Meg Everett holds the hand crafted kangaroo hide stockwhip during the charity auction, with auctioneer Todd Donaldson from Elders Townsville in the background

THE Dolly’s Dream Foundation has now raised well over $1 million as part of its 2024 fundraising campaign – due in no small part to a huge $191,000 sum generated at yesterday’s Australian Agricultural Co Dolly’s Dream annual Long Lunch held in Brisbane.

Dolly’s Dream was created in 2019 by Northern Territory couple Kate and Tick Everett following the tragic loss of their 14-year-old daughter, Dolly, to suicide, after ongoing bullying. The charity seeks to change the culture of bullying by addressing the impact of bullying, anxiety, depression and youth suicide in the bush, through education and direct support for young people and families.

The Everetts and their children were like family to AA Co, having worked on several AA Co stations including Montejinni where Tick was station manager, Brunette Downs and Eva Downs.

AA Co managing director David Harris said the importance of people and communities was one of the strongest themes running through the company’s 200-year history, being celebrated this year.

“The stories, the relationships that people have built, and the emotion that people feel towards this company is indescribable,” he said. “All these stories and experiences build an AA Co community, and the extremely brave and courageous Everett family are a part of that community,” he said.

“The work that Tick, Kate, Meg Sally and the team do, and have done since that terrible day is truly inspirational,” he said.

“The support lines, the cyber safety apps, parents hubs and school workshops on the website are a great initiative. All of this is in aid of helping people and delivering a really simple message: To be kind to each other.”

“This message is something all of us need to have a think about, and challenge ourselves – are we genuinely doing enough for the young people in the communities in which we operate?”

“Do not wait for the problems to come to you,” Mr Harris urged. “Ask questions, have conversations and use the network that Dolly’s Dream has created and be pro-active, because you might only get one chance.”

Auctioneer Todd Donaldson taking bids at yesterday’s Long Lunch

Bidding frenzy

A list of 11 donated high quality charity auction items attracted enormous interest from 270 industry stakeholders attending yesterday’s Long Lunch, as well as online bidders competing via the Stocklive platform.

Raffle items alone raised more than $26,000, before guest auctioneer Todd Donaldson got started on the charity auction items up for grabs, creating a bidding frenzy.

Dolly’s mother Kate Everett, left and AA Co’s Sarah Fraser watch the furious bidding action during yesterday’s charity auction

Bidding online, New South Wales bull breeder Jock Harbison from Dunoon Angus, Holbrook is in for the trip of a lifetime with five friends and colleagues, having secured the auction’s top-priced item – an unforgettable AA Co northern property tour on the company’s Pilatus aircraft for $66,000.

The Dolly’s Dream foundation is clearly close to the Harbisons’ heart, having also raised $20,000 for the cause at last year’s annual Dunoon bull sale via a semen auction.

“Being as parent, the worst possible thing that could happen would be to lose a child in this way,” Jock Harbison said. “Getting bullying out of the community is worth pursuing, and Dolly’s Dream is tackling the challenge head on,” he said.

“Well done to AA Co, those who donated the auction items, and all those who had a bid,” Mr Harbison said. “We’ll fill the plane up and have a great three days, seeing how AA Co does it, on such a massive scale.”  This year’s Dunoon Angus spring bull sale takes place on 30 August.

Nutrien’s Stuart Blair, Robert Payne and Dan Ferguson with AA Co’s David Harris, after successfully bidding on the hand-crafted stockwhip

Other ‘big ticket’ charity auction items to sell well yesterday included:

• A custom Dolly’s Dream Morrissey & Co calf cradle that normally retails for around $6000 made an incredible $13,500, when knocked down to Anthony Lee from Australian Country Choice.
• An AAM Legune Station NT experience was knocked down for $11,500 to Amanda Facer, representing Allsafe Mine Vehicle Equipment
• A craftsman-made custom kangaroo-hide leather whip donated by AA Co “for use in the cattle yard or boardroom,” made $6500 when knocked down to Nutrien, represented by Damon Ferguson
• A Legendary Barbecue Experience with chef Brent Poulter, donated by Low n Slow Meat Co was knocked down for $9000 to Jaclyn Hope, LAWD
• An A-list Melbourne Cup trip for two including access to the exclusive Birdcage at Flemington, donated by Elders, made an incredible $16,000 when knocked down to online bidders Kelly and Don White, Bridge Creek station and export depot NT.
• A unique Wallabies Experience with former Wallabies Tim Horan and Nathan Sharpe, donated by Rugby Australia and Channel 9 was knocked down to Sandeep Singh from Cheema Farms
• A magnum of 2002 Penfolds Bin 707 wine donated by AA Co’s Singapore-based commercial manager Andrew O’Brien made $4000 when knocked down to Grace Williams, Williams Cranes & Rigging
• An Australia Open Tennis Finals experience donated by Nutrien and Virgin was knocked down for $21,500 to Warwick Fraser representing Frasers Transport
• A signed Tigers AFL jersey was bought by Karl Hofmeier for $2000, while a Balloon original artwork representing Dolly’s Dream was bought by Kate Johns from Kantara Farming for $4500.

Cheema Farms’ Sandeep Singh, right, with ex Wallaby Tim Horan, LAWD’s Tim McKinnon and AA Co’s Sam Graham, after Cheema Farms secured the Wallabies Experience charity auction item for $10,500.

1500 events nationwide

The Dolly’s Dream foundation has come a long way from its original back in 2019 when launched by Dolly’s parents Tick and Kate.

That year, there were 80 Dolly’s Dream fundraising activities of various types, raising $70,000. This year, including yesterday’s AA Co Long Lunch, there have been more than 1500 fundraising activities nation-wide, raising a total of $1.065 million.

The three AA Co long lunches held since 2022 have themselves now raised $561,000 towards the cause.

Dolly’s sister, Meg Everett spoke during yesterday’s event, saying much had been achieved over the past six years through Dolly’s Dream, bringing communities together across the nation to take a stance against bullying and address the lack of mental health services in the bush.

She said suicide was the leading cause of death for young Australians between the ages of 15 and 44, and people in rural communities were more likely to take their own life.

Along with its other work, Dolly’s Dream last year delivered 120 workshops covering 7500 kids in rural and remote schools.

“This year, we want to do that number, plus half again,” she said. “These workshops teach our kids how to be safe, how to be kind, and what to do when things go wrong. We also talk about the lack of services and how our fundraising has enabled Dolly’s Dream to establish its support line, so that no matter where they live, kids can access a qualified counsellor either by phone or webchat, and get some form of help.”

“We’ve all got family, and children – and our most important message is, just be kind; it’s nothing harder than that. Look after each other, be kind, and if you’re having a bit of trouble, just speak out – even if your voice shakes.”

David McNally from Dunnert & Johnston, right, with Australian Wholesale Meats’ Matt Berry and AA Co’s David Harris during yesterday’s long lunch.

Tick Everett with long lunch attendees Michael Consadine from Australian Wholesale Meats, right, and Danny Thomas from LAWD