Rural Aid

18/06/2026

"Of the 9 dams on our property, only 2 still hold water."
Kathy and her husband have farmed in Ashford, NSW for 25 years.

Today, they're facing drought, rising costs and the ongoing impacts of fire.
For the past four months, they've been hand-feeding their cattle every day.
"The paddocks are bare. Feed has just disappeared. The dams are drying up, if they're not already dry."

Recently, Rural Aid delivered hay and water to help ease the pressure.

When we asked Kathy what that support meant, she said:
💚 "We can't thank Rural Aid enough for providing this hay so we're able to help keep our livestock alive." It's beyond words. It's taken a lot of strain off us. Not only do they provide hay and domestic water for us, they give us hope."

Watch Kathy's story and see how your support is helping farming families through drought, fire and rising costs.
🔗 Donate before June 30: https://www.taxtime.ruralaid.org.au/

17/06/2026

🐝 Australia's littlest livestock are facing a big challenge

Varroa mite continues to impact bee populations across Australia, with recent reports highlighting the growing pressure on beekeepers as they work to protect their hives and maintain pollination services.

While often seen as a beekeeping issue, the impact reaches much further.

Honey bees play an important role in pollinating many of the crops that support Australian agriculture. When hive numbers decline, the effects can flow through entire farming systems, impacting crop yields, farm productivity and ultimately farmers' incomes.

Industry groups are warning that reduced hive numbers, rising management costs and increasing concerns around treatment resistance could create challenges for both beekeepers and farmers in the years ahead.

It's another reminder that Australian agriculture is constantly adapting to changing conditions, whether that's drought, floods, fires, biosecurity threats or emerging pests.

💚 Behind every healthy hive is a beekeeper helping support farmers, rural communities and Australia's food production.

And next time you're in the garden, keep an eye out for some of Australia's littlest livestock hard at work. 🐝

Welcome to Rural Aid Australia. Rural Aid provides critical support including water, fodder (hay) and counselling assistance to help farmers.

15/06/2026

Your donation today can have TRIPLE the impact for farmers.

💚 $100 becomes $300
💚 $500 becomes $1,500
💚 $1,000 becomes $3,000

The need for support continues to grow.

As drought conditions persist across many farming regions, more farmers are reaching out for help.

🌾 Hay support requests have increased by more than 500%
💳 Financial assistance requests have increased by more than 200%
💧 Water delivered to farming families has increased by more than 70%

Every hay delivery. Every water drop. Every conversation with a farmer starts because someone chose to help.

Please donate today and have triple the impact for farmers in need.
https://www.taxtime.ruralaid.org.au

Thank you to our incredible supporters, Lacetree Family Trust, MCC Group and a group of committed Rural Aid supporters. Every donation will be tripled until the matched pool of $250,000 is exhausted.

14/06/2026

💚 Five years of community, generosity and standing alongside rural Australia.

The wonderful residents of GemLife Bribie Island have once again gone above and beyond in support of Rural Aid.

Over a fantastic fundraising weekend, the community came together for a Parma for a Farmer dinner, a line dancing performance celebrating iconic Australian music, and a morning of bush poetry and delicious homemade treats.

Together, these events raised more than $2,200 to help support farming families and rural communities across Australia.

What makes this support so special is that it's about more than fundraising. It's neighbours bringing people together, sharing stories, creating connections and choosing to make a difference for people they may never meet.

Since 2022, the GemLife Bribie Island community has continued to stand alongside rural Australia, helping ensure farmers and rural communities can access support when they need it most.

From everyone at Rural Aid, thank you for your generosity, creativity and commitment to making a positive impact. We are incredibly grateful for your ongoing support. 💚

11/06/2026

"The fire didn't choose what to take."

Chris has lived on his property for 45 years.

Over those decades, he built a life there. A family home. A winery. A mudbrick bed and breakfast cottage he built himself. Machinery sheds, equipment and tractors. Years of hard work and memories.

Then the fire came through.

"We lost our family home... lost our machinery shed and all the equipment and tractors. Probably the worst outcome you could think of."

In a matter of hours, so much was gone.

But not everything was lost.

"I'm alive and my son's alive. So that's a great thing."

And somehow, his vineyard survived.
For Chris, the vines standing amongst the devastation mean more than just a crop.
"It's telling me something, that there's hope for the future."

