Back on Track team to host post-trial community consultations across Victorian farming regions 

The Back on Track team is inviting farming community members, local leaders, service providers, and stakeholders with an interest in rural mental health and wellbeing to attend a series of post-trial community consultations in the North East, Gippsland and South West of Victoria this March. 

Back on Track is an innovative peer-guided mental health initiative designed to support farming communities experiencing low mood and depression. The program was co-designed with farmers and delivered by trained local coaches who understand farm life and the challenges faced by agricultural communities.  

In 2024–25, a feasibility trial of Back on Track was conducted across three Victorian dairy regions to explore how a locally delivered peer-led support model could work in practice, including recruitment and training of coaches, participant engagement, and alignment with the behavioural activation model at the heart of the program.  

Now that the trial has concluded and findings are being analysed, the Back on Track team will be visiting each region to share project insights, gather community feedback and discuss next steps. Sessions are open to anyone interested in the mental health and wellbeing of farming communities, including farmers, community leaders, service providers, agricultural industry representatives, and mental health stakeholders. 

Selected Back on Track Coaches who delivered the program during the trial will attend several consultations to share reflections on their experience working with participants in their communities. 

Consultation schedule: 
North East (Tallangatta) 
• Tuesday 3 March | 11:00am–1:00pm | Tallangatta Integrated Community Centre 
• Tuesday 3 March | 6:00pm–8:00pm | Victoria Hotel, Tallangatta 

Gippsland (Maffra) 
• Wednesday 4 March | 6:00pm–8:00pm | Maffra Community Sports Club 
• Thursday 5 March | 10:00am–12:00pm | Maffra Hall 

South West (Camperdown) 
• Wednesday 11 March | 11:00am–1:00pm | Killara Centre, Camperdown 
• Wednesday 11 March | 6:00pm–8:00pm | Hampden Hotel, Camperdown 

Sessions are free to attend and catering provided. Attendees are encouraged to register in advance. 

RSVP by 28 February at the button below.

The Back on Track project was funded by the Gardiner Foundation and led by the National Centre for Farmer Health with research support from universities and health service partners.  

Media contact: 
Anna Greene 
Project Manager – Back on Track 
Phone: 03 5551 8533 
Email: BoT@wdhs.net 

Grow your career as a Research Assistant with the National Centre for Farmer Health.

Casual Research Assistant position with the National Centre for Farmer Health.

Applications close: Sunday 14 June 2026

Exciting opportunity to join our team as a Casual Research Assistant. At the NCFH, we are engaged in a wide range of research activities across the areas of physical health, mental health and farm safety.

This position would suit an Early Career Researcher (ECR) looking to build a research track record with an interest in working in (or returning to) a rural community. The position will offer exposure to a wide range of research experiences (with a strong focus on translational research) and provide a challenging and growth-oriented career opportunity.

An initial focus of the role will be on supporting the evaluation of our Health and Lifestyle Assessment program, while collaborating with internal teams, partner universities, and farming communities. Key responsibilities include attending project meetings, liaising with stakeholders, assisting with data collection, and contributing to the reporting and presentation of research findings.

Further Information

To view the position description and to apply, please be directed at the button below. For further details please contact NCFH Director, Alison Kennedy, via email: alison.kennedy@wdhs.net or phone Tel (03) 5551 8533.

To view other career opportunities at the NCFH, please visit our careers page.

Farmer Health eNews June 2026

Find out the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health

• Farmer health scholarship applications now open
• Participants needed: Chronic pain research for farming communities
• Improving mental health and wellbeing support for parents in rural and regional areas
• Upcoming events

View the June 2026 e-newsletter

Read past issues of eNews

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Applications now open for HMF702 scholarships.

Grow your impact. Support farming communities. Apply for a farmer health study scholarship.

Australia’s agricultural communities face unique and evolving challenges. From climate impacts and workforce pressures to mental health and service access. HMF702: Healthy and Sustainable Agricultural Communities provides the knowledge and skills to drive meaningful, place‑based change.

With support from the National Centre for Farmer Health, a limited number of half-scholarships are available for Trimester 2, 2026 (Jul – Oct), helping to support rural professionals to undertake this 100% online Deakin University postgraduate unit.

If you work in health, agriculture, policy, education, or community services and are passionate about strengthening the wellbeing of farming communities this opportunity is for you.

Applications open 25 May and close 25 June 2026.

Invest in your professional development and help shape healthier futures for agricultural communities. Visit www.farmerhealth.org.su/scholarships or contact Dr Jacquie Cotton j.cotton@deakin.edu.au for further information.

Farmer Health eNews May 2026

Find out the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health

• Partnering for Impact: A time for reflection, celebration and opportunity
• Important update: Farmer needlestick injury resources
• Support through prolonged drought: Drought Hardship Loan
• Upcoming events including walk-in clinics

View the May 2026 e-newsletter

Read past issues of eNews

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Important Update: Farmer Needlestick Injury Resources, April 2026.

