When members of the Mount Hope community realised that the only opportunity they had to catch-up was at funerals, they decided it was time to gather for a more enjoyable and less morbid occasion.
The Emu Club was established after locals noticed that the only time the men in the community gathered to chat was as they congregated outside the church deep in discussion and nobody could move them on, much like a mob of emus.
Emu Club member and owner of The Barn at Mount Hope Ree Price said the club and its events were designed to bring locals together and give them a chance to chat and socialise with one another.
"I felt we needed a community event that was available for families to come and just relax and listen to some music and talk," Ms Price said.
"So we decided to put on a simple meal once a month at The Barn."
Locals in the Maranoa region came together for an afternoon of food and entertainment last Saturday at the Bogged at The Barn event to catch up with friends and support healthy living in the Maranoa.
ConnectAg principal Rhonda Toms-Morgan said community events for the whole family were important for locals.
"In good times or bad, we all need to take every chance to be a community," she said.
Founder of Are You Bogged Mate? Mary O'Brien was the key note speaker on the day, with an aim to improve long-term health outcomes in the community.
"Are You Bogged Mate? approaches mental health in a way rural men and women can easily relate to, lifting awareness of mental health challenges and value of our social connections in working through these challenges," Ms Toms-Morgan said.
"Mary's message aligned with the sentiment of the Emu Club and really highlighted just how important that getting together is to for rural communities."
The event also the final stop for a group of locals who participated in "The Long Run for Prostate Cancer" where they walked 74 kilometres and raised $2557 for the Prostate Foundation of Australia.
Ms Toms-Morgan said the event, Bogged at The Barn, would not have been possible without the support from SANTOS.
"We are grateful for the support from Santos to invest in mental health and healthy living in the Maranoa," she said.
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