These farmers also want a wife
Since 2007, Australians have been tuning in to Farmer Wants a Wife. Viewers have watched farmers from small regional towns from all across the country try and find love.
Wirrulla, a town in South Australia, didn’t wait for the TV crews and producers. In 2012, they ran their very own version of the show.
The busy life of a farmer and the shortage of women in the town made finding a life partner a challenge for the men of Wirrulla. So a local community group formed to organise Wirrulla Wants a Wife.
A busload of women from Adelaide and Eyre Peninsula came to Wirrulla for a long weekend of activities, local sightseeing and entertainment.
Around 450 people attended Wirrulla Wants a Wife events across the weekend, including the 65 participants.
Organisers used the internet to advertise the event and encourage potential participants to sign up. Local and national media also covered the event which helped raise interest in Adelaide and the Eyre Peninsula.
The weekend was hailed as a great success. One year on, the benefits of the event were still apparent with a reported three couples still together. At least one couple have been married after meeting at the event.
Wirrulla Wants a Wife won Community Event of the Year for the Streaky Bay area in 2012, recognising the importance of the event for the wider community.
Although the possible addition of two or three new people to the town may not seem like much, for such a small area this can make a big difference. This can mean two or three new workers and long term it can hopefully mean four or five additional kids in the local school. It can also help to retain people in the community by helping to minimise the loss of young farmers leaving the area to find love.
If you know of a community that is using a unique approach to attract new residents to the area, share it with us via our website, Facebook, LinkedIn or Twitter. Help us promote regional living, inspire other communities to grow their population and get people to #makethemove.
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