World renowned Milliner and advocate for mental health, Waltraud Reiner and her Hatmobile ‘Audrey’, have hit the road to deliver millinery workshops in drought affected remote communities, and last weekend visited Nevertire.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
This ‘Hats Off To the Outback’ millinery tour employs a philosophy of positive mental health through creativity and engages people in the skills of hat-making.
Waltraud believes that hats are more than just shelter for the head but are a powerful means of self-expression, therefore in conjunction with Outback Arts she provides this inclusive artistic experience to around 10 communities each year while raising awareness and support for mental health.
READ ALSO:
Most people around our region haven’t received decent rain since 2016, and before that, there was a long decade of drought with a short reprieve in 2012. For most though the last 15 years has felt like a struggle. Combined with other struggles and uncertainties that come with life on the land, the resilience of people eventually runs out.
Women make up such an important part and backbone of outback communities and people like Waltraud come along and encourage women to feel themselves again.
“So often country women think they can’t show themselves, or lack the opportunities to find time just to be with themselves in making beautiful things. There is so much need for this kind of help in the bush but so little opportunity,” Ms Reiner said.
And of course, the other half of the equation is the men. Typically speaking, men tend to suffer in silence. For the last couple of years men have joined in on the workshops, enjoying a welcome distraction and time off farm while making a new work hat or fixing up an old one.
Having men join in on this type of activity creates a new open conversation for the community around wellbeing, something which history shows hasn’t always been encouraged or available.
Apart from hopefully bringing some rain with her, Waltraud also brings a wealth of knowledge and inspiration with her millinery skills and mental health advocacy.
“I always found solace and support for myself in doing creative things. Country folk in Australia are often socially isolated, and lack opportunities to find time just to be with themselves in making beautiful things,” Ms Reiner said.
“When we create, we give ourselves a chance to connect to something within which often bypasses words and lets us see through colour and shapes.”
“We want to be seen, loved, and we all feel pain. All kinds of things happen to good people”, she says.
“It’s what you do when they happen that matters.” And mental health matters to everyone.
