I learnt to drive in my backyard,

A paddock as long as a city’s heart.

Yet I never stopped and stared at the trees,

Because the city lights,

Well, they always fascinated me.

See, women in country towns,

We don’t stop and stare,

Although the thought is always there.

Women in country towns, we drive and we sing,

The change we force is driven from within.

We talk to our neighbours,

Ask them, ‘How was your week?’,

But once we paint another tree blue,

We know the truth, they didn’t speak.

Yes, women play a role,

But it’s the way we interact,

We live,

We come out of our holes,

And we fight back.

It’s the talks with our ‘mates’,

The chats in our yards,

As we open up the farm’s gates,

And drive with our hearts.

We drive the change,

The change to be better,

To make OUR community,

A world for the go-getters.

In our country town,

We don’t have a specific role,

We ALL work together,

Our objective, to console.

Our community is not just made up of women,

Though women’s hearts are strong,

Men are also driven.

Suicide rates are higher here,

It’s why we stand together.

Suicide rates are higher here,

It’s why we try to be better.

Our women are strong,

And so are our men,

So we all come together,

And we learn from within.

It’s not just a woman’s role,

Living in a country town,

It’s the community’s job,

To make changes, begin from the sky down.

We do what we can,

To avoid sleepless nights,

But it’s the joint effort,

Providing fewer and fewer emotional fights.

We feed our crop,

And nurture our animals,

But in the end,

We’re focused on becoming advocates for peace,

Specifically: in our land.

So we talk to our mates,

We ask them how they really are,

Not only because we care,

But because change?

Change comes from our hearts.

We force the nature of change around our community,

We make our place an enjoyable place to be.

So what is our role, as rural women?

Our role is to talk, to fight and to listen.

Our role is to be kind but fight back against all the oppression.

Our role is to make the community OUR community for all men and women.

And for that,

We stand together,

To fight the battles,

We are given.

We are a community,

Strong, because of rural women.