Events / SEWF 2022
Rural Gathering

2-5 October (in person): Community-led rejuvenation through social enterprise
The Rural Gathering is an exciting opportunity to accelerate change for rural communities. Hosted by ACRE in association with SEWF 2022, the Rural Gathering took place in North East Victoria – a rural region that is a hot bed for social enterprise in Australia.
The Gathering offered participants diverse, dynamic and deep opportunities to explore the central theme of community-led rejuvenation through social enterprise, with a focus on accelerating leadership in the next generation, learning from First Nations people, building networks and the enabling role of government and philanthropy.
Event objectives
- Knowledge: Build understanding and recognition of social enterprise as a lever for community-led rejuvenation in rural communities.
- Know-how: Influence and accelerate community-led rejuvenation policies and approaches via development of a Rural Gathering Manifesto.
- Networks: Develop a collaborative network to foster community-led rejuvenation models internationally.
Highlights
- Participants were part of our first Rural Gathering to be held in the Southern Hemisphere.
- They explored pioneering approaches to community-led rejuvenation being used in rural Australia and rural communities across the globe.
- Participants joined an immersive field trip across North East Victoria to meet founders and visit vibrant rural social enterprises, including Indigenous and student-led enterprises.
- They also toured Old Beechworth Gaol – a site that is being re-purposed as an exemplar of social enterprise, impact investment and rural rejuvenation through community-owned assets.
- Participants contributed to a Forum and Report Back session that brought together some of the world’s most experienced and effective social enterprise policymakers and practitioners with philanthropy and government.
Event details
2–5 October 2022
From 18:00 AEST (GMT+10) on 2 October to 15:00 AEST (GMT+10) on 5 October.
Old Beechworth Gaol, Beechworth, Victoria and other locations across North East Victoria.
The Rural Gathering started in Beechworth, a rural town in North East Victoria. Following SEWF22 in Brisbane, there were different travel options (not included in the ticket price):
Air: Albury Airport is approximately 50 minutes from Beechworth. A number of domestic airlines operate daily flights to Albury from Brisbane, Melbourne and Sydney. Hire cars are available from Albury Airport.
Road: Beechworth is a three hour drive north from Melbourne, a six hour drive south from Sydney and over 15 hours by car from Brisbane.
Train: Rail services run daily from Melbourne and Sydney to Albury. There is no direct train from Brisbane.
Note: ACRE ran courtesy buses to Beechworth for Rural Gathering participants who arrived at Albury Airport or Albury Train Station on 2 October.
$2,200 AUD per person including field trip meals and accommodation. Price does not include travel to Victoria following SEWF22 in Brisbane.
Mary-Anne Scully, ACRE: maryannes@acre.org.au