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Forbes Phoenix - November 2025
The Forbes BttB shed has never looked so good with its newly renovated roof.
Boys To The Bush Celebrates Raising The Roof At Forbes
Boys to the Bush (BttB) is thrilled to announce the completion of the much-needed new roof at our Forbes hub — a vital milestone made possible thanks to the generous support of NGM Group’s Newcastle Permanent Charitable Foundation and the unwavering commitment of our local community.
To mark this achievement, BttB hosted a special “Raise the Roof” celebration, bringing together supporters and community members to enjoy a barbecue lunch, acknowledge the journey, and celebrate what this upgrade means for the future of Forbes.
The Forbes hub has been a lifeline for hundreds of young men across the Central West, a place where they find safety, MENtoring, connection, and opportunities to grow.
For years, however, the 1930s roof posed ongoing challenges, with leaks and structural issues threatening the integrity of the building and the programs delivered inside it. With the new roof now complete, the building is finally equipped for the long-term.
“This roof means security, stability, and a promise kept to the young people of Forbes,” Boys to the Bush Head of Operations Scott McIntyre said.
The new roof now strengthens that role, ensuring the building can continue to serve as a safe meeting place, crisis refuge, and centre for learning.
With phase one complete, planning is already underway for the next stage of internal upgrades that will make the hub even more accessible, functional, and welcoming for the growing number of families and youth who rely on it.
Central Western Daily - November, 2025
Meet the chippies who gave up life on the tools to help city's 'disengaged' kids
Boys to the Bush mentors Ryan Moore (left) and Jordan Price (right) with participant James Meli (middle). Picture by Riley Krause
A pair of tradies who gave up life on the tools to help Orange’s “disengaged” youth have opened up about the life-changing program.
Boys to the Bush is a registered not-for-profit charity that focuses on preventative and early intervention strategies for young boys.
Ryan Moore became the first Orange-based MENtor when he joined the organisation in the middle of 2024.
Not long after, he was joined by fellow ex-carpenter Jordan Price.
Together, the pair have been providing kids with the skills needed to succeed in life, no matter how big or small.
“We’ve got some kids who can’t tie their shoes but they want to be able to,” Mr Moore said.
“They’ll get cranky with you because they’re not getting it straight away, but it’s about showing up for them.
“They might tell you to ‘go and get stuffed’ one week and the next they’re hanging off your hand wanting your help.”
Mr Price echoed those thoughts.
In the ten months since he joined, he’s seen his fair share of boys who arrive, unwilling to speak to him.
“That’s where we come in and try to change that for them all,” he said.
“Getting them into a routine where they can contribute to their community.”
Be it fishing trips, teaching the boys how to build, or just kicking a footy around, it’s all in a day’s work for the pair.
That doesn’t mean it’s always easy though.
“Definitely a mental challenge compared to slapping up house frames,” Mr Moore added.
“You’re dealing with kids who don’t see how much you actually care until the penny finally drops. It’s definitely a big change for both of us, but a very rewarding job.”
One of the kids taking part in the program is 12-year-old James Meli.
The current vice-captain of Bowen Public School has been with Boys to the Bush for nearly two years now and has loved connecting with his Indigenous roots.
During this time, he’s learnt how to throw a spear, throw a boomerang and gained more confidence than he ever thought possible.
“I would definitely recommend it for anyone wanting to connect with culture and get outside more,” he said.
Over the past three months, the number of kids taking part in the Orange program has nearly doubled.
This just so happens to have coincided with the opening of a facility in town that they can call their own.
Fitted out with a kitchen, bathrooms, pool table and more, it’s provided a place where kids can feel safe and have fun.
As a result, kids like James get to spend more time in Orange, developing life skills.
The Border Mail - November, 2025
'A place of healing': young men dig deep for mental health therapy garden
Boys to the Bush participants and their MENtors worked on a garden for a Border mental health ward for six weeks.
Picture by Phoebe Adams
Patient feedback at a Border mental health ward has opened doors to a new community collaboration.
The Ramsay Clinic partnered with the charity Boys to the Bush to plan and create a therapeutic garden for patients.
“It’s a place of healing,” Ramsay Clinic nurse unit manager Melanie Hewson said.
