Peter Malinauskas and Tony Modra to headline Peter Party for drought resilience in Peterborough

A small country town at the epicentre of SA’s drought will be the focus of a party aimed at providing some relief from the big dry – and there are some big-name attendees.

Premier Peter Malinauskas and Crows legend Tony Modra will headline a drought-resilience free street party in the parched Mid North town of Peterborough on Monday.

The party – the culmination of The Advertiser’s For Pete’s Sake campaign – will offer farmers, businesses and community members a chance to unite as they deal with one of the worst droughts in the state’s recorded history.

Mr Malinauskas has applauded the event, which will also include a basketball clinic led by former Adelaide 36ers star Al Green and current assistant coach Tim O’Dell.

“The Advertiser’s initiative for this free community event in Peterborough will help lift spirits in a region, which is doing it tough right now,” he said on Monday.

Former Adelaide full forward Modra and legendary Adelaide Oval curator Les Burdett will attend the day in their roles as ambassadors for West End, which has joined the Australian Hotels Association in throwing their support behind the “Peter Party”.

Former Adelaide full forward Tony Modra and legendary Adelaide Oval curator Les Burdett will attend a free drought-resilience street party in Peterborough on Monday. Picture: Tait Schmaal.

Modra, who kicked 440 goals for the Crows and is also a member of the Encounter Bay Football Club team of the century, and Burdett will be behind the bar at the Peterborough Hotel.

“As a country boy, I know all too well what Peterborough and many other SA towns are going through,” Modra said.

“I’ll be there Monday pouring a few cold West Ends for the locals, having a chat and supporting them as they navigate this drought.”

Mayor Ruth Whittle said having the Premier in Peterborough to speak to locals and see the effects of the drought would give the town a “wonderful boost”.

“It’s dry, it’s dusty, people are saddened and at the end of their tether,” she said.

“Peterborough right now is a good snapshot of how people in drought really are. It’s great that Mr Malinauskas will be able to come and talk to them and find out.”

As the community of Peterborough gears up for next week’s street party, town leadership says it will be a “good opportunity” for locals to take their minds off the state’s driest summer in decades.

Mayor Whittle said she expected anywhere between 400-500 locals attend the For Pete’s Sake event, and hoped that it would shed light on the dire situation many rural towns are now facing.

Ms Whittle told The Advertiser that there was already a buzz around town, with locals spreading the word, but more importantly, looked forward to the event putting a smile on their faces.

Les Burdett is an ambassador for West End and former curator for Adelaide Oval. Picture: Tom Huntley

“It gives everybody who is a bit down, who are sad because of the drought, it gives them a day to come and perhaps, forget about their worries and join in with everyone else,” she said.

“To have a day to think about nothing else except having a feed and talking to people that you don’t normally talk to, and have a bit of entertainment and getting out for the day, it’s a wonderful thing for us.”

“There are people talking about it and they’re all very interested to see the Premier when he comes, and to listen to what he might have to say.”

Ms Whittle said the town was “very happy” that Mr Malinauskas was visiting the town, as the town rarely had state leaders there.

“That’s something we don’t see very often, you know, we don’t have pollies (politicians) in this area too much, apart from our lovely local member,” she said.

“Monday is a great opportunity for us to tell the Premier how hard it is to sustain a reasonable life out here, and for him to see that we are a part of South Australia

“We deserve a bit of attention, and it’s nice to actually see that happening.”

The Advertiser’s Editor, Gemma Jones, said rural communities did so much for the state that it was time to give back.

“We are fortunate so many partners jumped at the chance to help that we will be able to host a special event,” she said.

Peterborough Rotary Club will have a free barbecue and the local Lions Club will offer free doughnuts.

Rotary Club president Doug Perrott said droughts such as this affected the entire community – not just farmers – and the party would allow people to get together and “get things off their chest”.

“It also shows that people from outside the town and outside the area are actually thinking of them – and they’re willing to put in their time and money to help people realise that they’re not in the situation by themselves.”

Australian Hotels Association SA chief executive Anna Moeller said hotels were the heart of regional communities, especially in hard times.

“They are there in good times and bad for people to congregate, celebrate and commiserate,” she said.

Mayor Ruth Whittle said having the Premier in Peterborough to speak to locals and see the effects of the drought would give the town a “wonderful boost”. Picture: Brett Hartwig

“It is often the local pub that the community turns to in times of crisis, be it fire, flood or drought.

“The AHA, together with our corporate partners, are delighted to support and be part of this significant community event in Peterborough.”

Breakthrough Mental Health chief executive John Mannion said the latest figures showed 45 per cent of farmers had felt depressed and nearly two thirds experienced anxiety.

“We lose a farmer every 10 days to suicide and more than a quarter of farmers are expressing feelings of loneliness and isolation,” he said.

“Twenty per cent of farmers have identified that they felt completely defeated and weren’t sure what to do next. That’s compounded by the limited access to mental health services for them.”

Mr Mannion said Breakthrough Mental Health had led programs in drought-stricken communities and would be at Peterborough on Monday.

As part of The Advertiser’s drought-relief campaign, The Advertiser Foundation has pledged to pay the registration fees for every Peterborough Basketball Association junior player this season.

Association administrator Chantel Thompson said the combination of the 36ers clinic on Monday and the donation by The Advertiser Foundation was “just massive” for the community.

The foundation will also help Booleroo Melrose Wilmington football and netball clubs buy goalposts for minis games and put on a night aimed at attracting young people to the sports.

The foundation has also pledged to help more children in other drought-affected South Australian communities.

Originally published as Peter Malinauskas and Tony Modra to headline Peter Party for drought resilience in Peterborough