General News
14 October, 2025
Sobering alternative for rural life in focus
Rural woman, advocate, and national keynote speaker Shanna Whan (AM) was in Wycheproof and Harrow at the weekend as part of a series of regional events sharing a powerful, straight-down-the-line message of social inclusion, mateship, choice, and respect.
The message is, that it's OK to say no thanks (or ‘not today’) to booze.
Ms Whan was recently the recipient of the second-highest Order of Australia medal for her significant contributions to rural health in over a decade of massive social impact, TV, media, and podcasting.
The effective broadscale education she's created through the grassroots charity ‘Sober in the Country’ she founded in 2019 came after almost losing her own life to alcohol addiction which itself began off the back of severe trauma experienced in her gap year as a jillaroo.
She stressed that the message is not prohibition or anti-alcohol, but instead advocates powerful leadership through creating a healthier community narrative and showing how social inclusion – such as thoughtful catering options beyond just booze or sugary soft drinks – can help to save and change lives.
''After travelling Australia for 11 years and evolving our message along with my own lived experience – what I know to be true is this: while lots of people, like my own lovely husband, can enjoy a beer or two, there is also a very real group of people we love who struggle silently with booze and have possibly fallen into addiction – just as I once did, and they're either too worried about stigma to seek help or reach out, or, they're staying at home – isolated – because most bush events simply don't take the time to cater thoughtfully for or even include non-drinkers," Ms Whan said.
“Given the known and clear links between big issues like isolation, suicide, farm accidents, declining health / mental health and alcohol – we're bringing this into the light in a super user-friendly way that everyone can learn something from – whether we're drinkers or non-drinkers.”