East Loddon Merinos
For over a century, the Hooke family has shaped East Loddon Merino Stud through a legacy of skill and vision. Today, fifth-generation custodians Tom and Sarah Hooke lead the operation, blending deep ancestral knowledge with a progressive, modern mindset. Tom’s expertise in genetics and SRS breeding pairs with Sarah’s strategic business acumen to drive a holistic, future-focused approach.
Together, they are reimagining the stud’s future by championing regenerative farming and ethical practices. By balancing tradition with advanced scientific selection, Tom and Sarah ensure East Loddon remains a leader in the Merino world, providing farmers with the resilient genetics needed for a sustainable future.
Buy From The Bush
Grace Brennan launched the hashtag #BuyFromTheBush on October 16, 2019, to encourage Australians in cities to support rural businesses facing drought. Within weeks, it gained 80,000 Instagram followers, breathing new life into struggling businesses and showcasing the resilience of the bush.
Passionate about storytelling, community-driven change, and showcasing the talent and ingenuity of the bush, Grace and the BFTB team have since achieved remarkable impact for rural creators, makers, and small businesses. In 2020, they launched an online marketplace, providing a vital channel to market, and have delivered sell-out pop-ups in Sydney, such as Martin Place and the MCA lawn, connecting rural makers with city dwellers in an effort to help recover income loss to floods.
The Big Break, a social media pitch-fest for bush businesses, spotlighted rural innovation, with winners including a youth mental health app, an online mothers’ group, and a retail store/cafe in a tiny town. It reached 2 million people, attracted 4,000 votes, awarded $60,000 in prizes, and emphasised the ingenuity of bush entrepreneurs. In 2022, BFTB released an Impact Report, showcasing how digital tools and social impact initiatives can create lasting change in rural Australia.
RPR&Co. are delighted to have supported BFTB over the past five years, securing media coverage, facilitating interviews, managing media relationships, and coordinating press opportunities. BFTB’s impact has contributed to shifting perceptions of regional Australia, showcasing the beautiful products and creativity of bush businesses, and connecting them with a broader audience.
Beneath the Brim: Sarah Wheeler
RPR&Co. partnered with Sarah Wheeler and The Pancare Foundation to amplify her deeply personal mission: a 5500-kilometre trek across Australia with her beloved horses. Inspired by her late mother, Terri, who passed away from a rare upper gastrointestinal cancer, Sarah’s journey is both a personal healing endeavour and a campaign to raise awareness and funds for cancer research.
We worked closely with Sarah and Pancare, a national charity that raises awareness, supports families and funds research for upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers, to deliver a successful campaign that resulted in substantial funds being raised.
Hello Yellow, The Canola Trail
Launched in 2017, The Canola Trail has steadily grown in popularity, drawing more visitors to the Riverina each year. By 2023, however, it became clear that the initiative needed a more focused approach to fully realise its potential. Key attractions like Coolamon Cheese, Temora Aviation Museum, and Junee Licorice Factory teamed up with the Temora, Coolamon, and Junee Shire Councils to launch the Hello Yellow campaign.
With resource limitations and lower local awareness among businesses and residents, the campaign’s reach was not as impactful as it could be. These insights highlighted an opportunity to refine the Hello Yellow initiative, creating clearer messaging and stronger community engagement to showcase the Canola Trail as an inspiring and must-visit destination.
RPR&Co. was initially engaged to amplify the Hello Yellow campaign ahead of the canola flowering season. However, in our first meeting, it was apparent that the existing website and channels blurred the distinction between Hello Yellow and the Canola Trail. Both initiatives were being promoted through the same platform, which we identified as a significant barrier to clarity and engagement.
To address this, we recommended stepping back from a PR-first approach and instead proposed a comprehensive brand and website audit. This allowed us to uncover key challenges around brand clarity, messaging, and user experience. By laying this groundwork, we ensured that all messaging, branding, and digital assets were aligned and compelling, setting the stage for a far more targeted and impactful PR campaign.