Today, Chris is doing what so many farmers do after disaster strikes.
Taking one step at a time.
Working out what rebuilding looks like.
Looking ahead, even when the road forward feels uncertain.

Like many farmers recovering from disasters, Chris is finding a way forward while carrying the weight of everything that has been lost.

His story is a reminder that recovery doesn't happen overnight. It takes time, determination and support. But even in the toughest circumstances, hope can still take root.

💚 Rural Aid is proud to stand alongside farming families as they recover, rebuild and plan for the future.

If you want to help lend a hand, you can donate to this year’s Tax Appeal here:
https://www.taxtime.ruralaid.org.au/

10/06/2026

When farming families are recovering from drought, recovery doesn't happen alone.

It happens when communities, volunteers and partners come together.

Last week, Woolworths team members from local stores (Berri, Loxton, Waikerie and Renmark) and support office got their boots dirty and joined the Rural Aid team to assist farming families recovering from ongoing drought conditions, dust storms and locust outbreaks.

There was plenty of practical work completed, but as with all Farm Recovery Events, the biggest impact was often found in the conversations. Taking the time to listen, connect and remind farmers they're not facing these challenges alone helps restore hope, strengthen wellbeing and build the connections that support recovery.

Their support didn't stop there. The local stores also helped spread the word about Rural Aid through in-store screens and with food vouchers throughout the week.
We're incredibly grateful for Woolworths' ongoing commitment to supporting Australian farmers and rural communities.

When partners step beyond a donation and show up on farm, they help create hope, strengthen community connection and support farming families as they recover, rebuild and prepare for the future.

Thank you, Woolworths, for standing alongside Australian farmers before, during and after disaster.

09/06/2026

Out in the communities that make rural Australia special 💚

The start of June saw Rural Aid team members travelling across Australia, spending time in communities, listening to stories and connecting people with support.

From bushfire-affected communities in Victoria to flood recovery conversations in North West Queensland, one thing has stood out everywhere we've gone – the strength of rural communities and the way people show up for one another.

In Victoria, communities continue to support each other through recovery, checking in with neighbours and asking an important question: "How are you really going?"

In New South Wales, our team has been meeting with farmers, local businesses, community groups and councils, helping strengthen the connections that keep rural communities thriving.

In Western Australia, we joined local community events and school wellbeing programs, creating opportunities for conversations, connection and support.

And in North West Queensland, our team joined locals at the iconic Dirt n Dust Festival in Julia Creek. From triathlons and mud runs to rodeos, community competitions and plenty of laughs, the event brought people together from across the region who recently endured a long wet season that included large flood events.

For Rural Aid, events like these are an opportunity to meet farmers where they are. Sometimes that looks like a workshop or recovery hub. Sometimes it's a community festival, a local sporting club or a chat over a barbecue.

Because support doesn't always start with asking for help. Sometimes it starts with a conversation.

08/06/2026

For many farming families, rainwater isn't just a convenience, it's their household water supply.

When drought stretches on, every drop matters.

Last week the team from Grundfos stepped away from their day jobs and spent three days alongside Rural Aid volunteers supporting farming families at our Loxton Farm Recovery Event.

Together, they tackled practical jobs around the farm and home, shared stories over a cuppa and lent a helping hand to farming families navigating ongoing drought conditions.

Their support extended beyond volunteering, with a donation supporting our water program and the installation of a household water pump to help improve water access for a farming family who relies on rainwater for everyday household needs.

While the work completed on farm made a real difference, it's often the connection and knowing people care that leaves the greatest impact.

A huge thank you to the team at Grundfos Groundwater & Municipal Solutions ANZ for standing alongside farming families and helping create hope and support recovery in rural communities.

07/06/2026

The faces behind rural Australia 💚

Behind every paddock, every fence line and every sunrise are people who care deeply about what they do.

People who work with the seasons, celebrate the good years and persevere through the difficult ones.

These photos from our Spirit Of The Bush photography competition capture something special. Not just farmers on the land, but the connection between people, place and purpose.

It's a reminder that agriculture is about more than what is grown or produced.
It's about families.
It's about communities.

It's about generations of knowledge passed from one pair of hands to the next.

This Sunday, we're celebrating the people, families and communities that make life on the land so special.