While the world grapples with the aftershocks of a recession borne out of greed, Tamworth and other farming communities remain hogtied by this inhumane act of nature.

The big dry’s impact has not spared any sector of our community.

It’s sapped paddocks, bank accounts and hope.

It’s contributed to family breakdowns, mental health conditions and, in some cases, suicide.

That such a catastrophic event requires an army of mental health workers is a given.

Indeed, local political leaders and mental health advocates have long pushed for such services to help deal with drought-induced stress and depression.

And they’ve had some successes.

Tamworth now has more mental health professionals than ever before, in line with the growing awareness of the need for such services.

But more on-the-ground workers are only part of the puzzle.

The challenge remains in convincing those on the brink of despair to seek help.

Farmers, famously proud and private, are less willing to pick up a phone and ring a counsellor when anxiety and depression becomes hard to manage.

As the recent family tragedy in Lockhart revealed, some are also not comfortable confiding in friends or loved-ones.

The challenge for authorities then, is to devise a system where men on the land can speak to someone they can relate to but who they aren’t likely to bump into at the pub on Friday night.

Therein lies the magic of the Bush Telegraph.

The program, soon to be launched by Tamworth charity One of a Kind, connects farmers by mobile phone in a “cluster” of 100.

Many will not share the same postcode, but they will share similar stories.

This will afford farmers a degree of anonymity while providing them with an outlet to discuss how they feel.

A problem shared is a problem halved and if the Bush Telegraph can help halve the stress of its 100 participants, it should be rolled-out across the nation.