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Mental health: how living in the city and country compare

Is it better to live in a city or in the countryside? While urban dwellers may benefit from more employment opportunities, better access to public services alongside cultural activities and entertainment, people who live in rural areas often argue they have a better sense of community and greater access to nature. A number of studies have sought to determine whether city or country is better for mental health by drawing on national survey data from the <a href="https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/">UK Household Longitudinal Study</a> (UKHLS). This is a national survey which has followed approximately 40,000 UK households since 2009. Each year, data is collected on a range of social, economic and behavioural factors. This is what some of these studies have found when it comes to mental health and where you live: <h2>Physical activity</h2> Research has shown that physical activity can reduce <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0749379719302466?casa_token=_QxDT_feTekAAAAA:Sd_9jfW0ukJY1fUCkUx43sTEGHkNBiwqViPI4-HfSx-LngPhuxBjGMRQrokDmpYlZIwzR7wDzA">anxiety</a> and <a href="https://ajp.psychiatryonline.org/doi/full/10.1176/appi.ajp.2018.17111194">depression</a>, alongside <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/00223980.2018.1470487">improving mood</a> and <a href="https://academic.oup.com/tbm/article-abstract/10/5/1098/5921063?login=true">wellbeing</a>. Indeed, UK health guidelines recommend physical activity for the <a href="https://www.nice.org.uk/guidance/ng222">treatment of depression</a> and <a href="https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/physical-activity-guidelines-adults-and-older-adults/physical-activity-for-adults-and-older-adults-19-and-over-text-of-the-infographic">improved quality of life</a>. One easy way of getting more physical activity in your life is through active travel – such as cycling or walking on your way to work or running errands. So how does urban or rural dwelling impact on this? According to UKHLS research which looked at data from 35,295 people in the UK, urban residents were 64% more likely than rural residents to <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s00038-014-0578-2">engage frequently in active travel</a>. This is likely because there are more active travel opportunities in urban environments where there are shorter distances between facilities, shops, offices and homes. Research shows that the more active travel a person does, the better their <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2214140520300487">mental health</a>. In fact, the mental health benefits of active travel may be <a href="https://pubmed.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/28153647">just as good</a> as physical activity for leisure. So, based on this measure, people living in the city may have better mental health overall. But while urban life may offer more opportunities for active travel compared to living in the countryside, that doesn’t mean there aren’t still many ways to incorporate physical activity into your daily life for mental health benefits wherever you live. <h2>Access to green space</h2> Access to green space (such as parks) is believed to support many aspects of <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-44097-3">health and wellbeing</a> – including your <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/09638237.2020.1755027?journalCode=ijmh20">mental health</a>. To investigate whether nearby green space was related to mental wellbeing, data from the 2009-2010 UKHLS study was combined with data on the proportion of green space within different areas of England. The analysis found the amount of local green space did not actually <a href="https://bmcpublichealth.biomedcentral.com/articles/10.1186/s12889-017-4401-x">predict mental wellbeing</a>. What this suggests is that while green space may be important for mental wellbeing, having it nearby doesn’t necessarily mean people will engage with it. As such, we can’t assume rural living is inherently more beneficial just because nature is more accessible. This aligns with the findings of a 2021 study, which showed that living near green space <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-021-87675-0#Sec2">did not improve mental health outcomes</a>. However, the analysis did find that the more frequently a person visited green spaces, the better their mental wellbeing. <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/17439760.2016.1221126">Meaningful engagement with green spaces</a> (such as taking photographs) may also be more important for reaping the mental health benefits of nature. As such, urban living may be just as good as rural dwelling when it comes to the mental health benefits of green space. <h2>Air quality</h2> Numerous studies have found links between high levels of <a href="https://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/articles/PMC6447209/">air pollution</a> and <a href="https://www.kcl.ac.uk/news/exposure-to-air-pollution-linked-with-increased-mental-health-service-use-new-study-finds">poorer mental health</a>. A <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0161813X22001668?via%253Dihub">review of 111 studies</a> even suggests that polluted air may cause changes in the brain regions that control emotions. This may increase the risk of developing anxiety and depression compared to those who breathe cleaner air. To investigate the impact of air pollution on mental health, researchers combined data on air pollution from the UK Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs with UKHLS survey data, alongside data from the British Household Panel Survey (which looked at 10,000 UK households and ran from 1991 to 2009). This allowed them to analyse data from the years 1991-2014. The analysis found that people who were exposed to higher levels of air pollution reported lower levels of <a href="https://www.understandingsociety.ac.uk/research/publications/524260">life satisfaction</a>. The study indicated that the negative effect of air pollution on life satisfaction can be equivalent to major life events, such as divorce. In general, urban areas have between <a href="https://www.thelancet.com/pdfs/journals/lanplh/PIIS2542-5196(21)00255-2.pdf">two to four times the levels of air pollution</a> than rural areas, suggesting people who live in cities may be more likely to experience worse mental health as a result. However, the agricultural industry also generates <a href="https://uk-air.defra.gov.uk/assets/documents/reports/aqeg/2800829_Agricultural_emissions_vfinal2.pdf">high levels of air pollution</a> meaning some rural dwellers in certain settings may also be at risk. <h2>Regional variation in wellbeing</h2> Of course, these are just a few of the factors that affect a person’s day to day mental health – and it appears neither city nor country living is significantly better than the other when it comes to your mental health. Indeed, research has found that the <a href="https://www.tandfonline.com/doi/full/10.1080/00343404.2019.1645953?needAccess=true">region of the country</a> you live in may be more important when it comes to your mental health than whether you live in the city or the countryside. There are many factors that may explain this effect, including the cost of living in certain areas, alongside local politics and a person’s economic status. Where we live is clearly very important when it comes to our mental health. But the place that works best for your mental health will depend largely on broader social and economic factors as well as which aspects of your lifestyle are most important to you. Image credit: Shutterstock This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/mental-health-how-living-in-the-city-and-country-compare-200402" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Mind

Loretta Lynn was more than a great songwriter – she was a spokeswoman for white rural working-class women

