THE historic Mooloomoon Wool Shed was brought to life last Saturday for a long lunch held on the banks of the Edward River.
Hosted by the Young Country Networkers, and funded by the Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network, more than 120 people from across the Barham, Moulamein, Swan Hill and Kyalite regions came together to wine and dine well into the afternoon.
Young Country Networker Charleton Glenn said the aim of the long lunch was to bring people together in times of drought.
“Given the drought and current uncertainty around water and politics, we wanted to do something to get people off farm and encourage them to socialise in these tough times,” Ms Glenn told The Guardian.
“We provided a space away from water politics, drought and debate and instead highlighted mental health and how important wellbeing is.
“All in all, it was a really successful day, everyone enjoyed themselves and appreciated having a daytime event.”
Guest speaker Warren Davies presented a talk at the long lunch about the importance of mental health.
A past dairy farmer himself, Warren spoke about his journey of overcoming hardship.
“His story is so relatable, he’s a farmer who didn’t tell anyone he had a mental health problem,” Ms Glenn said.
“He focussed on three key things in his talk; persistence, resilience and determination.
“He conveys his message so well and doesn’t make anyone feel awkward, insecure or scared. Instead he gets the message across that it’s okay to talk to somebody.”
The day also aimed to showcase local business with catering supplied by Prestige Catering Cobram, drinks by Moulamein Lake Committee, dessert by Penny Munro and flowers from Rustic Ivy Swan Hill.
“We used all local services for the day, putting money back into the town in this time of drought,” Ms Glenn said.
“We had really good engagement from different community groups and held it locally so it was accessible to everyone.”
The Mooloomoon Historic Retreat was the venue of choice due to its accessibility and “beautiful spot” along the Edward River.
“Mooloomoon is a fantastic venue, it had all the facilities we needed,” Ms Glenn said.
“We are very lucky to have Diane and Graeme Nalder who have opened the doors for the event.
“It’s an iconic part of the Moulamein township and by sharing it with outsiders, we hope they come back to visit.”
The Young Country Networkers are a community group that engages with a wide network of people from different rural industries.
The group aims to hold events, workshops and field trips to provide rural people with the opportunity to meet new and like-minded people within the community.
The event was made possible thanks to funding from Murrumbidgee Primary Health Network through the Australian Government’s PHN Program and empowering communities program.
