Rural Women, Motorsport, and Mental Health
In the wheatbelt, the dawn calm doesn’t last long — soon the air shakes with the thrum of machines built for speed, not agriculture. Families have gathered at a dusty paddock track, mothers balancing thermoses of coffee while kids wriggle into helmets. Among them are women who, in another life, might never have considered themselves racers — but here they are, at home with the rumble of engines and the smell of dust. For these women, this motorsport club is more than a weekend hobby. It is a community, a lifeline, and sometimes, a crucial part of how they navigate the heavy load of rural living.
This year, International Day of Rural Women falls in the middle of our Mental Health Month campaign. It’s the perfect moment to pause and consider how women in remote and rural areas build resilience, connection, and hope in the face of barriers to health care — such as mental health, and why something as unexpected as motorsport could be part of the answer.
The Mental Health Divide in Rural Australia
The statistics are sobering. While the prevalence of mental illness is broadly similar across rural and urban populations, the outcomes are worse outside of cities. Suicide rates are significantly higher in rural and remote regions, with young men, elderly men, and Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples most at risk. Rural Australians face an annual health underspend of $6.55 billion — about $850 less per person compared to city dwellers — a gap that translates into fewer services, fewer practitioners, and more travel for basic care.
In 2021, there were 142 psychologists per 100,000 people in major cities, compared to just 47 per 100,000 in remote areas. The scarcity of services means rural residents rely more heavily on general practitioners and medication than on specialist therapy. For women, who already shoulder a disproportionate share of caregiving roles, the impact of this access gap is compounded.
As one network member put it bluntly: “It takes three weeks to see a GP, telehealth is expensive, and you need a decent satellite connection.”
Rural Women: Carrying the Weight
Rural women’s lives are complex tapestries woven from work, family, community, and often, unrecognised caregiving. Seven out of ten primary carers in Australia are women, and many live in rural settings where respite and formal supports are scarce. The average age of a female carer is 54, and the role is associated with poorer mental and physical health outcomes, particularly in environments where isolation and travel demands are significant.
Maternal health adds another layer: while prevalence of perinatal depression may be similar to metro areas, rural women are far more likely to face service gaps, long travel during labour, or even hospital refusal due to limited capacity. These experiences contribute to under-reporting and under-treatment of mental health conditions among rural mothers.
And then there is stigma. In small towns, where everyone knows everyone, the decision to seek help can feel like an announcement. Privacy is rare in communities where clinic staff might also be neighbours or school parents.
Feedback from a network member captured this reality: “Nope, no discretion. No privacy.”
It is in this context that alternatives to formal mental health services become critical. Social participation, volunteering, and community sport are consistently shown to be protective factors. They don’t replace care, but they can buffer against distress, foster resilience, and — perhaps most importantly — reduce isolation.
Evidence-Based Interventions: Lessons from RAMHP and Act, Belong, Commit
Australia’s Rural Adversity Mental Health Program (RAMHP) is one of the leading examples of tailoring interventions to rural contexts. RAMHP focuses on early intervention, suicide prevention, and gatekeeper training for community members. Its strength lies in embedding support in existing community structures — schools, farms, councils, and sporting clubs.
The Act, Belong, Commit (A-B-C) campaign, born in Western Australia, has also been rigorously evaluated. Its message is simple:
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Act: Keep mentally and physically active.
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Belong: Stay socially connected.
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Commit: Do things with meaning and purpose.
For rural women, these principles resonate deeply. They highlight that everyday community activities — joining a club, helping a neighbour, volunteering at the track — are not just “nice extras” but proven mental health strategies. Evaluations show that up to 15% of people familiar with A-B-C took proactive steps for their mental health because of it, whether that meant reaching out for professional help or joining a community group.
Telehealth: Promise and Limitations
Telehealth has been heralded as a lifeline for rural Australians, but it is not a silver bullet. While it increases access by bridging geographic barriers, national studies show that preferences remain strongly in favour of face-to-face contact. For many rural women, trust hinges on whether the clinician has rural experience or cultural competence.
That said, telehealth offers an important advantage in small communities: anonymity. Where fear of being seen walking into a clinic can deter help-seeking, a private video consultation may feel safer.
As another member noted: “In a town this small, everyone knows your business. Telehealth at least gives you a bit of privacy.”
Yet technology access and literacy remain barriers. And even with telehealth, the lack of specialist practitioners still means long waits and limited choice.