“Our patients love going out there. They listen to the water feature, and they look at the plants.
“I’ve had a lot of comments from some of the patients that are in here at the moment on how tranquil it is.”
The project took about six weeks to complete and included 25 participants from Boys to the Bush.
Both the Ramsay Clinic and Boys to the Bush are keen to maintain the partnership for future makeovers at the private hospital.
Ms Hewson said she was impressed by the teamwork of the Boys to the Bush group across the six weeks.
“There’s the mental health aspect with young boys becoming men and that stigma around how boys always have to be tough, and so Boys to the Bush have that community where they can all feel supported and have a sense of belonging,” she said.
Boys to the Bush provides “hands-on” programs and mentorship for young men who are disconnected from their communities.
“These boys come to us with a range of different issues and different goals that they need help with, and some of those goals are that they start things and can’t finish them,” Boys to the Bush Albury manager Andrew Robertson said.
“I’m extremely proud. What it was when we first started to what it is now is just amazing.”
Before the Boys to the Bush makeover, the outdoor space included a grassed area with limited seating.
Now, the therapeutic garden includes a water feature, native plants and multiple seating options for patients.
“People would occasionally use this space, but it’s definitely getting a lot more functional use now,” Ramsay Clinic director of clinical services Peter Newman said.
“The feedback from patients has been incredibly positive.”
Ramsay Clinic staff have noticed a positive change in patients and said there was research to suggest outdoor spaces were good for people struggling with mental health.
“My office backs on to the garden and I see patients out there frequently sitting in the chair by the water feature reflecting on what’s happening and how to get better,” Mr Newman said.
Find out why this charity has 75,000 reasons to smile
A local business has proven that community efforts make a huge difference for an organisation.
This was evident when Elders Griffith raised a whopping $75,000 for Boys to the Bush in its second charity ball on August 23.
The event brought together clients, staff, and the wider community for an unforgettable evening of generosity, entertainment, and celebration.
More than 230 guests attended the black-tie event, with a raffle and a spirited auction of memorabilia and unique items sold to raise funds for the grassroots organisation.
Boys to the Bush is dedicated to mentoring and supporting young men through hands-on learning and positive community involvement.
Many local farmers and clients have been actively involved in the program by welcoming participants onto their farms.
The fundraising auction proved to be a major highlight, with enthusiastic bidding on a range of generously donated items.
The top-selling lot that drew strong competition was a corporate box at Marvel Stadium, valued at over $10,000 and kindly donated by Jerilderie Tyre Services.
A signed racing item from Oscar Piastri generated plenty of excitement, selling for an impressive $3600.
Guests also eagerly bid on Catherine Stewart’s artworks and a Collingwood Football Club jersey, helping to lift the final fundraising total even higher.
Organisers noted it would not have been possible without the generous support of the community, with 28 sponsors contributing to the success of the event.
Elders General Manager for Victoria and Riverina, Brendan Rinaldi, praised the team for their efforts.
“To see more than 230 people come together and raise $75,000 is inspiring,” he said.
“This will have a huge impact on Boys to the Bush and the young men they support in the community.
“I’m incredibly proud of the Griffith team for creating such a meaningful event that not only benefits the community but also strengthens our culture at Elders.”
Adding his thanks, Jack Buckingham, Mentor, Program Coordinator and Community Partnerships Manager at Boys to the Bush, highlighted the life-changing impact donations will have.
“This funding will go directly to supporting boys in our programs across Griffith, Leeton and surrounds,” Mr Buckingham said.
“It will help us run school groups, mentoring and camps, and provide opportunities for young men to engage with agriculture and community at an early age.
“Many of the boys are already on farms, and partnerships like this with Elders give them a real foot in the door for their future careers.”
Closing the night, Elders Griffith Branch Manager Ray Ellis, gave his reflections.
“The support for Boys to the Bush shows the impact we can make when staff, clients, and sponsors unite,” Mr Ellis said.
“It was a memorable night, and we’re looking forward to making the next Charity Ball even bigger.”
The recent event has now put $139,000 back into Griffith and the surrounding communities.
