Beneficiaries in 2025
We raised more than $1.7 million for our key beneficiaries: Schools Plus, Rural Aid, Royal Flying Doctor Service and Outback Futures, along with other, localised recipients. Find out more below regarding the impact this will make on communities across Australia.
Schools Plus
Schools Plus exists to help close the education gap caused by disadvantage.
They work with teachers and schools in disadvantaged areas to empower them with funding, coaching and resources to implement initiatives that will help their students succeed.
Up to half of all students in very remote areas are behind in key educational milestones for their age.
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The projects Big Dry Friday will support with 2025 funds will be announced soon.
Rural Aid
Rural Aid is Australia’s most trusted rural charity. It provides critical support to farmers affected by natural disaster through wellbeing and fodder assistance.
The funding from 2025 will enable Rural Aid to provide:
- Approx 100 pre-paid Visa cards
- Approx 30 water tanks
- Approx 100 water deliveries
- Approx 30 farmers supported with fodder and
- Fund a counsellor for six months - providing farm gate and telephone counselling as well as community engagement
Southern Australia remains firmly in the grip of drought despite recent rain. In stark contrast, the effects of record floods are still being felt in the North. Standing with our mates in the bush has never been more important, especially when recovery is painfully slow and rarely captures the headlines.
“When the floods hit, it was hard to know where to turn or how we’d manage. Then Rural Aid stepped in, bringing hay, funding support, and a water tank that’s still making a difference to us every day. They took pressure off us at a time when everything felt uncertain. I honestly don’t know what we would’ve done without them.”
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Outback Futures
Outback Futures is a not-for-profit organisation that provides mental health and wellbeing services to individuals and communities in rural and remote Queensland.
Thanks to the generosity of Big Dry Friday (BDF), Outback Futures is able to offer ongoing support to the Cloncurry region in far northwest Queensland.
On an individual level, the BDF funding provides counselling, speech and occupation therapy support to children and adults in the region. Clients have the opportunity to meet face to face with Outback Futures’ clinicians at least 4 times per year, and access support via telehealth in between visits.
At a community level, our focus this year is to:
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Develop programs for Men’s Health, as well as other education initiatives to address issues like suicide prevention.
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Partner with local First Nations leaders to facilitate yarning circles focused on indigenous mental health.
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Engagement with the indigenous community of Dajarra, supporting children and teachers in the local school.
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Improve and empower community wellbeing through education, facilitated by allied health clinicians.
BDF funding helps us to continue to show up in the community, deliver services and build connections with and gain the trust of locals.
Thank you for lending a hand to diminish the disadvantage of distance and support bush communities to thrive.
Royal Flying Doctor Service
The RFDS is a national, charitable, health organisation delivering primary healthcare and 24-hour emergency services for those that live in rural and remote Australia.
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Areas supported by funds raised in 2025 include:
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QLD - Pilot Training Program at the Bundaberg Aeromedical Training Academy
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WA - Aeromedical equipment and staff training
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NSW/ACT - Wellbeing Place at Broken Hill for mental health support. Wellbeing Places offers a variety of services including arts, culture and wellness activities, art therapy, woodwork and play therapy, mental health professionals, addiction recovery, and clinical intervention.
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VIC - Equipment for the Robinvale clinic to support the rural women’s GP program
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SA/NT - Aeromedical equipment
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Other Beneficiaries
Rural Doctors Foundation
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Rural Doctors Foundation is a national rural health charity focused on supporting better health for rural communities across Australia and the health workforce that cares for them.
Funds from BDF help the Rural Doctors Foundation deliver its GPs4RuralDocs program, which is an independent and confidential GP service for rural GPs, nurses and allied health professionals.
The program provides continuity of primary healthcare by the same doctor through a combination of in-town, face-to-face consultations and telehealth services in between visits. The service is delivered by an independent team of doctors who understand rural practice and are trained in doctor-to-doctor care and mental health
The goal is to provide every rural health practitioner across Australia with the same level of care they provide to their patients, from an independent GP.
LifeFlight Australia
LifeFlight Australia is the largest, most advanced aeromedical service in the southern hemisphere, providing rapid response and cutting-edge medical care to those who need it most.
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They perform emergency rescues, natural disaster response, patient transfers, international medical evacuations and aerial protection and surveillance.
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LifeFlight has bases across Queensland and in Singapore.
