Fat Farmers started in 2012 when three farmers near Maitland on Yorke Peninsula, SA started going to the new local gym. They were over 40 and joked about becoming "Fat Farmers" now they were no longer playing footy. 
The name stuck as the Maitland group grew and gradually other communities got involved...

The farmers soon realised that there were many benefits to be gained from regular exercise, so they started organising sidewalk BBQ’s outside the gym to encourage other farmers to come along. At the time, it was virtually unheard of for blokes to be going to the gym, reflected in the gym’s client-base being 99% female. But these days, head to the Maitland gym early on a Monday or Friday morning and you will find a room full of farmers being put through their paces!

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Over time, word spread and other ‘Fat Farmer’ groups started across South Australia. We welcomed our first

interstate group at Moama, NSW in 2023. While the initial purpose was simply to encourage farmers to be more active

and improve their physical health, those participating soon realised that there were also many benefits to their mental health (eg. regular exercise can help reduce stress, improve mental clarity, sleep quality and overall well-being).

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In 2021, Fat Farmers: Rural Health Initiative became an Incorporated Association and is now governed by its own Constitution and Board. After many years of being auspiced by other organisations, it was an important step to ensure long-term sustainability.​

 

Another milestone in our journey came in July 2024, when The Hospital Research Foundation Group came on board as our Major Health Partner until at least July 2026. The partnership is a great endorsement of everything we stand for in improving the health and wellbeing of our community, and we can’t wait to grow and expand our reach even more.

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Our next milestone came in November 2025, when we integrated with Active Farmers. A charity similar to ours, with the same mission and similar group structure, both sides saw this as only a positive opportunity. Our group number has doubled, from 40 to 80, and we're now excited to say we're 'Nation-wide' with groups throughout SA, WA, Vic, NSW, Qld and Tas.

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The milestones came along quickly, as December 2025 was host to the very first outing of the Health Hub, a custom built semi-trailer, ready to take health checks on the road. We've been partnering with many great organisations to deliver free health checks - the likes of Flinders University International Centre for Point-of-Care Testing, National Centre for Farmer Health, and Rosemary Bryant AO Research Centre to name a few. We have many more events lined up for the rest of 2026.

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Along with our Board Members, the Fat Farmers team now consists of our Richard Sheppy (CEO), Jane Brine (Executive Officer), Michael Williams (Community Engagement Coordinator), Boyd Rae (Community Engagement Coordinator WA, and National Trainer Manager), Emerson Fielke (Brand & Communications Coordinator) and Lou Dawes (Admin & Projects Coordinator). A small team achieving huge things!