In the midst of the chaos and confusion that has characterised the past few years, perhaps there is no other word more synonymous with the times than ‘unprecedented’. The 2019–20 bushfires were first in a series of catastrophes to arrive at our door: widespread floods that unceremoniously replaced the long-standing drought; cyclones that swept away ...
After another dreadful disaster season in Australia, I barely know how to start this letter to you. Word from our Bush Chaplains about the destruction caused by floods and bushfires this summer has torn my heart. Areas in Queensland, Western Australia and South Australia have been hit hard. It would be bad enough on its ...
As if Aussies were not going through enough hardships and challenges already, COVID-19 struck again, just as ruthlessly as last time. The impact was felt deep across all walks of life, with the hospitality sector and small businesses hit hardest. Farmers across the country were already crying out for help, reeling under the effects of ...
We recently welcomed our newest Bush Chaplain, Rev. Deacon Peter Harvey in the East Gippsland Remote Area of Victoria. Having worked across rural and remote corners of the country over many years, Peter feels most at home when he is traversing through the rugged terrain of remote Australia to connect with people in the region. ...
Growing up in country towns made Joy all too familiar with the facilities she was missing out on that people in cities and large towns could take for granted. Now 85 and settled in Adelaide, Joy says she’s still keenly aware of the challenges faced daily by people who live in rural and remote Australia. ...
We all know how the last few years have been fraught with challenges at every turn. Cyclones have lashed farms and properties, bushfires have ravaged everything in their way, floods have swept away people’s livelihood and the horrific hordes of mice have taken over people’s homes, pantries, stores and cars. And to top it all, ...
Erika used to be a credit analyst, number crunching all day while she dreamed of an idyllic life on the land. But when she finally moved to a sheep farm an hour out of Geraldton, WA in February 2021, her dreams were shattered by disaster. The WA-based farmer tells us that when Cyclone Seroja made ...
The road to Laverton from Kalgoorlie, where Frontier Services Bush Chaplain Lindsay Ginn is based, stretches over 760 kms. Every week Lindsay gets behind the wheel to make this lonely trip to (as he calls it) “the edge of No Man’s Land”. Laverton is a small town nestled in the far Northern Goldfields of Western ...
For veteran Outback Links volunteer Geoff, using his skills gained working on the land to help people in outback Australia is a true labour of love. At 84, Geoff has clocked up a staggering total of 1,577 hours of voluntary work in the bush. Most recently, he returned from a property in Gravesend, helping ease ...
This story is every parent’s worst nightmare. Little Cleo Smith’s disappearance sent shockwaves around Australia and the world. As a mother, I was personally feeling the anguish of not knowing where poor Cleo was. We all breathed a sigh of relief when she was returned to her family but the 18 long days she was ...