This is where locally driven, community-based solutions — including sport and motoring clubs — can complement formal care by offering trusted, culturally relevant environments for connection.
Sport, Belonging, and the Gender Gap
Sport is woven into the fabric of rural towns. From netball courts to football ovals, community sport provides identity, connection, and purpose. Data shows that female participation in community sport in rural and regional Victoria rose from 8.9% in 2021 to 10.1% in 2023, with rural participation often outstripping metropolitan rates.
But there are cracks. Dropout rates among girls aged 15+ remain alarmingly high — around 60% leave organised sport due to lack of support, inclusivity, or flexible options. This is where motorsport offers something different. Unlike traditional team sports, motorsport is:
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Intergenerational: parents and children can participate together.
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Skill-based: women can compete on equal footing with men.
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Flexible: roles span from driving to mechanics to volunteering.
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Sticky: once involved, participants often stay connected for life.
For rural women, motorsport provides a community that is both purposeful and inclusive, mapping almost perfectly onto the A-B-C framework.
In the words of a network member: “My rally family are more caring than my actual blood family.”
The Open Road: Women Already Driving Change
A recent article by the University of Technology Sydney — Why Older Women Are Embracing the Open Road — captures the spirit of motoring as empowerment. It tells the stories of women over sixty, living in remote areas, who take to the highways with 4WDs, caravans, and campervans. They face breakdowns and isolation, yet through motoring, they discover resilience, independence, and connection.
Their stories are not about motorsport specifically, but they highlight a broader truth: motoring in all its forms can be transformative for women in rural and remote settings. Whether towing a van across the Nullarbor or racing on a dirt track, the act of taking the wheel is both symbolic and practical. It creates community where distance otherwise dominates, and it redefines what it means to thrive in rural Australia.
Rural Women in Motorsport: Programs and Pathways
Motorsport Australia and affiliated clubs have made strides in creating accessible programs for women, including those in rural areas:
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Women’s Introduction to Motorsport (WIM): Lets women use their own road cars to learn vehicle preparation, car control, and track safety in a supportive environment.
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Women & Wheels (ARDC): Combines driving sessions with industry talks and networking.
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Women in Drifting (Australian Drift Club): A grassroots program with high female uptake.
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Girls on Track (FIA): Engages school-aged girls (8–18) in motorsport and STEM careers.
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Race Chix®: A national community for women across motorsport, offering events, mentoring, and apparel.
These initiatives address barriers to entry, build skills and confidence, and — crucially for rural women — create networks that combat isolation.
Indigenous Women: The Need for Cultural Safety
Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in rural and remote communities face unique challenges. Suicide rates are higher, and culturally safe care is often lacking. Community-led programs that integrate cultural practices, language, and peer mentorship have shown success in reducing self-harm and improving wellbeing.
Motorsport clubs can play a role here too. By creating inclusive environments, elevating Indigenous women as role models, and ensuring culturally respectful engagement, motorsport can align with broader strategies for resilience and cultural strength.
Conclusion: Engines of Belonging
International Day of Rural Women reminds us of both the challenges and the strength found across Australia’s backroads. Mental health outcomes for rural women remain inequitable — shaped by distance, stigma, and service gaps. But solutions are not confined to clinics and hospitals.
Motorsport, in all its noisy, dusty, grassroots glory, offers exactly what evidence-based programs like Act, Belong, Commit call for: activity, belonging, and purpose. It is a space where rural women can build skills, mentor the next generation, and connect beyond the isolation of geography.
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Motorsport reduces stigma by creating open, practical spaces for conversation.
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Motorsport fosters resilience through teamwork, problem-solving, and achievement.
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Motorsport offers belonging in communities where social connection is protective against mental illness.
And as one member told us simply: “You’re stronger than you know.”
On this International Day of Rural Women, let’s acknowledge not only the adversity of distance but also the ingenuity of connection. Sometimes, the road to resilience begins not with a clinic appointment, but with the roar of an engine and the knowledge that you are not alone.
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Bridget Bell is a seasoned motorsport media professional and a skilled mechanic, with over a decade of experience in On-Air Hosting, Event Hosting, Television Presenting and Commentating. Passionate about supporting women in both the industry and motorsport, Bridget volunteers as a mentor and actively champions female representation.
Disclaimer: While due research has been conducted, the views expressed in our articles are those of the author and may not necessarily reflect everyone’s views. If you notice an error, please email quoting the blog article title and an explanation of the error.