- Women's Health and Equality Queensland (WHEQ) will attend FarmFest in Toowoomba from 2–4 June 2026 to connect with women and girls from regional Queensland and promote their free 1800 4 WOMEN counselling and support service.
- The 1800 4 WOMEN service offers free, confidential support for mental health challenges, domestic and family violence recovery, and everyday difficulties, and is available to all women across Queensland.
- A 2024 Liptember study found that nearly half of women in regional Queensland report experiencing depression or generalised anxiety, with family and domestic violence the leading contributor to the disease burden for women aged 14–44.
- Despite the high prevalence of mental health issues, only 48% of women seek help, with key barriers including feeling they can manage alone, financial concerns, and not considering their issues serious enough — challenges often worsened by stigma in regional areas.
- WHEQ aims to use the FarmFest event not only to share information but also to hear directly from women and girls about their needs, helping to make services more accessible and better targeted to regional communities.
‘Women’s Health and Equality Queensland is heading to FarmFest, Queensland’s biggest primary industry event, from 2–4 June to connect with women and girls from regional Queensland and share information about the free 1800 4 WOMEN counselling and support service.
WHEQ CEO Balveen Ajimal said while FarmFest is focused on the business of farming, it is also a valuable opportunity to reach women and girls in regional communities with vital health and well being information.
“We want to share information about our free 1800 4 WOMEN counselling service, available to women in every Queensland community. It can support women and girls through mental health challenges, domestic and family violence healing and recovery, and everyday challenges,” she said.
“We look forward to meeting women and girls from farming communities in the region and providing valuable information and support.”
WHEQ Health Promotion Team Leader Bianca Blackmore, who will be onsite at FarmFest, said the event is a chance to speak directly with local women and girls about the services available to them.
“Women and girls in regional areas can have limited access to health and well being services, and we want them to know 1800 4 WOMEN is there for them. It’s free, confidential and just a phone call away,” she said.
“We also want to hear what women and girls in the community need and how we can make our services more accessible and better targeted,” Ms Blackmore said.
A 2024 study by Liptember (Source: Women's mental health in regional Queensland | selectability) on the health of women in regional Queensland found:
- Nearly half of women in regional Queensland report experiencing depression or generalised anxiety
- Rate of anxiety related issues is particularly pronounced in central Queensland with 49% of women reporting mental health challenges
- Family and domestic violence is the leading factor contributing to the disease burden for women aged 14-44.
Despite the prevalence of mental health issues, only 48% of women are seeking help. The main barriers include:
- Feeling they can manage on their own (39%)
- Financial burden (33%)
- Not considering their issues serious enough (31%)
- In regional Queensland, these barriers are often compounded by the stigma associated with mental health issues.
Event Details
Women’s Health and Equality Queensland will host an information stall at Elders FarmFest from Tuesday 2 June to Thursday 4 June 2026.
Location: Kingsthorpe Park, Toowoomba
About us:
Women’s Health and Equality Queensland (WHEQ) is a state-wide not-for-profit organisation committed to advancing women’s health, gender equality, and the prevention of violence. For more than 40 years, we have worked alongside communities to ensure women, girls, and gender-diverse people across Queensland are resourced, supported, and safe.
Contact details:
Cathy Beadnell WHEQ Communications 0488 528 472