Loretta Lynn’s <a href="https://www.nytimes.com/2022/10/04/arts/music/loretta-lynn-dead.html">death at the age of 90</a> marks the end of a remarkable life of achievement in country music. Her dramatic life story – retold in the 1980 award-winning film “<a href="https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0080549/">Coal Miner’s Daughter</a>,” based on <a href="https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/loretta-lynn/coal-miners-daughter/9781538701690/">Lynn’s 1976 biography</a> – made Lynn a household name. She grew up in poverty in a small Kentucky mining town, marrying and starting a family as a teenager before reaching unprecedented heights of commercial success as a recording artist of modern country music. But as a <a href="https://arts-sciences.buffalo.edu/music/faculty/faculty-directory.host.html/content/shared/arts-sciences/music/new-faculty-profiles/vander-wel-stephanie.html">scholar of gender and country music</a> and author of “<a href="https://www.press.uillinois.edu/books/?id=p084959">Hillbilly Maidens, Okies, and Cowgirls: Women’s Country Music, 1930-1960</a>,” I know that Lynn represented more than just star power and fame in country music – she spoke to the concerns of women, especially white working-class women in rural and suburban America. <h2>Speaking up, singing out</h2> Lynn’s rise in the 1960s took place when country music appeared tied to conservative politics. It was a time when Merle Haggard’s “<a href="https://academic.oup.com/california-scholarship-online/book/28551/chapter-abstract/238414028?redirectedFrom=fulltext">Okie from Muskogee</a>,” with its attacks on counterculture, marijuana and draft-card burning, became a populist anthem for the country’s cultural conservatives. In contrast, Lynn’s songwriting continued the legacy of <a href="https://www.latimes.com/local/obituaries/la-me-kitty-wells-20120717-story.html">Kitty Wells</a>, <a href="https://www.tennessean.com/story/entertainment/music/2016/09/25/country-music-hall-famer-jean-shepard-dead-82/76568704/">Jean Shepard</a> and other women in country music who were willing to speak up about the concerns of American women. Lynn’s songs defied societal expectations by connecting her musical representations of working-class and rural women to broader social issues affecting women across the U.S. She aimed for her music to articulate the fears, dreams and anger of women living in a patriarchal society. It railed against those who idealized women’s domestic roles and demonized outspoken feminists. <h2>‘There’s gonna be some changes’</h2> Specifically, for a generation of predominantly white women in the 1960s and 1970s who did not identify as urban or college-educated feminists, Lynn’s music offered candid conversations about their private lives as wives and mothers. As Lynn <a href="https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/loretta-lynn/coal-miners-daughter/9781538701690/">stated in her autobiography</a>, her audience recognized her as a “mother and a wife and a daughter, who had feelings just like other women.” She did this through clever and witty songwriting and lyrical techniques that combined the vernacular of her audience with her resonant voice. Meanwhile, the song arrangements of Owen Bradley of Decca Records directed Lynn’s musical talents to a broad audience. He combined the edgier sound of honky-tonk instrumentation – electric guitars, pedal steels and fiddles – with the polish of the Nashville sound by including the smooth sounding vocal harmonies of the vocal quartet the <a href="http://www.jordanaires.net/">Jordanaires</a>, as heard in numerous country, gospel and rock ‘n’ roll recordings. This provided a sound of strength and conviction to accompany Lynn’s bold and forthright songs as she laid bare the double standards of gender roles. With her assertive and resonant voice, Lynn, in her 1966 track “<a href="https://www.rollingstone.com/music/music-lists/loretta-lynn-best-lyrics-songwriting-175002/">Don’t Come Home A Drinkin’ (With Lovin’ on Your Mind)</a>,” warns men not to expect women to be waiting at home, sexually available for them after they’d spent the night drinking: <blockquote> Well, you thought I’d be waitin’ up when you came home last night You’d been out with all the boys and you ended up half tight Liquor and love, they just don’t mix Leave that bottle or me behind And don’t come home a drinkin’ with lovin’ on your mind </blockquote> In a similar vein, Lynn, who <a href="https://www.grandcentralpublishing.com/titles/loretta-lynn/coal-miners-daughter/9781538701690/">claimed that her songs about wayward husbands</a> were inspired by her fraught marriage to Oliver “Doolittle” Lynn, confronted the “other woman” in songs such as 1966’s “You Ain’t Woman Enough” and 1968’s “Fist City.” <h2>A lasting legacy</h2> Fully aware that her personalized accounts became political messages for her fan base of women, Lynn co-wrote and recorded “<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/10/04/loretta-lynn-the-pill/">The Pill</a>” in 1975. It was a rare foray into the topic of women’s reproductive rights for country music. In typical fashion, though, Lynn approached the issue from the perspective of a rural working-class woman: <blockquote> I’m tired of all your crowin’ How you and your hens play While holdin’ a couple in my arms Another’s on the way This chicken’s done tore up her nest And I’m ready to make a deal And ya can’t afford to turn it down ‘Cause you know I’ve got the pill </blockquote> The song’s sexual innuendos about cavorting roosters and hens incorporated the double entendres and humor of early blues and country, while providing a frank discussion about female sexual pleasure. It also addressed the right for women to take control over their bodies and reproduction. The song came out just two years after <a href="https://supreme.justia.com/cases/federal/us/410/113/">the Supreme Court passed Roe v. Wade</a>, granting women the ability to govern their own reproductive health through abortion. Indeed, Lynn commented on the Supreme Court’s ruling in her autobiography “Personally, I think you should prevent unwanted pregnancy rather than get an abortion. It would be wrong for me. But I’m thinking of all the poor girls who get pregnant when they don’t want to be, and how they should have a choice instead of leaving it up to some politician or doctor who don’t have to raise the baby.” Her recording “<a href="https://www.washingtonpost.com/music/2022/10/04/loretta-lynn-the-pill/">The Pill</a>” spoke to married women who wanted to be able to space out their children and prevent unwanted pregnancies so that they could pursue educational and professional opportunities. In interviews, Lynn discussed at length how female listeners flocked to her after concerts, relieved to find a public figure with whom they felt comfortable to discuss birth control. Not everyone was thrilled, though. Male country <a href="https://www.thedailybeast.com/after-country-stations-banned-loretta-lynns-the-pill-it-became-her-biggest-pop-hit">disc jockeys banned</a> “The Pill” from the airwaves. Nonetheless, the recording became her biggest seller in 1975 and furthered Lynn’s reputation as a spokeswoman for white rural working-class women. Her music also inspired the women in country music who followed her to further explore issues of gender roles. Lynn’s legacy lives on in the music of female country artists – such as <a href="https://www.reba.com/">Reba McEntire</a> and <a href="https://www.mirandalambert.com/">Miranda Lambert</a> – who learned from Lynn how to create music that confronts and triumphs over the societal obstacles that women face. While all of country music will mourn the death of Lynn, it is perhaps her female fans who will feel the loss more acutely. Lynn gave them a social and political voice, and helped make country music a genre relevant to the complexities of women’s lives. Image credits: Getty Images This article originally appeared on <a href="https://theconversation.com/loretta-lynn-was-more-than-a-great-songwriter-she-was-a-spokeswoman-for-white-rural-working-class-women-191932" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a>.

