangi

The final example is not of a single organisation but rather a small community – population just 335 – in an area affected by Black Saturday bushfires in 2009; it’s about an hour and a half north east of Melbourne.

In this tiny village, the Community House is the hub and provides a central point of connection and information. It is mostly volunteer run, with a tiny amount of funding for operations and programming. When the fires impacted the town, the Community House was the central organisation for recovery efforts. They had to step up and play a far more complex role in rebuilding the town and people’s lives.

The Community House brought together the ideas and needs of the town and went about gradually planning and actioning – with small amounts of funding as they went. Of course they couldn’t do it all at once. And as such a small town and organisation, nor could they accept too much support all at once. So, FRRR worked alongside them, supporting the community when they were ready and as needs evolved and people were able to do some of the actual implementation.

The focus was on long-term recovery, regeneration, over weeks and months. Support was given in different places, at different times. The support via the Community House similarly took different forms, and as needs evolved, investment went with them. Some of the projects supported by FRRR included strategic thinking about how to approach recovery; a focus on wellbeing; the need to create a place where health and fitness – physical and emotional wellbeing – could support social wellbeing across different groups – students; women; men etc.

The weekly community fitness program had a huge impact on the community as they recovered and found a ‘new normal’ after the fires. People were at risk of becoming isolated and mental health was a growing issue. In a largely ageing community, physical wellbeing was the way in to addressing mental wellbeing. An evaluation of this program found significant reduction in risk factors and increases in wellbeing at a population level. In fact, the program is still running.

They also hosted others including the men’s shed and the community garden – and reactivated spaces in town that could support connection, healing and regeneration. While there were many people involved, one person in particular was, and still is, the glue for this town – she carefully, kindly, and strategically worked with the community to reimagine spaces and opportunities. She did it knowing that they would never attract the big money or media headlines and so worked smartly too – with locally led sustainability as the goal.

That’s often the reality for those working in remote, rural and regional communities – the challenges are there and it’s up to those of us living and working there to find our unique assets and strengths.

These three examples showcase what’s possible if we flip the narrative and invest in communities, especially in backbone organisations that can take carriage of maintaining focus for the long game. They come in different shapes and sizes and, when built from and by community, are vital parts of community infrastructure. The other lesson I’d share, both from my work at FRRR but also as the resident of a small rural community, is to work on the assumption that the money may never come – hard as that is, it can liberate new thinking and opportunity. I hope that these anecdotes encourage you to reconsider your view of remote, rural and regional Australia. It’s not all doom and gloom – even when times are tough. Imagine what might be possible if regions are truly understood, invested in and valued for their innovation, intelligence, creativity and the contribution they make to our nation’s wellbeing and prosperity.

FRRR has today announced that 19 community organisations across Australia will share more than $157,766 from the FRRR ABC Heywire Youth Innovation Grants program grants to implement projects based on the ideas generated at this year’s ABC Heywire Summit in Canberra.

This year’s grants will help activate projects based on four of the ideas developed at the annual youth summit, all of which respond to issues that concern young people in remote, rural and regional Australia.

The original ideas were:

As part of FRRR’s commitment to supporting the transition of leadership to the next generation, the successful grants were reviewed and recommended by a Youth Assessment Committee, under the guidance of FRRR Directors and staff. FRRR also employed two interns, both former Heywire winners, over the last few months, who assisted with the program administration and assessment.

Mahsa Nabizada, Youth Assessment Committee Chair, said, “The Heywire Grants offer an incredible opportunity for young people from all corners of Australia to bring their ideas to life and actively shape their communities. It’s empowering to see these young leaders take ownership of the challenges they face and turn them into meaningful change. These grants show that when we invest in young people, we’re investing in the future of our communities.”

Deb Samuels, FRRR’s People Portfolio Lead said that pleasingly, many of these projects funded will be led by the young people that they are designed to benefit.

“Representation matters and valuing the lived experience and unique perspectives of young people is vital, so we’ve actively sought ways to involve more young people this year, plus we actively invited young people to apply for the grants. And it worked, as we saw a significant uptick in the number of applications for projects led by young people. After all, who better to know what’s going to work for other young people than their peers.

“For example, Riverland Youth Theatre has received a grant to implement The Bigger Picture idea. Led by a Heywire winner, the funds will support nine months of activities, including monthly events tailored to the interests of young people in that part of the Mallee, with a focus on queer and socially isolated youth. This kind of project is exactly why we love this program so much. It will not only deliver on the issues that the Heywirers raised at the national Summit, but in doing so, it will also build leadership skills and create employment opportunities for young people.

“This round we also saw the largest number of projects we’ve funded in Queensland, thanks to The John Villiers Trust and The Clem Jones Group. Their support has meant that we can fund seven wonderful initiatives in six communities. I really can’t wait to see what impact each of these projects has in their community over the coming year,” Ms Samuels said.

Justin Stevens, ABC Director News, said that the ABC Heywire Summit brings forth ideas created by young individuals from regional communities, aimed at benefiting their peers. “These grants provide remote, rural, and regional areas with a practical way to inspire the next generation of leaders to voice their concerns and take action on issues that matter to them and their communities.”

These grants are generously co-funded by contributions from The Sally Foundation, The John Villiers Trust, The Clem Jones Group, David Mactaggart Foundation, and several private donors. This funding announcement brings the grants total to more than $1.7 million over the last 13 years.

