Sober in the Country, is launching a month-long national fundraising campaign in Australia this February called The Big Shout, with a goal of raising $1 million to expand its work on alcohol harm in rural and remote communities. Actor Erik Thomson (known for Packed to the Rafters) is on board as fundraising ambassador, and agricultural leaders are already lining up to support the campaign.

The hook is deliberately familiar to Australians, the idea of “shouting” a mate a drink, but it is reworked into a “virtual shout” that funds practical help instead. The campaign leans into the language and symbols of drinking culture (including a beer-can style logo) to reach the people it is trying to support, while flipping the message toward inclusion and support for those cutting back or choosing not to drink.

Founder and CEO Shanna Whan AM frames it as a mateship message rather than a prohibition pitch: respect people’s choices, and make sure everyone is catered for at “bush events”, whether they drink or not. The charity’s wider message is captured in the hashtag #OK2SAYNO, and its campaign materials also argue that alcohol harm in the bush connects tightly to other community issues that are often treated separately, including mental health decline, suicide, bullying and hazing, domestic violence, workplace accidents, and isolation.

Funds raised through The Big Shout are set to support a mix of peer support and practical services, including expansion of its moderated online community (The Bush Tribe), more #OK2SAYNO workshops for workplaces and communities, more storytelling content, stronger partnerships to improve access to help in remote areas, and a dedicated online men’s group. Industry backing highlighted so far includes Australian Agricultural Company (AACo), Delta Agribusiness, and Customised Farm Management (CFM), with comments of support also coming from David Harris, Andrew Parkes, and farmer and Nuffield Scholar David Woods.

Find more from The Big Shout (Australia, February 2026)