We’ve released an updated Farmer Needlestick Injuries – Risks and Recommended Treatments Table and Brochure to reflect new products and the latest safety guidance, helping you respond quickly and appropriately if an incident happens and what to take with you when getting medical attention.

With several recent incidents, it’s vital those working with livestock and health professionals have access to the most up-to-date information to reduce risk, support correct clinical management and safe handling practices.

Working with livestock injectables, especially oil-based adjuvants, carries serious risks if a needlestick injury occurs.

These resources are particularly important for sheep and cattle producers and anyone handling vaccines or injectables on-farm.

Older versions have now been superseded. To avoid confusion, make sure you’re using the latest version dated April 2026.

To access our updated resources, Please visit our Farmer Needlestick Injuries page at the button below.

Heart Health

Australians living in rural and remote areas experience more cardiovascular disease (CVD) risk factors, higher rates of CVD-related hospitalisation and are more likely to die of CVD than those in metropolitan areas. The further a person lives from a metropolitan centre, the greater their risk of hospitalisation and death from cardiovascular disease. Living and working on a farm can mean that you are even further away from Emergency Departments that are suitable to treat a possible heart attack. Because of the distance, farm men and women often wait too long before seeking help. With heart attacks every minute counts and getting medical help quickly is important to save heart muscle.   

Many women mistakenly believe that heart disease is only a male problem and dismiss their symptoms or don’t seek help until their condition becomes serious. This is of great concern as heart disease is currently the leading cause of death in women and men.

Contributing factors for higher rates of CVD in rural and remote communities are the result of many compounding issues:

•  Including smoking, high blood cholesterol and blood pressure, diabetes, physical inactivity, overweight, depression and social isolation.
• Additionally lower incomes,  lower levels of education and employment, difficulty accessing affordable healthy food, less sporting clubs, public transport and environments conducive to walking and cycling can also contribute to higher rates of cardiovascular disease,
• A lack of health professionals, reduced health infrastructure and higher costs of health care delivery can also affect patient outcomes following hear attacks.

How Cardiovascular disease develops

The liver is the main processing centre for cholesterol and dietary fat. When we eat too much-saturated fat, (saturated fat usually comes from animals and red meat)  the liver transports the fat, together with cholesterol in the form of lipoproteins, into our bloodstream. Too many circulating low-density lipoproteins (LDLs) in our bloodstream lead to fatty deposits that develop in the arteries. This causes the vessels to narrow and eventually block, leading to heart disease, heart attack and stroke and risking the heart pump to stop at any time.

As with saturated fats, consuming too much-added sugar will impact your cholesterol. Excessive sugar intake will increase calories. If not burnt up as energy, they will travel to the liver and be converted into triglyceride fats. Triglyceride fats are then dumped back into the bloodstream contributing to more fatty deposits in the arteries.

For more information on how to find out more about your heart disease risk Click here

For more information on how to keep your heart health Click here

Fast Facts

• The further a person lives from a metropolitan centre, the greater their risk of hospitalisation and death from cardiovascular disease.
• There is no single cause for CVD, but there are risk factors that increase your chance of developing it. There are modifiable risk factors (ones that you can change) and non-modifiable risk factors (ones that you can’t change).
• You can reduce your risk of heart disease and stroke by making healthy lifestyle choices and having regular medical check-ups.

Register for Pride in the Paddock working group.

The National Centre for Farmer Health, together with Deakin University and Western District Health Service is launching Pride in the Paddock – an initiative to improve access to inclusive preventive health and mental health resources for LGBTIQA+ members of Australia’s farming communities.

We’re looking for LGBTIQA+ farmers, agricultural workers, rural community members and health professionals to join the project, where you will:

 Share your insights
 Review and update existing resources and program content
 Advise on future content priorities

As part of the working group, you’ll be invited to attend 3 – 5 online workshops, 60–90 minutes in length.

Your voice will help shape practical, relevant and inclusive resources that support the health and wellbeing of LGBTIQA+ people in agriculture. Participants will also be offered a small reimbursement ($50 per meeting) for participating in the working group outside of their paid work role e.g. self-employed farmers.

Project starts April 2026 and will continue throughout 2026.

The Pride in the Paddock working group is now at full capacity. If you’d like to be updated with PIP project outcomes at a later date, we encourage you to sign up to our free monthly e-newsletter at the button below.

Shifting Gears farm safety education program integrates hearing health for young people

The National Centre for Farmer Health and Deafness Forum Australia have launched a new hearing health module in the Shifting Gears farm safety education program for students, to celebrate World Hearing Day (3 March). The module provides young people in agricultural communities with essential knowledge about hearing health, noise exposure risks and preventative measures to reduce the impact of noise-induced hearing loss.

NCFH Senior Lecturer/Researcher Dr Jacquie Cotton said that globally, a large proportion of people under the age of 24 are exposed to high levels of noise, and hearing damage is not limited to older people.

“Young people aged between 15-24 are in a great position to learn about and adopt good hearing practices,” Dr Cotton said.

“Hearing loss isn’t something that only affects older people. Many young people living and working in agricultural communities are exposed to hazardous noise levels early in life through tractors and machinery, chainsaws, livestock, shearing sheds and working dogs.