Sunrise Breakfast Show - Channel 7 - August, 2025
Wangaratta Chronicle - August 2025
Having a ball with pool table donation
Anyone who’s spent time around a pool table knows it’s a great place for a yarn, a joke, and conversations which can build lasting connections.
That’s just what Wangaratta Men’s Shed members had in mind when they were upgrading their pool table recently, and offered to donate the old one to Wangaratta’s Boys to the Bush, a local group which provides mentoring and community engagement opportunities for vulnerable young males.
Boys to the Bush participants occasionally visit the men’s shed, located just down the road from their base, and a link has developed between the two groups of males at opposite ends of the age scale.
“It’s ideal,” men’s shed secretary Mick Villella said.
“Boys to the Bush is tremendous, and I take my hat off to what they do.
“When the guys came out for a visit one day, we were chatting and decided we should donate our table to them.
“We got a new extension at our shed, and have more room around our table now, and we know it’s a lot of fun – you really enjoy having a game and some banter.”
The pool table is now in place in the Boys to the Bush shed, replacing the boys’ dilapidated old table.
The move itself was a community effort, with help provided by local builder Sam Lindsey, men’s shed members, and through use of a donated Tradelink truck.
Mick and fellow men’s shed member Paul Servaes visited this week for a game with Boys to the Bush participants, and to enjoy a round or two of ‘connect four’ on the handmade wooden game also donated to the group by the men’s shed.
Watching Mick and Paul’s natural way with offering instruction about the games, it’s clear this is just the kind of community engagement the local charity is keen to develop.
Boys to the Bush Wangaratta location manager Matt Dillon concurred: “Fellas like those at the men’s shed are good blokes to be around.
“When we visit there, the boys get to spend time doing practical things and engaging with different people.
“One of our values is respect, and spending time talking to these guys shows them the importance of listening and giving time to people.
“Being around positive people in our community and positive environments, they get to see what’s out there.
“The pool table is a great thing to have, as they stand around engaging with each other over a game, and they are off screens.
“They’re learning that downtime doesn’t have to be on screens, that they can do something to unwind in a positive way.”
Matt welcomed any other local groups interested in making connections with Boys to the Bush.
The Daily Liberal - June 2025
'It's a lovely environment": the unlikely collab teaching boys some new tricks
Sweet potato beds, leftover coffee grounds and mesh garden cages are just some parts of an unlikely collaboration linking young Dubbo men and boys with the mentoring figures over at the Walan Community Gardens.
It is all part of western NSW non-profit Boys to the Bush’s mission to build strong boys “rather than repair broken men”.
The groups spoke to The Daily Liberal to share more about the positive results of the nurturing environment that they have created.
Boys to the Bush Location Manager Brad Prince has worked at the non-profit for the two and a half years that it has operated in Dubbo – their work connects male youth with MENtoring and school opportunities, as well as simple camping outings, in order to pass on knowledge and values.
When the location opened, one of the first community groups to open up for the boys was the Walan Community Gardens, a Tamworth Street network made up of predominately of older, female gardeners.
Mr Prince said the rare connection has worked wonders.
“We get a few funny faces from the boys when we pull up at the gardens, but we just tell them to ‘give the ladies a second’ and the boys truly, absolutely love it year in, year out, “Mr Prince said.
“We have boys who barely talk but they just open up at the garden, where they know they will be listened to and heard, even when they talk about difficult problems.
“Some of these boys might not have the best connections with family members, but after they listen to people like Fay [Angel] they come away knowing that adults have been around the block a time or two, and have knowledge that can help them.”
The boys spend their time at the garden pushing wheelbarrows around in the sun, talking, laying leftover Dripp coffee shop grounds on to sweet potato beds, and making garden ornaments out of rusted wire cages.
For some of them, it’s the first time they’ve worked with some equipment or, as Mr Prince says, used the ride-on mower “but it’s a real eye-opener, and a real transmission of skills, knowledge, and sentiment”.
“I truly can’t speak highly enough about Walan Community Gardens,” Mr Prince said.
Fay Angel – Dubbo’s 2022 Senior Citizen of the Year – got involved in Walan Community Gardens in its infancy stage.
“They’ve said: ‘we’re making a community garden, would you like to join?’ so, it’s gone from there.
