This article was originally published in print in the Swan Hill Guardian on March 8, 2019.
COUNTRY Women’s Association (CWA) Murray Valley Group president Mary Heap says the role of women in country towns hasn’t changed much in the past 20 years.
This is as long as Ms Heap has been in the region, joining the organisation when she moved here from Melbourne not knowing anyone.
Ms Heap is a member of the Tyntynder branch, one of five CWA branches (Booren, Tanlynne, Moulamein, Tyntynder and Nykora) in the region, becoming group president last year.
“Apart from getting older, I don’t really think it has changed,” she said.
“We are still there to support people, for example, if somebody’s house burnt down and they applied for aid, we’d go out of our way to try and help.”
She said the CWA also supported many local organisations and were currently involved in a project for the Woorinen South Fire Brigade.
“I don’t think it’s really changed except for in the way now that we’ll go and ask for outside help. Where, in earlier years it was quite a no-no,” Ms Heap said.
Ms Heap said the organisation had also become more proactive in asking for handouts.
“So in that way, CWA has become more modern,” Ms Heap said.
“CWA supports women and gathers to help and support in drought or in any other way; it’s not just a one-day a year for CWA.”
It’s this proactive approach that Ms Heap likes about being part of the organisation.
Ms Heap said when CWA began women didn’t have the “socialness that we have now”.
“This was a lifeline for them to meet other like minded women,” she said.
“I can remember one of the old ladies saying to me if it wasn’t for CWA she didn’t know what she would do, because she was so isolated on her farm.”
Lillian Altman 