Dale Trevorrow’s Kerang property was inundated in the 2022 flood crisis.
In 2011, the northern Victorian town of Kerang experienced what locals were told was a ‘once-in-100-year’ flood. Fast forward just 11 years to October 2022, and they found themselves bracing for the Loddon River to break its banks again.
Despite improved infrastructure and a hastily erected levee, much of the region was hit even harder than the decade prior, with properties like Dale Trevorrow’s sustaining significant damage.
Flood debris, damaged fencing, and eradicated channels were all by-products of the inundation, with cash flow from Dale’s cattle farming and cropping essentially wiped out by the disaster event too.
With damages mounting and income ground to a halt, Dale found his mental health and resolve to carry on deteriorating.
“It plays on your mind when you’ve got so much to do. It really does affect your mental health,” said Dale.
In May 2023, 22 Rural Aid volunteers travelled to Kerang to assist six different properties with recovery and rebuilding efforts. The experience was not just beneficial for farmers fighting to recover, but for the volunteers as well.
“Our volunteers have travelled significant distances to get to here, some are from Queensland, all over the country really, but it’s like a little family when we get together,” said Rural Aid Works Coordinator, Lindsay Drust.
“We’ve worked together on many occasions in different locations and there’s a lot of satisfaction to the volunteers in being able to help people who are struggling.”
The Kerang farmers, including Dale, were grateful for the support they received.
“Without Rural Aid, that fence would just be left until another day when we could get to it. So yeah, it certainly takes the pressure off,” said Dale.
Rural Aid CEO, John Warlters, says in a matter of days after receiving support, the uplift to farmers’ spirits and confidence was huge.
“We know it means so much,” he said.
Though the flood waters have now receded, many Aussie farmers are still fighting to recover following the years of consecutive disaster events they have experienced. A staggering 76% of farmers surveyed by Rural Aid in March 2024 rated their mental health as poor, very poor or below average, with many also expressing a desire to walk away from the industry altogether.
A little support can go a long way in keeping our famers on track and producing, and every donation counts—especially at tax time. Help keep Rural Aid’s vital financial, volunteer, resource, and counselling assistance programs operational for our mates in the bush!
