Supporting bush people to thrive by providing
mental health and wellbeing services.
Supporting bush communities to thrive through
community wellbeing.
Supporting bush people to thrive by providing
mental health and wellbeing services.
Supporting bush communities to thrive through
community wellbeing.
mental health and wellbeing services
We’re supporting bush people to thrive through mental health and wellbeing services.
“The first time I ever heard of Outback Futures was when my dad took his own life back in 2018.”
“The difference between me and my dad is that I got help,” says Cloe, who lives and works on a property in Barcaldine Region and connects face-to-face and online with an Outback Futures' counsellor.
440
clients across Central West and North West Queensland received consistent and accessible support
3,897
appointments
84%
of appointments were telehealth
16%
of appointments were face-to-face
mental health and wellbeing services
We’re supporting bush people to thrive through mental health and wellbeing services.
“The first time I ever heard of Outback Futures was when my dad took his own life back in 2018.”
“The difference between me and my dad is that I got help,” says Cloe, who lives and works on a property in Barcaldine Region and connects face-to-face and online with an Outback Futures' counsellor.
440
clients across Central West and North West Queensland received consistent and accessible support
3,897
appointments
84%
of appointments were telehealth
16%
of appointments were face-to-face
mental health and wellbeing services
Helping bush kids grow in confidence and capacity at school and in life.
"We don't have that support locally, and sometimes all the kids need is a little bit of intervention to succeed in education and in life.”
In her role as Principal of St Patrick’s Catholic School in Winton, Bridget Tully has seen firsthand the growth and development of students who have worked with the Outback Futures team.
61%
of our clients were kids and teens under 18
39%
of our clients were 18 and over
25
schools and child care centres worked together with Outback Futures, helping kids and teens reach developmental milestones and strengthen wellbeing
mental health and wellbeing services
Helping bush kids grow in confidence and capacity at school and in life.
"We don't have that support locally, and sometimes all the kids need is a little bit of intervention to succeed in education and in life.”
In her role as Principal of St Patrick’s Catholic School in Winton, Bridget Tully has seen firsthand the growth and development of students who have worked with the Outback Futures team.
61%
of our clients were kids and teens under 18
39%
of our clients were 18 and over
25
schools worked together with Outback Futures to help kids and teens reach their developmental milestones and strengthen their wellbeing
mental health and wellbeing services
Delivering consistent and accessible support that’s making a lifetime of difference.
"I can talk to Natty about anything and she is always there to listen. She always helps me build a strategy to help me cope with my feelings and tough situations."
Harriet lives on a property near the town of Isisford in Central West Queensland with her parents and two sisters. Harriet goes to school at Isisford State School and has regularly accessed face-to-face and telehealth appointments with our occupational therapist Natty.
58%
of appointments helped people of all ages learn strategies and tools for stronger mental health with our psychologists, counsellors, and social workers
36%
of appointments helped kids, teens and adults strengthen their speech, communication and literacy skills
6%
of appointments helped kids and teens build life and social skills with our occupational therapists
20
allied and mental health clinicians contributed to thriving bush communities
mental health and wellbeing services
Delivering consistent and accessible support that’s making a lifetime of difference.
"I can talk to Natty about anything and she is always there to listen. She always helps me build a strategy to help me cope with my feelings and tough situations."
Harriet lives on a property near the town of Isisford in Central West Queensland with her parents and two sisters. Harriet goes to school at Isisford State School and has regularly accessed face-to-face and telehealth appointments with our occupational therapist Natty.
58%
of appointments helped people of all ages learn strategies and tools for stronger mental health with our psychologists, counsellors, and social workers
36%
of appointments helped kids, teens and adults strengthen their speech, communication and literacy skills
6%
of appointments helped kids and teens build life and social skills with our occupational therapists
20
allied and mental health clinicians contributed to thriving bush communities
Working together with 11 LGAs covering 30% of the state’s geographical area.
From families living on remote properties, and schools with less than 10 students, to workplaces in a small town, and community groups for over 60s, our team has gone the extra mile to provide support and care for our bush communities.
Community wellbeing
Facilitating positive wellbeing conversations in outback communities.
This year people across communities in 7 of our regions participated in Head Yakka Community Conversations to identify opportunities and contribute ideas to build their community’s wellbeing.
The Head Yakka initiative encourages people to champion wellbeing in their community.
Head Yakka in action looks different for each community, as we use our Wellbeing Windmill to encourage people to harness individual and community strengths and resources, and mobilise them to initiate locally appropriate ideas and activities.
In a gym in the small outback town of Barcaldine, Kasey Schaepman is drawing on her own experience of mental health challenges and helping others to strengthen their mental health and wellbeing.
7
LGAs participated in Head Yakka Community Conversations
Community wellbeing
Connecting and reflecting with our longest living bush residents.
Capturing a lifetime of experiences gave some of our longest living bush residents a wonderful opportunity to reflect, celebrate, and heal.
Our team facilitated the Connection Through Reflection program with 26 aged care residents in Longreach and Blackall. Participants met regularly over several months with both a facilitator and a counsellor to share experiences and create a large storyboard poster.
26
of our longest living bush residents participated in Connection Through Reflection
520
hours of support and connection with aged care residents through this program
Community wellbeing
Delivering a resilience roadmap for bush kids.
“I enjoyed the workshop, it really changed how I thought about things! It’s helped me think about my hopes and plans after school.” (Year 11 student)
In response to the 2019 monsoonal flood event in North Queensland which saw flooding 70km wide and 700km long, the National Emergency Management Agency (NEMA) funded projects with a focus on helping build kids resilience, and other areas.
343
kids aged 6-12
92
youth aged 13-17
87
face-to-face student workshops
21
face-to-face parent and carer workshops
18
parent and carer webinars
People are why we do what we do.
Our team are the heartbeat of our organisation, and we are thankful for the ways our team go the extra mile for our clients and communities.
This year we farewelled three people who have been part of Outback Futures since the beginning.
Selena Gomersall
In 2011, under the Far North Queensland sun, Selena first began to understand the extent of the mental health challenges bush families face, and the additional complexities created by issues of accessibility, consistency, and quality of service provision. And so began a journey that saw Outback Futures established in 2013, a grassroots volunteer organisation with a heart for bush people. Selena is one of our Founders, and over the years has worked tirelessly in her roles as Chief Executive Officer and more recently, Chief Advocacy Officer.
"I feel deep gratitude for the privilege of sharing life with incredible outback people and communities, and working alongside a passionate and dedicated team committed to seeing genuine long term change," Selena shared.
"I remain ever passionate about the mental health and wellbeing of rural and remote Australia. I am not saying goodbye, because I will be ever present, cheering and supporting from the sidelines - as I believe the best is yet to come!"
Wayne and Louise Middleton
Wayne and Louise Middleton were also part of the small group of people who founded Outback Futures, and have served over the years in multiple roles – from face-painter extraordinaire (Louise) and instigator of fun and mischief (Wayne) on the Camp Cobbold teams, to long term team staff member (Louise) and board member (Wayne). Their skills, gifts and heart for people have contributed to who we are as an organisation and our values.
Thank you Selena, Louise and Wayne, for giving so much of yourselves to our outback communities.
Partnering together for good.
We are thankful for generous partners who help us go the extra mile.
From philanthropic trusts and foundations, to government funders, corporate sponsors and individual donors, we are thankful for our financial and in-kind supporters who are committed to our outback communities and us as an organisation.
Alongside the generous giving of individual donors, we are thankful for the opportunity to partner with these organisations:
Financial summary.