“The new hearing health module in Shifting Gears aims to empower students to take charge of their hearing health, enabling them to prevent long term hearing damage, enjoy longer careers and reduce the risk of hearing loss in the future.” 

Shifting Gears is a teacher-led program designed to support farm safety education among students, particularly those living on farms, studying agriculture and horticulture, or considering careers in these fields. It addresses the need for age- and context-appropriate education materials, providing audiovisual resources, interactive activities, and teacher-led discussion guides to foster learning and engagement among students. 

The hearing health module is a partnership between the NCFH and Deafness Forum Australia, the national representative body for all Australians with hearing challenges, ear or balance disorders, and their families and supporters. 

Deafness Forum Australia CEO Rhonda Locke said the new content will help students understand that hearing health plays a crucial role in their overall wellbeing and physical, mental and social health and that small steps today can positively impact the rest of their lives. 

“The hearing health module in Shifting Gears makes it easier for students and educators to access evidence-based hearing health resources, and improves understanding of the risks around prolonged noise exposure on the farm. It promotes consistent use of hearing protection and safe hearing practices, and how these habits can be integrated into daily life,” Ms Locke said.  

The Shifting Gears program allows teachers to access free, easy-to-use resources that can be incorporated into their lesson plans and align with the health education curriculum. 

For more information on the program and to access the resources, visit farmerhealth.org.au/shifting-gears-2.

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Media contacts

National Centre for Farmer Health
Dr Jacquie Cotton – Senior Lecturer/Researcher
P: 03 5551 8533 | E: jacquie.cotton@wdhs.net

Deafness Forum Australia
Ruth Bailey – Manager, Hearing Health
E: ruth.bailey@deafnessforum.org.au

Farmer Health eNews March 2026

Find out the latest from the National Centre for Farmer Health

• Tackling the Tough Topics: Refreshed and ready for 2026
• New Shifting Gears hearing module
• Industry updates for Victorian farmers:
  • RSVP to hear from Back on Track in March
  • Protect your health: Q fever vaccination clinic
  • “Safety: It does more than keep you safe” campaign
• Help shape Pride in the Paddock
• Upcoming events

View the March 2026 e-newsletter

Read past issues of eNews

Do you want to receive our eNews?

Community event grants extended to support Vic farmers doing it tough

Bushfire and drought affected farming regions across Victoria are set to benefit from a second round of funding from the Look Over the Farm Gate program, which supports communities to deliver events that focus on farmer mental health, wellbeing and resilience. 

The Look Over the Farm Gate program is delivered by the National Centre for Farmer Health with funding from Agriculture Victoria. It was launched in 2025 to help Victorian drought affected communities  and has so far delivered over 130 grassroots initiatives to more than 20,000 people in farming communities across the state. 

NCFH Director Dr Alison Kennedy said these events play a significant role in strengthening social connection and promoting wellbeing during tough and challenging circumstances on the farm, and the new round will play an important role in bushfire recovery as well.  

“So many of Victoria’s farming communities are facing difficult weeks and months ahead as they look to recover and rebuild. The second round of funding for Look Over the Farm Gate events will provide a welcome reprieve and the opportunity to bring community together and start important conversations around mental health,” Alison said.  

“We know that community leaders understand the dynamics and unique needs of their region better than anyone, and as a result, they can help their communities be proactive in protecting their wellbeing, building resilience, and seeking help if needed.” 

Community organisations and groups in Victoria can apply for grants up to $5000. Successful applicants receive an event resource pack from the NCFH with mental health resources tailored to farming communities, and a copy of the Tackling the Tough Topics guidelines to help deliver their event in a psychologically and emotionally safe way. 

“Many event organisers made the most of our Tackling the Tough Topics guide, which provides a step-by-step approach to plan successful mental health and wellbeing events in farming communities using templates, tips and success stories,” Alison said. 

Previous Look Over the Farm Gate events ranged from harvest dinners, performances and film screenings to twilight tennis, art workshops and information sessions such as understanding basic tractor skills. 

“Creativity is limitless in our farming communities,” Alison said. “We’ve found the key ingredients to a successful event are about creating a space for genuine connection, engaging guest speakers, organising free or low-cost activities and providing meaningful community collaboration and partnerships with local services.” 

Applications are open until 20 May 2026 or until funding has been fully allocated, with events to be completed before 30 June 2026. 

For more information on the Look Over the Farm Gate Community Grants program or to apply for funding, visit farmerhealth.org.au/look-over-the-farm-gate. Look Over the Farm Gate is funded by the Victorian Government’s 2025 Drought Support Package. 

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For more information, please contact:

Cecilia Fitzgerald – Project Manager, National Centre for Farmer Health 
P: 03 5551 8533 | E: cecilia.fitzgerald@wdhs.net

Article: Look Over the Farm Gate grants keeping farmers well

Thank you to the Southern Farmer publication for featuring an article on our Look Over the Farm Gate program and event success stories in the January 2026 edition.

Read the full article on pages 6-7.