Music

What makes doctors likely to stay in the countryside?

A <a href="https://doi.org/10.5694/mja2.51476" target="_blank" rel="noreferrer noopener">study</a> published this week in the Medical Journal of Australia (MJA) investigates the factors that make Australian doctors more likely to practice in rural communities after graduation. “An adequate rural medical workforce is critical for continuity of care and the health and wellbeing of rural communities,” the study authors write. The research looked at data from doctors trained at 11 Australian medical schools, tracking how many of them were practicing medicine in metropolitan, regional or rural areas of Australia five and eight years following their graduation in 2011. Rural origins and training experiences are key Medical graduates who came from a rural background themselves, or who had undertaken extended rural placement during their training, were significantly more likely to move to or remain in rural practice. Graduates who fulfilled both categories – who were of rural origin and had extended rural training experience – were about 3.6 times as likely to be working in regional areas and 4.8 times as likely to be working in rural areas eight years after graduation, compared to graduates who came from cities and had not completed extended rural placement. Katie Willson, a GP junior registrar currently working in Murray Bridge, fits this description. She grew up in Toowoomba before moving to Brisbane and then Adelaide, studying medicine through a special rural stream at Flinders University. “As a trainee, I really liked that you were so hands-on,” Willson explains. “A lot of my [metropolitan] colleagues were just trailing at the end of the team in a big hospital. “In the country, I was the one working with the doctor. I found that my skills and knowledge progressed way faster than I expected.” The new study also found that graduates who were not of rural origin but had an extended rural training experience were 2.7 times as likely to be practicing in rural areas eight years after graduation, compared to their metropolitan fellows who had not had this experience. Moving from rural to metro and back again Between the five-year and eight-year timepoints, comparatively few graduates moved from metropolitan to rural locations or vice versa. However, the authors noted that the overall proportion of 2011 graduates practicing in rural locations rose during the study period, from 7.6% at five years post-graduation to 9.4% eight years post-graduation. This suggests doctors may be moving to rural communities after completing training that is more accessible in the cities. Sarah Trewren, originally from Berri in the SA Riverland, completed her medical degree in 2020 and is currently working at the Royal Adelaide Hospital. However, she hopes to return to rural practice in her future career. <div class="newsletter-box"> <div id="wpcf7-f6-p187890-o1" class="wpcf7" dir="ltr" lang="en-US" role="form"> <form class="wpcf7-form mailchimp-ext-0.5.61 init" action="/people/society/retain-rural-medical-workforce/#wpcf7-f6-p187890-o1" method="post" novalidate="novalidate" data-status="init"> <input class="wpcf7-form-control wpcf7-text referer-page" name="referer-page" type="hidden" value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/" data-value="https://cosmosmagazine.com/health/" aria-invalid="false" /> </form> </div> </div> “My dad was a rural GP in Berri – he worked there for all my life,” she explains. Trewren moved to Adelaide to attend medical school and participated in the John Flynn placement program, which included a two-week rural placement every year for the first four years of her degree. She went on to complete her fifth-year training in a town in SA’s Barossa Valley. “I have no doubt I will end up rural at some point in life,” Trewren says. “I really love the community feel you get in a rural town and getting to know patients a bit better at the GP clinic.” However, both Trewren and Willson agree that rural practice can be daunting at times for junior doctors. “I think isolation and lack of support is definitely a challenge, and it can be hard keeping up your training and education,” Willson says. “In the city, it’s very much a hierarchical-type situation, so as junior doctors you’ve always got someone above you who you can call,” says Trewren. “You can bounce ideas off each other.” Supporting the rural medical workforce The new research findings point to promising strategies to increase a sustainable rural medical workforce in Australia. “This study confirms what previous research had suggested – that we can potentially grow the rural medical workforce by increasing the proportion of rural origin students admitted to medical schools,” says Georgina Luscombe, an associate professor at the University of Sydney’s School of Rural Health and senior author on the new study. “But also, by increasing opportunities for students originating from metropolitan areas to have those extended placement opportunities in clinical schools in places like Dubbo, Orange and Broome.” That conclusion chimes well with both Trewren and Willson’s experiences. “It just seems that the rural kids are the ones more willing to do the rural placements and the rural experiences and actually enjoy it … they know what to expect in terms of lifestyle and distance,” Trewren says. Willson credits her extensive rural training experience, in particular, for setting her on her current path. “The thing that really changed my view in my whole career trajectory was placement,” she says. “Coming from a rural background, you might have developed that initial interest and passion, but if you didn’t get a good experience during training as a doctor then you’re less likely to choose it.”  <img id="cosmos-post-tracker" style="opacity: 0; height: 1px!important; width: 1px!important; border: 0!important; position: absolute!important; z-index: -1!important;" src="https://syndication.cosmosmagazine.com/?id=187890&title=What+makes+doctors+likely+to+stay+in+the+countryside%3F" width="1" height="1" data-spai-target="src" data-spai-orig="" data-spai-exclude="nocdn" />  <div id="contributors"> <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/people/society/retain-rural-medical-workforce/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">This article</a> was originally published on <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Cosmos Magazine</a> and was written by <a href="https://cosmosmagazine.com/contributor/matilda-handlsey-davis" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Matilda Handsley-Davis</a>. Matilda is a science writer at Cosmos. She holds a Bachelor of Arts and a Bachelor of Science (Honours) from the University of Adelaide. Image: Getty Images </div>

