While some people may associate lawn bowls with greying hair – a group of agricultural minded young folk congregated at the Wonthella Lawn Bowling Club in March for the inaugural Northern Agricultural Region Bootless Bowls.
More than 30 under thirty-five years olds – and even some under one – all got into the community spirit and shared a few ends of bowls and many more laughs.
The event saw a good mix of industry and farmers, mostly local but a handful travelled up from Perth to join their Midwest counterparts.
Event co-organiser Nick Eyres said they ran the event because a number of people saw a significant shortfall in the opportunities for regional young people to socialise outside their direct community.
“Events like this are only going to become more important as farm sizes grow.”
Nick added “I would like to see similar things happen once or twice a year and keen on people showing their faces and saying G’day!”
NACC NRM’s Biodiversity Coordinator Jessica Stingemore managed to sneak onto the bowling green despite the recommended age bracket– Jessica only turned 35 in February so she is forgiven – and said that she was very impressed with the initiative showed by the young people in the local farming community.
“Young people play critical roles as innovators, communicators, and leaders for sustainable agricultural – particularly in the in the ever-expanding digital age.”
“In addition, the rising global population and changing climates mean that young people play a pivotal role in ensuring a sustainable, food-secure future for themselves, and for future generations.”
If you would like to get in touch with this group or have a great idea to bring more like-minded agricultural people together please contact our Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitators- Lizzie King (E) Lizzie.King@nacc.com (P) 0447 361 335 or Annabelle Garratt (E) annabelle.garratt@nacc.com.au (P) 0448 986 879.
What a wonderful idea, we so need our future farmers to be involved both on & off farm