The dinner in Orange over the weekend was the last of the events for 2018 for The Next Crop initiative held throughout the year by Fairfax Agricultural Media publications, The Land and Good Fruit and Vegetables.
Eight country towns across the state hosted forums with panelists discussing a wide range of issues as well as ideas for revitalisation of country towns and businesses.
The forums were all about the gathering of good ideas for revitalising rural communities and businesses, and into 2019 The Land will collaborate with Yass, Glen Innes and Tooraweenah on individual revitalisation projects.
Tooraweenah was the winner of the evening’s Target Your Town competition to be the third town in the collaborative projects.
The competition was a paper plane throwing contest, with the winning throw by Tooraweenah local Will Bowman.
This will be with the aid of behavioural scientist Allan Parker, of Peak Performance Development Pty Ltd, who also participated in three of our forums throughout the year as a panelist.
Mr Parker was a guest speaker on the night, along with Nigel Kerin of Kerin Poll Merino stud, Yeoval, and former regional director at for the Queensland Department of Education, Training and Employment, Clive Dixon, Cairns, Qld, who all explained how communities can create their own positive change with considered conversation – a technique which is central to Allan Parker’s work as a facilitator across all levels from his work with local communities and families, to chairing United Nations conferences.