Domestic Travel

Get packing! A new airline is making it even easier to go rural

Budget airline Bonza has revealed where it will be landing and taking off from as part of its ‘Here for Allstralia’ campaign. Having said it wouldn’t be competing with fellow budget airlines Jetstar and Rex for capital city routes, Bonza announced it would be offering 25 routes across regional Australia. The airline, which was first introduced in 2021, still requires regulatory approval before it can begin hitting the skies, but is expected to take-off from the middle of this year. “Since announcing Bonza to the world late last year, we’ve always said we wouldn’t just fly between Australia’s three largest cities and instead give people in the regions more choice,” Tim Jordan, Bonza’s CEO and former Virgin Blue executive, said in a media release. Mr Jordan said the announcement also came as the “largest” in “Australian aviation history”. “With destinations ranging from Albury to the Whitsundays, travellers will now be able to fly, instead of impossibly long road trips, as well as fly direct without a stopover in a major city,” he said. “Aussies can look forward to spending more time at their destination and spending less of their hard earned cash getting there in the first place.” Bonza has said that 80 percent of the initial route network will be heading to previously unserved locations, opening up air travel to even more Aussies in even more locations. The airline is also opening up its recruitment, offering jobs for 200 pilots and cabin crew who were laid off during the pandemic to work at its Sunshine Coast and Melbourne posts. “It’s hard not to have witnessed the devastating impact of the pandemic on many talented pilots and cabin crew,” Mr Jordan <a href="https://7news.com.au/travel/air-aviation/new-airline-bonza-seeking-200-workers-c-6272113" target="_blank" rel="noopener">said</a>. “It’s our hope we can provide roles and development opportunities to some of those impacted.” With at least 8500 workers laid off or made redundant from Qantas alone and a third of Virgin’s staff cut to avoid voluntary administration, it’s safe to say Bonza will be seeing their vacancies filled quickly. The full list of destinations includes: <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> VIC </li> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Avalon </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Melbourne </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Mildura </li> </ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> NSW </li> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Albury </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Newcastle </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Port Macquarie </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Coffs Harbour </li> </ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="1"> QLD </li> <ul> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Bundaberg </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Cairns </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Mackay </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Gladstone </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Toowoomba Wellcamp </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Sunshine Coast </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Whitsunday Coast </li> <li dir="ltr" aria-level="2"> Townsville </li> </ul> </ul> Image: Bonza

Domestic Travel

Five incredible new tiny houses in Victoria, perfect for a rural escape

Ecotourism tiny house company Tiny Away has added new tiny houses to its portfolio of rural getaways and they’re ready to welcome travellers looking for that perfectly quaint escape. The new houses span Mount Alexander and Moorabool Shire, the High Country, and the Macedon and Yarra Ranges. With the idea of seclusion and switching off becoming a modern-day luxury, these sustainable tiny getaways are perfect for a couple’s escape or for solo travellers looking for the ultimate me-time break. Some houses even have a little more room so you can plan a getaway with the kids, and even your furry friend. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house1.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The eco-friendly tiny houses are perfect for travellers seeking alternative and unique accommodation experiences. A step up from glamping, each tiny house offers hot showers, air conditioning, a cosy queen bed, and a kitchenette. Tiny Away now has over 100 unique short-stay tiny house accommodation options across Australia. Its tiny architecturally designed houses are set on private land in rural and regional locations and are designed to get visitors out of the city and into the outdoors. Tiny Away was created for guests to truly disconnect, recharge, and enjoy a minimalist lifestyle with loved ones. “All the properties offer something different. Some are only semi-secluded and close to activities, and others are in the middle of nowhere,” says Jeff Yeo, co-founder of Tiny Away. Quantum Field, Toolangi Located in Toolangi, in the stunning Yarra Valley, <a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/quantum-field/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">this house</a> is surrounded by a charming mix of native and exotic European and Japanese flora, backdropped by a picturesque, swimmable pond. Guests will enjoy a truly tranquil and remote getaway with world-famous wineries and activities right on the doorstep. The property follows ecologically sustainable principles, including a waterless eco-friendly compost toilet and a natural water spring that feeds the property's filtered water. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house2.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The Ridge, Korweinguboora Set on farmland in Central Victoria’s Wombat Forest, <a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/the-ridge/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Ridge</a> is surrounded by productive gardens, including a fruit orchard, veggie garden and avenues of deciduous trees, all surrounded by tall eucalypt forests. The farm is home to a small flock of sheep, chickens, a (very) friendly border collie, and abundant birdlife. The rear of the property has 5 acres of forest to explore with elevated views beyond to the Wombat Forest. The nearby forest includes lush fern-covered gullies which form the headwaters of the Moorabool River. Just 10 minutes from the house is the thriving township of Daylesford, and close to all that the Macedon Ranges has to offer including mineral springs, truffle farms, wineries, organic produce, day spas, and fine dining. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house3.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> The Sanatorium, Yackandandah Tucked in a stunning, elevated bushing seeing with panoramic views cradled above the Yackandandah Valley lies <a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/the-sanatorium/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Sanatorium</a>. The tiny house’s panoramic views allow guests to experience clean mountain air, abundant wildlife and birdlife, enjoyed within a well maintained and beautifully presented farm setting. The house is framed perfectly by cattle grazing, meandering horses and surrounding countryside. The nearby Stanley Range provides mountain biking, horse riding and trail bike activities, as well as boutique breweries, distilleries, wineries and restaurants found in and around Yackandandah. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house4.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Tiny Hideaway, Newham Hidden in a 97-acre property surrounded by farmland on all sides, <a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/tiny-hideaway-at-cloverhills/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Tiny Hideaway</a> is surrounded by long winding roads, perfect for walking experiences - or bring your bike, go horse riding, or just simply appreciate nature. The Cobaw Ranges are just a short drive for those who want to do some serious hiking. The house is in Newham, a small hamlet in the Macedon Ranges, nestled between Woodend, Kyneton, and Lancefield, making it an ideal position to explore the country town hospitality of the regions’ cafes and restaurants, as well as wineries and gin distilleries. Newham is close to the iconic Hanging Rock and nearby Hanging Rock Winery. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house5.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> Treetops Trail, Walmer <a href="https://tinyaway.com/listing/treetops-trail/" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Treetops Trail</a> is set in a beautiful bush setting, amongst the trees, just five minutes from the historical town of Maldon. The property offers a plethora of activities from bushwalks and discovering hidden gold mines to local towns boasting fairs, festivals and local produce. The friendly wildlife and remote setting will guarantee a relaxing getaway and to get a taste of the area, visitors can easily follow the Maldon Taste of Gold food and wine trail, sampling the area’s best local wines and produce from farm gates and cellar doors. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/tiny-house6.jpg" alt="" width="1280" height="720" /> About Tiny Away Founded in 2018, the Tiny Away network includes a range of comfy eco-friendly ‘tiny houses’ for travellers seeking alternative and unique accommodation experiences. Tiny Away offers adventurous road-trippers and weekenders the chance to immerse themselves in Australia’s vast flora and fauna, without compromising on comfort. A step up from glamping, each tiny house offers hot showers, air conditioning, a cosy queen bed, and a kitchenette. Using a profit-sharing arrangement that sees landowners earning up to 45% of rental revenue, Tiny Away considers itself a partner with landowner hosts on a mission to create rare and exceptional accommodation experiences. The sustainably built tiny houses are typically positioned on a working farm, often totally offgrid, and hosts offer all sorts of unique activities that give guests a taste of rural life. <img src="https://oversixtydev.blob.core.windows.net/media/2022/02/image001.png" alt="" width="250" height="137" /> Images: Supplied

