Motherland Australia, Media Release, 6 December 2021

Motherland Australia has announced enrolments are open for its nation-wide rural mothers group service which will return in 2022.

Motherland Village is a six-week personalised program delivered entirely online that matches rural mums to their own small support group. The initiative mobilises mothers from across the country and enables them to form meaningful connections and friendships.

“Every rural mum deserves access to a mother’s group, no matter where she lives, what she does, or how old her children are,” said Motherland Founder Stephanie Trethewey.

The 2022 program kicks off in February and follows a highly successful 2021 which saw 38 rural mums from seven different states and territories come through the program.

“Motherland Village fills a gap in postpartum support for rural and remote mothers” says New South Wales mum Jessica Murray who joined the program this year.

“Social isolation is an often overlooked challenge as a new mother. I am over 1000km from my closest friends and family who have been my supporters in all other major life events. Motherland Village has provided a group of mothers, facing similar geographic and social isolation, that have come together for a shared purpose; to support and be supported in rural motherhood” she said.

A recent Motherland survey of more than 200 rural mums revealed 61% don’t have access to a mother’s group due to their isolated location or lack of local services. In a separate Motherland survey, 49% of rural mums said that feeling isolated and lonely is the hardest part of motherhood.

Rural mums who enrol in Motherland Village get access to their own mothers group made up of 10 women maximum. They’ll communicate via a private online chat room, take part in facilitated video catch-ups, and will be supported through weekly check-ins and activities. Founder Stephanie Trethewey, a rural mum of two, was inspired to create the program following her own experiences as a new mum on the land.

“When I had my son, we were living in Melbourne and I was automatically allocated to a local mothers group when he was just a few weeks old. These women were my lifeline and I formed deep connections with them over many months. But when we moved to rural Tasmania, I suddenly lost that support network and I soon realised that a program for rural mothers didn’t exist.”

A significant point of difference to traditional mothers groups is that Motherland Village is open to multiple age brackets including mums with children aged 0-3 years, 4-10 years, and 11-18 years.

Enrolment for Motherland Village is now open, and spaces are limited. To book a place, go to www.motherlandaustralia.com.au/motherland-village