The full list of recipients and a snapshot of their projects are below.

Ten years ago, when Alex was diagnosed with Coeliac Disease and two other autoimmune conditions, she quickly learned how tough it was to find safe, gluten-free food – especially in a regional town. But it wasn’t just about food; explaining her condition to others was a challenge too.

Her personal experience sparked the creation of “Jack the Silly-Yak,” a character initially brought to life in a children’s book to help young people understand Coeliac disease in a fun and approachable way. Jack the Silly-Yak soon became a live, interactive musical and imaginative play, performed to children in regional NSW.

From this work, Alex knew there was more to be done to make Jack the Silly-Yak more accessible to kids with chronic illnesses in other regional communities.

With the help of a $6,330 grant from FRRR through the Sally Foundation Trailblazers Development Fund, Alex was able to take Jack the Silly-Yak to a whole new level. Partnering with the Hunter Business Centre, they developed The Giggle and Learn program. This online program includes three music videos and three seven-minute episodes starring Jack. These episodes mix music, craft, cooking and community outreach to create something fun and educational for kids and their families. Plus, there are downloadable resources so families can easily access everything they need to learn about living with Coeliac Disease and other chronic illnesses.

The outcomes of the video program have been remarkable. Alex is thrilled with how well the program turned out, saying, “I’m so proud of the quality of this program and how it gives the same level of fun and information that my live shows do.”

The Jack the Silly-Yak grant project has successfully expanded the reach and impact of Alex’s original vision, ensuring that kids with chronic illnesses are not only seen and heard but also empowered and supported, no matter where they live.

The online program has made it possible for families across Australia to access critical information about living with chronic illnesses. Whether in a city or a remote regional town, children and their families can now learn about Coeliac disease and other conditions in an engaging and easily understandable format.

Through the project, Alex has been able to develop meaningful relationships within the gluten-free community. These connections have helped to strengthen the message and value of the program, ensuring that it resonates with families and communities alike, as well as helping to grow the audience and therefore increase awareness and representation of both Coeliac and non-Coeliac kids.

One of the most rewarding aspects of the project was the opportunity to support regional creatives, by providing paid and fulfilling work to four filmmakers and artists. Supporting local talent is a key focus for Alex, and she is committed to continuing this approach in future projects.

Kowanyama is a small, very remote town in the Gulf Country in QLD and it ranks as one of Australia’s most socially and economically disadvantaged communities.  

Sadly, the community has experienced a disproportionate amount of sorrow and trauma in recent years, yet it has limited places for families and community groups to safely meet and hold traditional gatherings, eat together or hold community events.

But that’s changed thanks in part to a $10,000 Strengthening Rural Communities grant. A new communal fire pit, picnic table and shelter against harsh weather conditions have been built. The people of Kowanyama now have a place to socialise and connect, which is a critical part of fostering wellbeing and strengthening the community.

This project was led by Out There Kowanyama (OTK), a dynamic, volunteer-run organisation that works to create hope and opportunity in the remote community by empowering youth with various projects and activities. OTK has a strong understanding of the community’s needs, and this project was an expansion of the community park and picnic area they had previously developed.

Although the pandemic caused a delay in completing this project, the new amenities were successfully installed by 2021 and the community reaction has been wonderful.

OTK Treasurer, Lara Wieland, shared the following with us:

“This is a place we could come and relax and get away from things when we’re stressed.”

“This could be a neutral place for mediations.”

“Counsellors could use this to catch up with people who don’t want a home or clinic visit.”

“We will hold our next women’s group here.”

“What a great place to come and hold an event. I especially like the firepit.”

“People can gather here in the shade after funerals or christenings and the old people will have somewhere shady to sit.”

In partnership with the Sally Foundation and the ABC, FRRR has awarded $40,000 in grants to eight youth-led community projects in remote, rural and regional Australia as part of the Trailblazers program. The young people have partnered with local community organisations to receive the grants.

Trailblazers are invited to apply for funds to help them to take their project ideas to the next level, or for personal development opportunities to build their skills and networks and boost their capacity to strengthen their community. This year’s themes centred around inclusivity, access to services and education, as well as improving social connectedness.

Lauren Ryan, FRRR’s Youth Futures Manager, said that it was great to have several alumni on the Advisory Panel.

“This year we had four previous Trailblazers helping out with the selection process, all of whom provided unique insights, curiosity and constructive feedback to the applicants.

“Three of the Trailblazers to receive funding this year are previous grant recipients. The idea behind funding them again is to help in developing capacity for the sustainability of their projects, which are making a great impact within their communities.”

The Sally Foundation partners with FRRR through a Giving Sub-Fund, which helps to ensure that their funding reaches groups and young people in all corners of the country. The priority of this fund is to invest in young regional leaders to build their leadership skills, and their capacity to make a difference in their communities.

Co-founder of The Sally Foundation, Geraldine Roche, said “The Trailblazers program has shown to be an important stepping stone for the young people involved to achieve and exceed their goals within their communities. Grants from the Development Fund are designed to help these change-makers do what they can to make regional Australia a better place.

“This is our fifth year in supporting Trailblazers, and it’s inspiring to see their enthusiasm and the impact of their projects addressing the needs of young people in their local communities.”

This year’s recipients are detailed below.