Domestic Travel

‘You can’t stop it’: in rural Australia, digital coercive control can be inescapable

Domestic and family violence perpetrators commonly use technology such as phones and other devices as a weapon to control and entrap victims and survivors, alongside other forms of abuse. This “<a href="https://academic.oup.com/bjc/article/59/3/530/5172990?login=true" target="_blank" rel="noopener">digital coercive control</a>” is not bound to a particular location and can follow targets anywhere, any time they access devices or digital media.For women outside urban Australia, technology-enabled abuse can pose more risk than for those in cities. In research funded by the <a href="https://www.aic.gov.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Australian Institute of Criminology</a>, we spoke to <a href="https://doi.org/10.52922/ti78405" target="_blank" rel="noopener">13 such women who have been subjected to digital coercive control</a> to understand what it is like.The disturbing side of technology<blockquote>… you see a side of a phone that you probably wish you didn’t know about [Shelly]</blockquote>The women reported that abusers used technology to harass and stalk. The majority experienced image-based sexual abuse (the creation and/or release of intimate images without consent) or recordings made of victims or survivors, overtly or covertly.Some experienced doxxing (release of personal and identifiable information). Perpetrators in some cases impersonated real or fake people and initiated contact with women or their children. Authorised functions of phones and other devices and accounts were sometimes impaired, or unauthorised functions enabled.<blockquote>I think you can feel a lot safer knowing they are not in proximity; they can’t hurt me. When it comes to technology it can – I guess you’re more hyper-vigilant because they can come any time and you can’t stop it. Even if you block someone, they find another way. They do; he always found other means to make contact with me. I never – I guess you never got to escape, which I hadn’t experienced before, because every other type of abuse I was able to – it ended at some point. [Kira]</blockquote>It is different outside the citiesThese behaviours have also been observed in <a href="https://accan.org.au/Domestic%20Violence%20and%20Communication%20Technology%20final%20report%2020190801.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">urban settings in Australia</a>. Also, like in cities, we found that violence persisted (and often increased) after separation.However, women outside cities face higher barriers when seeking help and responding to family violence, and they can also be at greater risk.Domestic violence agencies are further from women’s homes in non-urban areas, as we have observed in this study and in <a href="https://eprints.qut.edu.au/104420/13/Landscapes%2Bof%2BViolence%2BCW%2Bedit%2BFINAL.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">other work</a>. Legal services can be limited and there are shortages in alternative and crisis accommodation.Complicated financial arrangements and pressures may hinder women’s ability to exit violent relationships, such as where they work on farms or other small businesses and there may be few employment and educational opportunities in the region.No anonymityNumerous survivors spoke of the lack of anonymity in rural areas, so they and/or their abusers were more likely to be known when disclosing and reporting violence. This can be confronting, especially when perpetrators are well-known and well liked.<blockquote>He is established - he knows people and he’s well liked … he’s in a boys’ club and knows lots of people … whereas I don’t. [Fiona]</blockquote>This could be heightened for women with family and networks out of the region or overseas, culturally and linguistically diverse women, criminalised women, or those viewed as “different” outsiders.As well as actively destroying women’s social networks, abusers would challenge women’s accounts of abuse and attempt to gather allies, as Claire explains:<blockquote>He went around the streets telling people that I’m crazy … Because we’re in a small country town he was going in and out of shops … He affiliated himself with one of the local churches and got them on his side.</blockquote>Isolation and fearAbusers socially isolate women, and those in non-urban areas are often socially further from family, friends and support services than those urban areas. We found too, that some abusers sought to extend geographic isolation, by moving women to more remote locations.Technology could provide channels to communicate with others and to seek assistance and support. Natalie had “a good amount of friends” and so would be “on the phone, or I’d be texting, and that was my outlet for a crazy situation”. However, some women felt this was not always possible when devices had been taken over or were monitored by abusers.<blockquote>[I was] too scared to use it [technology]. I just couldn’t reach out to people … I didn’t want to use it just in case [Lola]</blockquote>Fear loomed large in women’s accounts of digital coercive control. All those we spoke to had contact with police.Some had positive encounters, most commonly with specialist (domestic and family violence liaison officers, who are less available in many rural areas) but more spoke of negative encounters. Women who were dissatisfied with police felt that officers were dismissive of digital coercive control.‘Homicide flags’We believe digital coercive control warrants attention. Coercive control, obsessive tendencies, stalking, and threats to kill or self-harm have all been noted as signals of fatal violence by <a href="https://www.courts.qld.gov.au/__data/assets/pdf_file/0003/586182/domestic-and-family-violence-death-review-and-advisory-board-annual-report-2017-18.pdf" target="_blank" rel="noopener">death review teams</a>.The women we interviewed reported all these behaviours. Non-fatal strangulation is another “homicide flag” and was reported by 46% of our participants.Firearm ownership and threats to use firearms also signal high risk. Firearm ownership is common on farms and in many rural areas.An assault can become a homicide in rural areas, because of the sheer distance between the site of an attack and a hospital or medic.It is imperative that we acknowledge and address how technology is used against survivors and the impact that technology-facilitated abuse has on women across landscapes. We must also recognise that women in rural locations face elevated risks, and that digital coercive control can provide evidence and signal risk of fatal violence.<hr />Pseudonyms have been used for the women quoted in this article.The National Sexual Assault, Family & Domestic Violence Counselling Line – <a href="https://www.1800respect.org.au" target="_blank" rel="noopener">1800 RESPECT</a> (1800 737 732) – is available 24 hours a day, seven days a week for any Australian who has experienced, or is at risk of, family and domestic violence and/or sexual assault.<img style="border: none !important;margin: 0 !important;max-height: 1px !important;max-width: 1px !important;min-height: 1px !important;min-width: 1px !important;padding: 0 !important" src="https://counter.theconversation.com/content/176980/count.gif?distributor=republish-lightbox-basic" alt="The Conversation" width="1" height="1" /><a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/bridget-harris-547362" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Bridget Harris</a>, Associate professor, <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/queensland-university-of-technology-847" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Queensland University of Technology</a> and <a href="https://theconversation.com/profiles/delanie-woodlock-1287646" target="_blank" rel="noopener">Delanie Woodlock</a>, , <a href="https://theconversation.com/institutions/unsw-sydney-1414" target="_blank" rel="noopener">UNSW Sydney</a>This article is republished from <a href="https://theconversation.com" target="_blank" rel="noopener">The Conversation</a> under a Creative Commons license. Read the <a href="https://theconversation.com/you-cant-stop-it-in-rural-australia-digital-coercive-control-can-be-inescapable-176980" target="_blank" rel="noopener">original article</a>.Image: Getty Images

