In response to the bushfires and ongoing drought, a new round of applications for the Look Over the Farm Gate community events program has opened.
The Look Over the Farm Gate program offers grants of up to $5000 for events and activities that support mental health and wellbeing of farmers and farming communities.
Applications for the new round of Look Over the Farm Gate funding will remain open until the allocated funding has been exhausted or until 30 June 2026.
People can find out more and apply via the National Centre for Farmer Health website.
Since June 2025, funding has been provided to more than 160 events, with more than 130 Look Over the Farm Gate-supported events held.
The program is part of the Victorian Government’s drought support package of $146.5 million and is administered by the National Centre for Farmer Health on behalf of the Victorian Government.
Acting director agriculture services, Aimee McCutcheon, said the program helps local organisations to deliver events for their community who are doing it tough and has been extremely popular across the state.
“We have seen a range of fantastic events coming through, from BBQs to film screenings, guest speakers, to sporting activities – all focused on meeting the needs of local communities,” Mrs McCutcheon said.
Events held in 2025 included ‘Blooming in the Dry’ in Kyabram which was attended by 50 farming women.
Event organiser, Renee Pichler, said
the event was designed for those who
often carried the invisible load of
farm stress and household management.
She said attendees went away with new connections, support service information and a fresh posy.
A Farmers-Q event was held in Cavendish for 140 people, with event organiser, Wayne Vearing, saying after a successful event in 2024, they wanted to keep the momentum going with a barbecue.
The whole community was able to take a break and talk to a mate, with money raised from donated items going back into the local community.
