Colac and district farmers are encouraged to get in touch with local fundraisers aiming to provide long-reaching support.
Meanwhile, an academic says recent rain has wrongly led people to believe the drought is over, and the assumption could be damaging for drought-affected areas.
The Hey Mate, We’ve Got Your Back program will provide event-based support for Colac and district farmers and their families for at least 12 months, with local donations reaching more than $80,000 last week.
Fundraising spokesperson Xavier Meade said organisers would take note of a survey being distributed by Rotary clubs for a separate fund, but the Hey Mate committee was also seeking direct input from farming communities.
“We’re more than happy to learn from this (survey) because it’s going to give us some insight, but we’ll also be picking up the phones and ringing farmers directly and finding out what they think,” Xavier said.
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Where To Buy“I’d love it if farmers are able to ring me up direct and say this is what we need, or this is the support that we can offer them.”
The program will also make a cash contribution to the Rural Financial Counselling Service for that program to allocate as needed.
Xavier said the benefit of having a range of funds and foundations keen to help south-west farmers was there could be a spread of support mechanisms.
Rotary’s Western Victoria Drought Emergency Relief Fund has so far raised more than $72,000 and organisers say support could take various forms including grocery cash cards, events and more.
Event-based support through the Hey Mate program could support families by providing an environment for farmers, partners and children to connect with free or subsidised entertainment, food, and access to other supports.
“It’s about taking a bit of the pressure off,” Xavier said.
“That’s why we want the input, to see how we can best do that.”
A cockies picnic featuring AFL Legend Dermott Brereton at the Colac Racecourse earlier this month attracted about 50 guests. Organisers said sponsored events and catch-ups had the added benefit of providing an informal opportunity for residents to check in with each other.
Private donors have also organised sponsored events for rural residents this month, including at The Bar in Colac and the Farmers Arms Hotel at Beeac.
Xavier said the Hey Mate program would provide support for at least a year, and donations would help extend the program.
He said the impacts of the ongoing drought were long-reaching.
“They say we’ve been in drought for 18 months now, but full recovery could be five years,” he said.
Meanwhile, a Monash University research associate said it was important not to assume that the drought was over because the region had received rain this month.
“Drought takes many forms. It’s not always as simple as less rain. We are in a green drought,” Dr Andrew Watkins said.
“From a distance, it looks as if recent rainfall in south-western Victoria has turned things around for our farmers.
“On closer inspection, the green tinge to the landscape is just a little growth returning to surviving grasses. There are few new shoots and those that are popping up tend to be climate-resilient winter weeds.”
Dr Watkins said the rain had arrived too late, when the winter chill had already set in.
“Hay carting is likely to continue well into spring regardless of rainfall when the soil warms up enough to support new growth,” he said.
“That means your spring lamb is also likely to be more expensive this year.
“This is the reality of a green drought like the one we’re seeing now. It’s not just the volume of rain, but its timing and location that matter. Understanding drought in our rapidly changing climate has never been more important. The survival of our regional communities depends on it.”
The Rotary survey is available at https://forms.office.com/r/7Q0KZAVwB4
People can donate to the Hey Mate program at the Australian Communities Foundation website, or the Rotary program at rawcs.org.au