Technology

Slim and skinny: how access to TV is changing beauty ideals in rural Nicaragua

Think about the last time you watched a film or picked up a magazine. Chances are the majority of models and actresses were young, beautiful and slim – or even underweight. Research shows that in films and TV programmes heavier characters are more likely to be lower status, the target of jokes and are less likely to be <a href="https://www.karger.com/Article/Abstract/276547">lead or romantic characters</a>. This sends a very clear message: that thinness is normal and desirable. For many young people, this emphasis on extreme thinness in women seems normal. But it’s actually relatively new and seems to have arisen in parallel with the growing cultural dominance of mass media – films, television and magazines. Models, for instance, became <a href="https://journals.sagepub.com/doi/abs/10.2466/pr0.1980.47.2.483">thinner across the latter half of the 20th century</a>, and are now <a href="https://onlinedoctor.superdrug.com/evolution-miss-universe/">considerably slimmer</a> than depictions of female beauty in preceding eras. Just as in the past when the development of shape-altering garments <a href="https://journals.plos.org/plosone/article?id=10.1371/journal.pone.0123284">changed ideas about body shape</a>, the mass media now seems to have changed ideas about body size. Current body ideals in Western Europe and North America are also significantly slimmer than in other cultural groups, such as <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090513899000070">Tanzanian hunter-gatherers</a>, <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1090513806000584">black South Africans</a> or <a href="https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/abs/pii/S1740144507000769">rural Malaysians</a>. And it’s been argued this large gap between the ideal female figure and most women’s own bodies is a key factor in the endemic levels of body dissatisfaction and eating disorders in countries such as <a href="https://guilfordjournals.com/doi/abs/10.1521/jscp.2009.28.1.9">the UK</a>. Body dissatisfaction and <a href="https://www.ingentaconnect.com/content/wk/yco/2016/00000029/00000006/art00006">rates of disordered eating are increasing globally</a>, and the <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11013-004-1067-5">spread of mass media may be one reason why</a>. But it’s a challenge to link increasing media access with changing body ideals – because as populations gain more access to media, they also change in other ways. They may become more urbanised, wealthier and have better access to nutrition – all of which can lead to <a href="http://www.mysmu.edu/faculty/normanli/Swamietal2010.pdf">differences in body ideals</a>. The Nicaragua project This is why we have spent three years running a <a href="http://www.dur.ac.uk/l.g.boothroyd/NEBP/">research project</a> in an area of rural Nicaragua – where access to mass media is often unrelated to urbanisation or nutrition. The government in Nicaragua has been increasing electrification of the rural Caribbean coast. This has led to a region where very similar neighbouring villages differ in whether or not the residents have access to mains electricity – and whether they can run televisions. There are no magazines in this region. And at the time of our research, very few residents had access to smart phones, making television viewing a good measure of total media access. We recruited 300 participants from seven villages around the region. Some villages had regular electricity supplies, others did not. Because the region is very ethnically diverse, we also balanced our sample across four main ethnic groups. Generally among our participants, those of Mestizo ethnicity – who have the highest levels of European heritage – tend to prefer slimmer figures than those of more indigenous or Afro-Caribbean heritage, such as the Miskitu, Garifuna and Creoles. <a href="https://doi.org/10.1037/pspi0000224">Our research found</a> that above and beyond ethnicity, those who watched more television preferred slimmer bodies. Specifically, our analysis suggested that people who watched approximately three hours of TV a week preferred a body one full point slimmer on the <a href="https://www.nhs.uk/live-well/healthy-weight/bmi-calculator/">Body Mass Index</a> than someone who didn’t watch TV. On a woman of average height, that’s about a difference of three kilos. We also found the more people watched TV, the slimmer their preferred female body size became. This was true for both men and women. Changing ideals Over the three years, we also collected data from a small village without electricity. For a short period of time, one house in this village had a small TV powered by a solar panel. Residents were also able to watch TV for short periods of time if they travelled to other communities. We found that over the three years, villagers tended to favour thinner figures when they had been able to watch more TV, suggesting that real-time change may be happening in these communities. When we showed residents of two villages without TV images of typical or plus size media models, their preferences shifted in the immediate aftermath of viewing these images towards thinner figures. Again this was true for both men and women. By studying one population in depth, and by also having previously ruled out evidence for <a href="https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-017-08653-z">impacts of nutrition in this population</a>, we have been able to give the strongest evidence to date that visual media really does change people’s perception of the ideal female body. Our findings also support the argument that increasing global rates of body dissatisfaction and eating disorders are driven at least in part <a href="https://link.springer.com/article/10.1007/s11013-004-1067-5">by the expansion of globalised mass media</a>. Of course, television is in many respects a valuable and important source of information. Our participants considered that besides entertainment, television gave them a vital link to the rest of Nicaragua, to political news, and lifesaving services such as storm warnings. But while it’s important that such benefits be maximised, threats to women’s body image must be minimised. Body positive education can help here, and this is something <a href="http://community.dur.ac.uk/l.g.boothroyd/NEBP/wellcome_body.html">we are working on with local groups</a>. But ultimately, media producers and commissioners must do a better job of diversifying their content to reflect a range of sizes and body types. Written by Lynda Boothroyd. Republished with permission of <a href="https://theconversation.com/slim-and-skinny-how-access-to-tv-is-changing-beauty-ideals-in-rural-nicaragua-128717">The Conversation.</a>

