Celebrating resilience on Rural Women’s Day

The Tourist Hotel’s beer garden was buzzing with inspiring conversations, lots of laughter and the clinking of glasses to celebrate Rural Women’s Day.

“The inaugural Rural Women’s Day lunch was a sell-out success, which we’re incredibly pleased about,” said Justin Davison, Narrabri Shire Council’s community recovery officer.

“The positive feedback from attendees has been overwhelming, and it was great to see the event full of women connecting and celebrating the vital role they play in our community’s resilience and recovery.

“This event was funded by the NSW Reconstruction Authority as part of the Community Recovery Officer position, allowing us to work with The Tourist, which helped bring a collaborative and dynamic atmosphere to the day.

“The main theme centred around ‘Celebrating Resilience’, which allowed us to delve into stories of personal and community strength, particularly focused on the recovery journey following natural disasters.

“But also, recovery readiness by building social networks and promoting the newly established Community Resilience Network,” explained Justin.

The impressive mix of speakers created an engaging panel, reflecting rural women from all walks of life and recognising talented locals from our region.

“Some standout moments included our incredible emcee and panel members leading heartfelt discussions and offering practical advice that resonated deeply with the audience,” said Justin.

“New friendships and networks were created throughout the day.

“The panel itself was composed of local leaders who have each impacted their communities in meaningful ways:

“Jacki Neil, principal of Wee Waa High School shared her experiences in educational leadership, highlighting her commitment to students and the local community. She emphasised mental health advocacy and resilience-building within schools, providing insights on supporting young people through change and uncertainty.

“Bianca Egan, owner of Bide Wellbeing shared her perspective on the importance of mental health, self-care, and the role small businesses play in community resilience. Her journey highlighted the resilience required to sustain a business through challenges and emphasised well-being as a key component of recovery.

“Eloise Chaplain, interim general manager for Narrabri Shire shared valuable insights on local government leadership amid community recovery challenges. She discussed balancing immediate needs with long-term resilience planning, emphasising the role of strong leadership and collaboration in supporting recovery and growth.

“We were lucky to have Malinda Guest as our MC, who did a fantastic job of guiding the day with her warmth and charisma,” said Justin.

“Malinda is a clinical psychologist and director of Boundless Psychology.

“She has a passion for rural mental health and juggles a diverse array of roles including mother, wife, clinical psychologist, director, and supervisor.

“Malinda introduced a mental health initiative by placing ‘check-in cards’ on each table.

“These cards encouraged attendees to connect and served as a reminder of the importance of checking in on mental health and well-being among friends and family.”

Malinda told the Wee Waa News it was “an honour to be part of such an inspiring day” and said she created the ‘Know Your Mates’ cards to help friends connect through fun, easy conversations and to create stronger bonds.

“We know there’s still a reluctance to talk about mental health with our mates, which is why these cards take a light-hearted approach to get people talking so ultimately, they know their mates better,” she said.

“By strengthening these connections, it becomes easier to have more serious conversations when needed, making sure mates feel comfortable about opening up and supporting one another.”

Growing up in the Narrabri region, Malinda knows the complexities, successes, and misconceptions of bush life.

However, she also recognises there are plenty of positive aspects to living in the country too, explaining one of the highlights of the Rural Women’s Day lunch was witnessing “the incredible sense of connection and community among everyone present.”

“Celebrating rural women and their contributions was incredibly meaningful, and witnessing the support and encouragement everyone offered each other was truly heartwarming,” said Malinda.

“It reinforced just how important events like these are in building connections and strengthening our community.

“The day truly highlighted the power of connection and the strength of rural women.

“Celebrating rural women was incredibly meaningful, and I would love to see more events like this next year to continue building on this wonderful sense of community and connection.”

NSC said the event also promoted the Community Resilience Network and encouraged interested community members to contact the council to join.

“Additionally, The Big Map, scheduled for November 3, will provide an opportunity for the community to engage with resilience planning and initiatives,” Justin added.