Welcome to FRRR’s Tackling Tough Times Together podcast – about how people in remote, rural and regional Australia helped one another pull through the harshest droughts in living memory.
In this episode, we hear how a collective of creatives united the South Australian township of Orroroo on the southern end of the Flinders Ranges and renewed the town.
We chat to community leaders about the challenges they faced, how they responded, what impact their project had and the legacy it left. They share their stories and lessons learnt, as we all learn how to cope with an increasingly dry climate.
The idea for the 5431 Collective started with a workout at the local gym. Fiona Dignan and Kate Pierce hatched the dream to revive their beloved town, and then saw their vision through to reality, so much so they’re now Chairperson and Secretary respectively of the 5431 Collective.
Named after the postcode for Orroroo, the 5431 Collective has renewed the town. The main street is buzzing again with a hub for farmers and local creatives who struggled through drought, and now have a friendly base they can use for a side income to help their families through challenging times and stay connected to the local community.
The community rallied behind the initiative, with working bees to restore a historic building for the hub, lifting their spirits by taking their minds off the social, mental and economic impacts that prolonged drought had wrought on the district.
This project was funded by FRRR - the Foundation for Rural & Regional Renewal– thanks to partnerships with philanthropy, government and business, and the generosity of individuals, all of whom share the vision of a vibrant, resilient, sustainable and empowered rural Australia.
FRRR acknowledges the Dja Dja Wurrung people as the Traditional Custodians of Jaara country at Bendigo, where the organisation is headquartered. We also acknowledge all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander nations around this vast country, and pay respect to their Elders past and present, and to the continuation of the custodial, cultural and educational practices of Australia’s First Peoples.
GET IN TOUCH
The Tackling Tough Times Together podcast was produced for FRRR, the only charity focussed on building the social and economic strength of remote, rural and regional Australia. This project was funded in partnership with the Australian government. For further information on anything shared in this podcast, or if you have a project and would like to apply for funding, or you would like to support these kinds of projects, head to www.frrr.org.au or call 1800 170 020.
CREDITS
Host: Nance Haxton
Production Assistance: Michael Adams
Interviewees: Fiona Dignan, Chairperson and Kate Pierce, Secretary of the 5431 Collective
RESOURCES
FRRR - www.frrr.org.au
5431 Collective - www.5431collective.com.au/