Volunteers are mothers and grandmothers, predominantly, so we just nurture and operate on mutual respect and love.”
She shared that many of the boys have been enjoying participating in the garden simply for the chance to taste the flavour of fresh vegetables because many of them had not come from an environment where that opportunity was readily available.
It’s also a good opportunity for the garden volunteers to pass on recipes to the boys, who take the ingredients they grow and make meals for their families.
“Their MENtors are extraordinary, and the boys are just absolutely lovely. We don’t have any corporate structure at the gardens, we just operate on respect and working together, and we have the garden in tip top share with their help.
“It is a tremendous opportunity for values to be passed between us, and for everyone to get involved,” Ms Angel said.
Since moving to their Tabralgar Street home, Boys to the Bush Dubbo has grown to have seven day-to-day employees working with the boys.
The employees come from backgrounds in NDIS and teaching, but also backgrounds like painting and other ‘tradie’ roles that teach their clients future skills.
It’s a good opportunity for the boys to have positive male role models.
All of the employees are locals, and Mr Prince couldn’t speak highly enough about their dedication in the role, where they regularly answer difficult calls at 9pm at night, only to make sure the boys are doing well.
“We are just here to help,” Mr Prince said.
“Dubbo Mian School sends ten boys to us every Friday, and we otherwise have 23 boys involved in our MENtoring programs, Then, other boys take part in our camping programs where they go back to basics and do things like yabbying and camp set up.
“We take so much pride in those quizzed and curious faces finding a real place in the community, when all is said and done.”
The Border Mail - June 2025
Boys in the hoodies: cool threads donated to support youth mentoring group
Bendigo Magazine - May 2025
Boys' Own Adventures
On an unassuming farm on the outskirts of Bendigo, life–changing events are unfolding.
“Most of our boys lack a positive male role model in their lives,” says Des Gilmore, the Bendigo Location Manager for Boys to the Bush, a charity delivering early–intervention strategies for vulnerable young males in the region.
Des and his fellow MENtors – Andrew Saladino, Shane Guerra and Dean Hargreaves–Peita – take participants fishing, kayaking and camping.
“The first thing we do is make the boys accountable by shaking our hands and looking us in the eye,” says Des.
Boys to the Bush began in Albury in 2017 and has spread to more than 10 locations across regional Victoria and NSW, impacting an estimated 10,000 young lives.
Des explains the organisation operates one–on–one MENtoring for vulnerable boys aged 8–18, outdoor holiday camps and school programs.
“In term two, we had four schools coming to us once a week for five weeks – Heathcote Primary, Holy Rosary Heathcote, Kalianna and St Peter’s,” he says.
“For example, we go to Heathcote police station so the local kids build a relationship with them and understand police are not bad people. They visit the firefighters and ambos. The fireys are unreal and get them knocking over hats from 20m away with a water gun or go into a smoke–filled room to extract a dummy.
“Andrew is taking some of them to a retirement village in Kangaroo Flat and it’s amazing the conversations the kids have with the older people and how much they both enjoy it.”
There are also 22 boys currently on the books for the Boys to the Bush MENtoring program in Bendigo.
“It’s similar to the school program but on a more personal level,” says Des.
The Bendigo program is based in Axe Creek, on a 45–acre hobby farm owned by local business identity Paul De Araugo.
“The most popular thing we’ve got in here is that ride–on mower,” laughs Des, pointing across the room.
“Paul is keen for us to restore an old windrow, so we’ve also got the kids working on that project and spray–painting it back to its original blue and yellow.”
A not–for–profit organisation, Boys to the Bush relies on fundraising and donations to support its activities, as well as funding from referring services.
Fosterville mine operator Agnico Eagle sponsors the school program, subsidising 10 schools over the past financial year.
“In Malmsbury, the kids didn’t like authority,” he says.
“I used to stress going to Malmsbury about what the day would bring and I’d hate Sundays because I knew I had to go to work on Mondays. But not now – I love going out and having a little bit of fun with the boys, talking to them about issues or problems they might have, trying to help resolve them or just offering advice.
“And that’s primarily what we do. The activities are always secondary to the conversations.”
For more information, or to financially support these programs helping boys to become better men, visit www.boystothebush.org.au
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