Maules Creek's Shanna Whan becomes Australia's Local Hero for bush sobriety work

Ms Whan founded the organisation which helps people deal with drinking problems in regional areas where it is often difficult to get help and break bad cycles in 2019, after almost losing her life to alcohol addiction in 2015.

While she is thrilled to have gained recognition for her efforts, she told the Leader the real work starts now.

"We're going to do exactly what we have always done, which is to drive powerful and essential conversations," she said.

"But now we're going to be doing it with a serious and more recognised and credible national voice.

"Nothing will change in our messaging, we will be who we have always been and we will advocate and speak about what we have been advocating and speaking about for seven years."

Her newfound profile will also help her communicate with those in power, which is something Ms Whan is very keen to do.

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She said winning the award has already provided her with opportunity to meet with officials, and she's hoping to make them sweat.

"Now very important people are listening, we have literally met with some of the most important and influential people in the entire nation over these past few days," she said.

"We will be using all of those opportunities to represent rural and remote Australia.

"We will continue to ask where some of our NSW state leadership is on this - and why they continue to remain silent in the face of ongoing invitations to meet and discuss Sober in the Country's impact and work.

"While we are a national voice, we're based here in NSW, and a disproportionate percentage of our peer group is also based here, too.

"So, as NSW residents we are going to challenge some NSW leaders directly now on their own pervasive ongoing silence, because it's simply not good enough.''

She believes addressing the root of the problem is the only way to make significant progress.

Ms Whan said she abides by the famous quote of the late South African bishop and human rights champion Desmond Tutu, which is that: "There comes a time when we need to stop pulling people out of the river when they've already drowned - and go upstream and find out why they're falling in.''

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