Fluff Hodge will never forget the mental anguish and hardship farmers faced during the drought and tough agricultural times.
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She was working in the trucking industry as a wool traveller but found herself comforting desperate farmers who didn't know if they could continue.
"I was driving down the driveway to talk about wool but actually ended up talking to people about how broke they were, what they could do and how they just can't go on with it," Mrs Hodge said.
In one case, a man had reached breaking point, dying by suicide soon after her visit.
"One of my first jobs, in a wool travelling role, was to take payment to a grower," she said. "Two days later he'd taken his own life. His final task was to balance the farm books to leave all the money to his family.
"As sad as it is and as confronting as it is, it's not the last time something like that will happen.
"I don't think you have to go too far, if you haven't been affected (with mental health challenges) directly, it's only one ripple away."
Ten years later she and husband Rob, who live near Ballan and own a transport company, are volunteering their time to join a 24-hour shear-a-thon.
So far, more than $30,000 has been raised for south-west based Lets Talk Foundation, helping to break the stigma around mental health.
The crew of 50 volunteers began at 9am Friday and the six shearers will shear 4500 sheep in 24 hours across a 36-hour period which includes breaks.
"You don't have to do everything but you've got to do something," she said.
Lets Talk co-founder John Parkinson said it was committed to changing attitudes about mental health conditions and funds raised would help to "employ more people to deliverer our message to more communities".
Mr Parkinson said historically society had "taken a step back and ignored or avoided people" with mental health challenges.
"Don't take a step back because you feel like you're going to make it worse or you don't know how to approach it or solve it," Mr Parkinson said.
"It's not about that. It's just giving that person permission to talk and air what's going on within themselves and that makes such a difference."
He thanked the 24 Hour Shear Madness volunteers for spreading the Lets Talk message and raising much-needed funds.
"This is yet another group within the community that have come forward and want to be part of the Lets Talk mission," Mr Parkinson said.
"Farmers are an isolated group. They do a lot of travelling, a lot of miles away from home and their families.
"It's hard work, there's a lot of think time by yourself for farmers. This is how we're hoping to improve the health literacy of this community and every community we interface with.
"Because we've targeted different cohorts of the community over the last six or so years we're starting to get a presence in other areas (across our region)."
The shear-a-thon also includes live music, food, children's activities, raffles and ends with a live auction.
Organiser Brooke Siegle said they'd had amazing support and co-ordinating the livestock across the weekend wasn't an easy feat, likening the logistics to a game of tetris.
She said volunteer truck drivers also donated thousands of dollars worth of diesel to transport the sheep, borrowed from Halt Farms, carting them from Branxholme to Warrnambool and then returning them to Hawkesdale and Macarthur. Local businesses have also donated food and drink for the crew across the weekend.
To donate go to the 24 Hr Shear Madness Facebook page for more information.
- Support is available for those who may be distressed. Phone Lifeline 13 11 14; Kids Helpline 1800 551 800 or beyondblue 1300 224 636.
