Ash Whittaker is Rural Aid’s media and communications officer. Here is her story from her time in Orbost in July 2023.
My number one job in Orbost was to capture and tell farmers’ stories. I’ve just finished a huge 1.5 days in Orbost for Rural Aid’s Farm Recovery Event. 18 volunteers were toiling away on half a dozen flood-affected farms. Our volunteers are deadset legends who spend hundreds of dollars, drive thousands of kilometres, and donate days of their time, to help the nation’s farmers.
Orbost farmers are a brave bunch who’ve been through disaster, after disaster, after disaster. They’re one of many regions that have felt the pain of drought, bushfires and flood in quick succession.
It’s always an honour to be invited into a farmer’s home, have a cuppa with them, and listen to their story. I’m so grateful that our farmers take time out of their relentlessly busy days to tell me (and the world!) about their trials, tribulations, and hopes for the future. Interviews can be daunting, but they are a useful tool for sharing experiences. I think it’s vital that anyone who eats food or wears clothes understands the blood, sweat and tears needed to produce that food and fibre.
In total, we managed to squeeze in eight on-camera interviews across five different locations around East Gippsland. We spoke to dairy farmers, cattle farmers, Rural Aid staff and we even spoke with the local Mayor! It took weeks of planning to find a videographer, seek permission from farmers, and line-up the interviews to match everyone’s diaries.
These interviews will be used in tv news, radio segments, Youtube videos, Facebook posts, emails, corporate communications and newspaper articles: https://youtu.be/Ra-18FNMSp0?si=598DoIFZhqX3CuYi
If you want to volunteer for upcoming farm recovery events, check out: https://www.ruralaid.org.au/volunteers/
To donate to help fund this project and help rural communities, click here: https://www.ruralaid.org.au/donate
Story and Photos by Ash Whittaker
