Grit Stories Art Gallery - Support Farmers

Grit [grit]:noun

1. Small loose particles of stone or sand.

2. Courage and resolve; strength of character.

This exhibition captures the grit and stoic strength of Aussie farmers battling through one the toughest droughts in living memory, as well as the once fertile, now dry, gritty terrain these proud men and women make a living from.

Documentary by Kyra Bartley

ONE DAY CLOSER TO RAIN

Please use the audio guide to listen to the drought stories behind the art, as told by the farmers themselves.

Audio Guide 01

THE
KALISCH’S

STORY

00:00 / 03:55

DRY SPELL

Forbes, NSW

Farmer David Kalisch walks into a large dust storm to tend to his cattle, who have clustered in a tight group to protect their eyes.

LAST ONE

Forbes, NSW

BPY1355_JPRATLEY_BMF_Drone_0016_MED_RES.

A lone tree stands strong amongst endless hectares of drought ravaged, hard as concrete soil.

DAILY CHORES

Forbes, NSW

BPY1355_JPRATLEY_BMF_Emma_David_0154_MED

Tending fences broken by cattle is a daily chore for farmer David Kalisch. It’s a laborious task at the best of times, made even tougher by the ferocious dust storms that sweep through his property unannounced.

Forbes, NSW

FATHER
AND SON

Jackson shares a hug with his father David. The drought has forced many farmers such as David to take a second job off the farm, which has exerted a toll on precious family time.

Forbes, NSW

TOOLSHED

BPY1355_JPRATLEY_BMF_Emma_David_0098_MED

With their finances stretched, there’s no choice but to repair worn out and broken machinery. Lucky the Kalischs are a dab hand on the tools.

Forbes, NSW

HOLD ON TO YOUR HAT

Farmer David Kalisch defies ferocious storm winds, which can blow dust as far as New Zealand.

Audio Guide 02

RHONDA

MILGATE’S
STORY

00:00 / 07:57

Trundle, NSW

FEEDING TIME

BPY1355_JPRATLEY_BMF_Rhonda_Tony_0345_ME

“Before the drought, you couldn’t give hay away”, said farmers Tony Rhonda Milgate. Now it’s become an expensive but vital lifeline for farmers across NSW.

Trundle, NSW

RHONDA

Rhonda and her husband Tony come from a long line of farmers, but they’ve never seen drought as brutal or lengthy as what Australia is currently facing.

RAIN FROM NOWHERE

Murray Hartin’s Poem

00:00 / 04:56

Trundle, NSW

OLD TREE

BPY1355_JPRATLEY_BMF_Emma_David_0117_MED

Tony and Rhonda Milgate’s property is littered with century old fallen trees such as this one. Moisture-starved soil means even the deepest roots struggle to find water, let alone farming crops such as barley, oats or wheat.

Audio Guide 03

MARK

RANGER’S STORY

00:00 / 06:52

Daroobalgie, NSW

THE CREEK

BPY1355_JPRATLEY_BMF_Mark_0251_MED_RES.j

GRIT

AUSTRALIAN DROUGHT STORIES

Grit [grit]:noun

1. Small loose particles of stone or sand.

2. Courage and resolve; strength of character.

This exhibition captures the grit and stoic strength of Aussie farmers battling through one the toughest droughts in living memory, as well as the once fertile, now dry, gritty terrain these proud men and women make a living from.

Please use the audio guide to listen to the drought stories behind the art, as told by the farmers themselves.

Audio Guide 01

Farmer David Kalisch walks into a large dust storm to tend to his cattle, who have clustered in a tight group to protect their eyes.

A lone tree stands strong amongst endless hectares of drought ravaged, hard as concrete soil.

Tending fences broken by cattle is a daily chore for farmer David Kalisch. It’s a laborious task at the best of times, made even tougher by the ferocious dust storms that sweep through his property unannounced.

Jackson shares a hug with his father David. The drought has forced many farmers such as David to take a second job off the farm, which has exerted a toll on precious family time.

With their finances stretched, there’s no choice but to repair worn out and broken machinery. Lucky the Kalischs are a dab hand on the tools.

Farmer David Kalisch defies ferocious storm winds, which can blow dust as far as New Zealand.

Audio Guide 02

“Before the drought, you couldn’t give hay away”, said farmers Tony Rhonda Milgate. Now it’s become an expensive but vital lifeline for farmers across NSW.

Rhonda and her husband Tony come from a long line of farmers, but they’ve never seen drought as brutal or lengthy as what Australia is currently facing.

Murray Hartin’s Poem

Tony and Rhonda Milgate’s property is littered with century old fallen trees such as this one. Moisture-starved soil means even the deepest roots struggle to find water, let alone farming crops such as barley, oats or wheat.

Audio Guide 03

Mark Ranger crouches where a creek once flowed and nourished his fields and livestock.

GRIT

AUSTRALIAN DROUGHT STORIES

Grit [grit]:noun

​

1. Small loose particles of stone or sand.

2. Courage and resolve; strength of character.

This exhibition captures the grit and stoic strength of Aussie farmers battling through one the toughest droughts in living memory, as well as the once fertile, now dry, gritty terrain these proud men and women make a living from.

Please use the audio guide to listen to the drought stories behind the art, as told by the farmers themselves.

Audio Guide 01

Farmer David Kalisch walks into a large dust storm to tend to his cattle, who have clustered in a tight group to protect their eyes.

A lone tree stands strong amongst endless hectares of drought ravaged, hard as concrete soil.

Tending fences broken by cattle is a daily chore for farmer David Kalisch. It’s a laborious task at the best of times, made even tougher by the ferocious dust storms that sweep through his property unannounced.

Jackson shares a hug with his father David. The drought has forced many farmers such as David to take a second job off the farm, which has exerted a toll on precious family time.

With their finances stretched, there’s no choice but to repair worn out and broken machinery. Lucky the Kalischs are a dab hand on the tools.

Farmer David Kalisch defies ferocious storm winds, which can blow dust as far as New Zealand.

Audio Guide 02

“Before the drought, you couldn’t give hay away”, said farmers Tony Rhonda Milgate. Now it’s become an expensive but vital lifeline for farmers across NSW.

Rhonda and her husband Tony come from a long line of farmers, but they’ve never seen drought as brutal or lengthy as what Australia is currently facing.

Murray Hartin’s Poem

Tony and Rhonda Milgate’s property is littered with century old fallen trees such as this one. Moisture-starved soil means even the deepest roots struggle to find water, let alone farming crops such as barley, oats or wheat.

Audio Guide 03

Mark Ranger crouches where a creek once flowed and nourished his fields and livestock.

GRIT

AUSTRALIAN DROUGHT STORIES