Beauty & Style

Discover the delights of rural Queensland

WYZA® reader Phil Hawkes shares his experience of exploring outback Queensland - from Quilpie to Eromanga. "There’s nothing to do in Quilpie!" That’s what several friends who have been outback all the way to <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.queensland.com/en-us/destination%20information/birdsville" target="_blank">Birdsville</a> and beyond, said when I told them my plans for a road trip from Brisbane. “It’s a boring highway getting to <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.queensland.com/en-us/destination%20information/quilpie" target="_blank">Quilpie</a> and there’s nothing exciting happening except for the counter teas at the old Imperial Hotel,” they added. That seemed to be the sum of their own experience, not too promising. Nevertheless we decided to give it a go and the result was anything but dull. If you throw nearby Eromanga and then Windorah into the mix, there’s so much to see and do in that area that we’d willingly go back again. First, Quilpie, which locals describes as “Simply Unique”. That may be a stretch but this small town in the Channel Country has a definite friendly vibe and all the essential services for the traveller. There’s even a couple of coffee shops with good coffee, which is a pleasant surprise if you’ve been drinking only Nescafe in your caravan! Quilpie is famous for its boulder opal mining industry and there’s a beautiful altar at St. Finbarr’s Church made from a collage of boulder opals. You can also go fossicking and maybe get lucky. It’s a fun thing to do and a good reason to stay around for a few days. <img src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/341363/opal-alta-at-st-finbarrs-quilpie_500x333.jpg" alt="Opal -Alta -at -St -Finbarrs -Quilpie" width="500" height="333" /> The altar at St Finbarrs is covered with stunning opals The Heritage Hotel in the main street is being painstakingly restored by owner Troy Minnett who also runs the nearby caravan park. The hotel rooms are comfortable with aircon, flat TV and a decent shower, and there’s a convivial bar as well as a wide verandah overlooking the street. Troy can also book you on an Eromanga Tour to see the dinosaur fossils, or on one of two mail runs to see the “real outback”. Highly recommended. <img src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/341319/phil-hawkes-blady-top-wyza-com-au_500x333.jpg" alt="Phil -hawkes -blady -top -wyza -com -au" width="500" height="333" /> Phil Hawkes hit the road to explore something different from the typical Queensland landscape <a rel="noopener" href="http://flyingarts.org.au/gallery-location/quilpie-museum-gallery-visitor-information-centre/" target="_blank">The Quilpie Visitor Information Centre, Gallery and Museum</a> has daily town tours which take you to Baldy Top lookout and Lake Houdraman with its abundant bird life. Upcoming events include the Polocrosse Carnival 25-26 June; the Quilpie Fringe Festival 1-2 July; and the Quilpie Show and Rodeo on 10 September. Troy says that visitors often stop in Quilpie for a night or two and then stay for a week. There is plenty to do! Next, <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.australianexplorer.com/eromanga.htm" target="_blank">Eromanga</a>. It’s just 108 kms from Quilpie and has suddenly become famous because of an extraordinary find. . . dinosaur fossils from 95-98 million years ago. These include the bones of the biggest dinosaur yet discovered in Australia, a Titanosaur named Cooper after his final resting place in the Cooper Basin. <img style="display: block; margin-left: auto; margin-right: auto;" src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/341320/phil-hawkes-royal-hotel-wyza-com-au_500x333.jpg" alt="Phil -hawkes -royal -hotel -wyza -com -au" width="500" height="333" /> The Royal Hotel in Eromanga holds a rustic charm To add to the prehistoric mystery, at nearby Eulo there have been discoveries of megasaurs, large creatures such as Kenny the Diprotodon. These are all displayed in a brand new building, the Eromanga Natural History Museum which is an absolute must if you’re out that way. Robyn Mackenzie, whose son made the first dinosaur discovery, is extremely knowledgeable and together with her passionate staff will enthral you with a guided tour. In Eromanga there’s also the fascinating Natural History Centre and also the Royal Hotel for a counter lunch with the chance to meet colourful locals such as “Giggles” who is an opal miner and a great storyteller. Eromanga is a real outback gem. <img src="https://cdn.wyza.com.au/media/341321/phil-hawkes-giggles-wyza-com-au_500x333.jpg" alt="Phil -hawkes -giggles -wyza -com -au" width="500" height="333" /> 'Giggles' is an opal miner and one of the friendly locals in Eromanga Last stop on the mostly unsealed road to Birdsville is <a rel="noopener" href="http://www.queensland.com/en-us/destination%20information/windorah" target="_blank">Windorah</a> another friendly, meet-the-locals kind of place. The Western Star Hotel is the social hub of the district and you’re welcome to introduce yourself to locals such as station owners and workers, a teacher, the local cop, an Indigenous elder and various blow-ins over lunch or if you’re lucky, an evening BBQ with excellent food. The Western Star has comfortable motel-style rooms and a camping area, and has won the “Best Outback Hotel” award for the last two years. Managers Marilyn and Ian Simpson exemplify true outback hospitality. Maureen and Helen at the Visitor Information Centre can arrange for local tours around Cooper’s Creek and the red sandhills, or get Jeff to take you out yabbying. And the Outback Store opposite the pub sells the best home-made relishes and preserves you’ll find anywhere. We tried Kim’s tomato relish and it’s almost worth a trip back to Windorah to get some more. Seeing this beautiful part of the country has given us a taste of the real outback and we’re already thinking about the next trip, and the characters we’ll meet - including Cooper and Kenny. Written by Phil Hawkes. Republished with permission of <a href="https://www.wyza.com.au/articles/travel/discover-the-delights-of-rural-queensland.aspx">Wyza.com.au</a>.

Domestic Travel

"You can't teach stupid": Folau receives more funds in two days than farmers' rural aid in one year

