The secret struggle for youth in the bush
A 21-year-old from Queensland has spoken out about teen suicide in Australia's struggling farming families.
Brittany Stuart's family was evicted from their Charleville property in 2014.
She told Sunday Night's Chris Bath that the pressure of losing their family home and livelihood drove her to contemplate suicide.
"I don’t want to live because it’s just so hard I’m a bush kid … and it makes me really proud and happy to be able to produce food your kids your nieces, your grandkids," Brittany said.
Her family is still fighting to get their property back but Brittany says it is hard for kids to watch their parents struggle in such unforgiving curcumstances.
"I know some kids of parents who are watching them going through the same thing that I have and you don’t have nice thoughts when you watch this happen, you don’t."
"You don’t hear about kids in the bush wanting to knock themselves — they do."
Sadly, for Jim and Kym Whelan the struggle was too much for their son Mac.
The Whelans had owned 1.7 million acres of wild cattle country across two stations; Kollata and Dixie.
In 2009 a devastating bush fire destroyed thousands of cattle, then drought caused stock prices to plummet. Finally, the bank devalued their properties to the tune of $3 million.
They were forced to sell Dixie in 2012 and on August 3, 2013 Mac was found dead on the Dixie property. He’d shot himself.
He was 16.
"We Fell to pieces, and you can’t think straight," Jim said.
If you are struggling with depression, call Lifeline on 13 11 14, visit Kids Helpline or contact Beyond Blue.