Royal Far West
Established in 1924, Royal Far West is one of Australia’s most enduring and respected charities dedicated to connecting kids in rural and remote communities to the care they need.
They support children’s developmental, mental and behavioural health so they can reach their full potential. Where you live should not be a barrier to services nor a cause for disadvantage yet 190,000 children in rural and remote Australia have health and development needs that are not being met.
They offer health, education and disability services for country children and their families at the Centre for Country Kids in Manly, virtually via Telecare, and in local communities.
Australian Rural Leadership Foundation
The Australian Rural Leadership Foundation is a for-purpose organisation that’s been making strides in rural, regional and remote communities across Australia through the development of courageous and authentic leadership.
As the dedicated provider of leadership programs for regional Australia, they have delivered more than 150 transformational leadership programs over 30 years.
Little Wings
Little Wings is a not for profit organisation that provides free, professional, safe flight and ground transport services for seriously ill children in rural and regional NSW, ACT and QLD.
They strive to ease the journey and help sick children access specialised medical services and treatments that are only available in major cities or towns.
Little Wings do everything they can to support families by easing the financial burden, emotional strain and travel fatigue that they experience due to the long-distance travel associated with receiving vital medical treatment.
It's A Bloke Thing
The It’s a Bloke Thing Foundation is a registered not-for-profit organisation dedicated to raising awareness, funding vital research, and improving care for men affected by prostate cancer across Australia.
The funds raised directly support prostate cancer research, the employment of specialist Prostate Cancer Nurses, and the delivery of education and awareness programs, particularly in regional and rural areas, where support is often needed most.
RNA Foundation
The Royal National Agricultural & Industrial Association of Queensland (RNA) Foundation celebrates and champions the essential role agriculture plays in the everyday lives of Queenslanders through raising funds to aid agricultural heritage preservation, agricultural education and agricultural awareness and development.
Outback Rowing
Outback Rowing Australia is focused on bridging the gap between rural and urban health outcomes through the power of rowing. Our programs create opportunities for physical activity, social connection, and community in regional and rural parts of the country.
QAGOMA Regional Services
QAGOMA works with Queensland's network of regional galleries and community centres to deliver exhibitions, talks, workshops and kids programs right across the state.
Regional initiatives include an ongoing program of touring exhibitions from the Collection, annual Kids' on Tour program, artist workshops, and professional development opportunities.
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The intention is to bring life-changing arts experiences to audiences across Queensland.
Live Life Foundation
Live Life Foundation aims to improve the quality of life for children with special needs and assists families facing the challenges that are associated with disabilities.
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Since 2014 LLF’s mission has been to provide funding to the Children’s Neuroscience Centre at The Royal Children’s Hospital, Melbourne (RCH), in support of projects that assist children diagnosed with disorders of the brain, nerves and muscles.
Girls from Oz
Girls from Oz (g-oz) is a not-for-profit organisation committed to strengthening the wellbeing and future pathways of girls living in remote Australia. Through the transformative power of the performing arts, we help young people build confidence, develop new skills and expand their educational and employment horizons.
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Funding from Big Dry Friday 2025 will go towards our FY26 Community Programs in Halls Creek and Bidyadanga (WA), and Lockhart River and Kowanyama (QLD), allowing us to continue to provide otherwise inaccessible opportunities that support girls to stay engaged in school, feel empowered in their identity and take pride in their potential.
The Wattlenest
Despite being a sports obsessed Nation, over 40% of Australia's elite athletes live on or below the poverty line resulting in 42% of our athletes aged between 18 and 34 suffering from poor mental health due to their financial predicament.
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Wattlenest doesn't believe affordability should be a barrier for anyone to reach their full potential and knows that investment in sport strengthens community.
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Big Dry Friday has partnered with Wattlenest to support five regional athletes across the country:
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Daniel Barber, Cycling - Dubbo
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Jeremy Peacock, Para-Triathlete - Geelong
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Spencer Riys, Boxing - Ingham
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Jonathan Kasiano - Track & Field - Ipswich
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Abbie Taddeo - Hurdles - Kiama, Wollongong
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Jeremy Peacock, Para-Triathlete, said: "Support from Big Dry Friday came at just the right time. This funding gave me breathing room - it helped cover essential costs like travel, equipment and recovery support that are usually out of reach." Peacock also emphasised how regional athletes are often isolated from high-perforamce hubs, making resources like coaching, medical support and sponsorships harder to access.
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