<div> <div class="replay"> <div class="reply_body body linkify"> <div class="reply_body"> <div class="body_text "> A Facebook post by The NRL Roast criticising those who donated to Israel Folau’s legal battle has gone viral in just 24 hours. The post highlighted donations given to the Rural Aid Buy a Bale campaign raised in one year matched the money raised for controversial Folau’s legal battle against the Rugby League Association. “In 2 days, Israel Folau has received more in donations than Rural Aid's "Buy a Bale" campaign did in the 2017/2018 financial year,” the post began. “Folau may or may not be in the right in regard to why he got sacked and has every right to launch legal action. “That’s not my gripe. “It's the fact that every day Aussies would rather donate their hard earned, already taxed money, to a multi-millionaire professional athlete who can use the funds however he wants...TAX FREE, while people who actually make a worthwhile contribution to society, and our communities, are left in the lurch. “But you can’t teach stupid… You are just born that way.” <iframe src="https://www.facebook.com/plugins/post.php?href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.facebook.com%2FTheNRLRoast%2Fphotos%2Fa.248365635620899%2F729888714135253%2F%3Ftype%3D3&width=500" width="500" height="435" style="border: none; overflow: hidden;" scrolling="no" frameborder="0" allowtransparency="true" allow="encrypted-media"></iframe> Folau has raised $2.2 million in just two days by 20,000 people. Since then, the fundraiser, which is located on the Australian Christian Lobby’s website, has been paused – a little less than $1 million short of the sacked rugby star’s $3 million goal. <blockquote style="background: #FFF; border: 0; border-radius: 3px; box-shadow: 0 0 1px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.5),0 1px 10px 0 rgba(0,0,0,0.15); margin: 1px; max-width: 540px; min-width: 326px; padding: 0; width: calc(100% - 2px);" class="instagram-media" data-instgrm-permalink="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzATb_Wn3I_/" data-instgrm-version="12"> <div style="padding: 16px;"> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: row; align-items: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 50%; flex-grow: 0; height: 40px; margin-right: 14px; width: 40px;"></div> <div style="display: flex; flex-direction: column; flex-grow: 1; justify-content: center;"> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; margin-bottom: 6px; width: 100px;"></div> <div style="background-color: #f4f4f4; border-radius: 4px; flex-grow: 0; height: 14px; width: 60px;"></div> </div> </div> <div style="padding: 19% 0;"></div> <div style="display: block; height: 50px; margin: 0 auto 12px; width: 50px;"></div> <div style="padding-top: 8px;"> <div style="color: #3897f0; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: 550; line-height: 18px;">View this post on Instagram</div> </div> <p style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 17px; margin-bottom: 0; margin-top: 8px; overflow: hidden; padding: 8px 0 7px; text-align: center; text-overflow: ellipsis; white-space: nowrap;"><a style="color: #c9c8cd; font-family: Arial,sans-serif; font-size: 14px; font-style: normal; font-weight: normal; line-height: 17px; text-decoration: none;" rel="noopener" href="https://www.instagram.com/p/BzATb_Wn3I_/" target="_blank">A post shared by Israel Folau (@izzyfolau)</a> on Jun 22, 2019 at 1:07am PDT </div> </blockquote> The ACL said the donations, which opened on Tuesday, had been “overwhelming". “ACL, Izzy and everyone involved is humbled and grateful. We are hitting the pause button. But if the case drags on and Israel needs more support, we will re-open this campaign,” a statement on the website said. The original campaign on GoFundMe was shut down after it was determined they had violated the site’s terms of service. “We are absolutely committed to the fight for equality for LGBTIQ+ people and fostering an environment of inclusivity,” Nicola Britton, GoFundMe’s Australian regional director said. Managing director of the ACL, Martin Iles, confirmed any money raised in the $3 million campaign will exclusively be used to meet Folau’s legal costs. In a poll conducted by Over60 with over 5,200 votes, it was determined 60 per cent of Australians believe Folau deserved to be sacked from his contract with Rugby Australia. However, 40 per cent voted Folau's controversial social post that claimed “hell awaits” gay people, among others, was not breaching his contract. NRL Roast’s post, which now sits with over 3,000 comments, has continued to stir debate with some users claiming the page was only adding “fuel to the fire". “If he can say whatever he believes then he should have the guts to face the consequences of his actions and use his own funds to fight his own battles,” one user wrote. Another added: “I don't see why people find this surprising. There are A LOT of people in the world with the same views as Falou.” “So you're complaining about people who are donating their OWN already taxed hard working money to Folau because they choose not to donate it to where YOU think they should donate THEIR money to?” an additional comment read. However, other people said it was “sad” farmers did not have “priority“. "If only those who so support a sportsperson's contract breach which has been turned into a fight for Christianity could support those who grow our food and keep food on our tables...” one comment said. Another stated: “An absolute disgrace that people give money so easily to someone who broke his contract, not once but twice, but can’t find the money for the farmers who help put food on our tables every day, nothing like getting your priorities right.” Folau’s $4 million contract was terminated by Rugby Australia last month after a post on his Instagram page claimed homosexuals, among others, would burn in hell. </div> </div> </div> </div> </div>

Legal

Inside the farm shed converted into a luxury rural retreat

At a glance this farm machinery shed might not look like the most comfortable type of accommodation for a holiday in the Kangaroo Valley in NSW, Australia. But a glance at the interior in the gallery above will show you otherwise. Set in a picturesque region, this <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/2479538/?af=61160407&c=apac_au_over60_shed" target="_blank">beautiful, eco-accredited property</a> is the perfect venue for a getaway with family and friends, or even larger celebrations. Using recycled and reclaimed materials, this farm machinery shed has been creatively transformed into the perfect B&B with three luxurious bedrooms. The owners have also installed a wood fire, dining space, fully equipped kitchen, outdoor entertaining/dining space, pizza oven and BBQ to cater for all your entertaining needs. Set amongst permaculture gardens, this <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/2479538/?af=61160407&c=apac_au_over60_shed" target="_blank">farm shed offers seclusion and privacy</a> in the Kangaroo Valley, but it’s just 10 minutes from the town centre so you won’t feel isolated. Kangaroo Valley is one of the most picturesque regions of Australia and you will love exploring the area for accommodation that is truly unique. To find out more or book the converted shed, <a href="https://www.airbnb.com.au/rooms/2479538/?af=61160407&c=apac_au_over60_shed" target="_blank">click here</a>. Even if you’re not headed to the Kangaroo Valley any time soon, make sure you scroll through the gallery above to see just how incredible these properties are. Have you ever visited the Kangaroo Valley before? Do you have a holiday on the cards, and if so where are you planning to go? Please share your story in the comments. <a href="https://www.airbnb.com/?af=61160407&c=apac_au_over60" target="_blank">Whether you want to make money by renting your place or to find affordable accommodation options and stretch your travel budget further, head over to Airbnb now and have a look around.</a> Related links: <a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/07/cosiest-winter-retreats-in-the-blue-mountains/">Cosiest winter retreats in the Blue Mountains</a> <a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/07/converted-bakery-in-kangaroo-valley/">Stay in a converted bakery in the heart of Kangaroo Valley</a> <a href="/travel/accommodation/2016/06/french-gypsy-wagon-transformed-into-luxury-cottage/">French gypsy wagon transformed into luxury cottage</a>

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Inside the farm shed converted into a luxury rural retreat

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Shop

Catalogues

Travel

Health

Lifestyle

Finance

Entertainment

Property

Information

Keep up to date

Search

Mental health: how living in the city and country compare

Loretta Lynn was more than a great songwriter – she was a spokeswoman for white rural working-class women

What makes doctors likely to stay in the countryside?

Get packing! A new airline is making it even easier to go rural

Five incredible new tiny houses in Victoria, perfect for a rural escape

‘You can’t stop it’: in rural Australia, digital coercive control can be inescapable

Slim and skinny: how access to TV is changing beauty ideals in rural Nicaragua

Discover the delights of rural Queensland

"You can't teach stupid": Folau receives more funds in two days than farmers' rural aid in one year

Inside the farm shed converted into a luxury rural retreat

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