Introduction by Croakey: In regional Victoria, where diverse communities are experiencing first-hand the impacts of the climate crisis, responses must address the impacts of misinformation, recent research suggests.
The study – undertaken by the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research at La Trobe University and the Bendigo Health Loddon Mallee Public Health Unit, highlights the importance of climate health solutions that are “local, collaborative, and respectful of people’s realities”, according to one of the researchers involved, Dr Jo Adams.
Hear more about this research at a #CroakeyLIVE webinar from 5-6 pm AEST on Monday, 28 April. Register here.
Jo Adams writes:
In a rapidly changing climate, it’s clear that not all voices are being heard. A recent research project conducted in 2024 in the Loddon Mallee region in north west Victoria set out to change that by listening closely to three population groups whose perspectives are often overlooked in both research and public discourse.
The study aimed to understand their views on climate change, how it’s affecting their health, and what kind of support they need to navigate an increasingly uncertain future.
The groups involved were diverse in age, background, and lived experience. Participants included neurodivergent individuals, multicultural community members from a regional farming area, and older adults with limited access to digital technology.
Each group offered unique insights into how climate change is felt in everyday life – and what gets in the way of addressing it. Some of their comments are quoted below in italics.
Shared sense of concern
Despite their differences, all three groups expressed common concerns.
Foremost among these was a deep mistrust of information, especially when it comes from the media.
Many participants shared frustration about trying to make sense of conflicting messages and misinformation.
“You know, misinformation is such a big problem in our culture…you can never trust what you read online these days.”
“I think it’s just a general weariness. You have to critically analyse everything, which can get really exhausting.”
“Telling not the entire truth… it’s the same as lies.”
This erosion of trust has left many people feeling disempowered and overwhelmed.
Some described a sense of resignation, a belief that their actions wouldn’t make a difference when larger systems remain unchanged.
“It doesn’t feel like acceptance, more like surrender.”
“Eventually the discussions just go on long enough that you just kind of fall back and lose that anxiety because there’s just nothing really that you feel you can do.”
“What’s the point of even trying to actually implement these sorts of changes when other countries and continents are not willing to follow the same procedure?”
Another shared concern was the impact of climate change on health, particularly mental health.
Participants spoke of climate-related anxiety, stress from uncertainty, and the challenges of adapting to increasingly unpredictable conditions.
Neurodiverse individuals mentioned how heat exacerbates sensory discomfort, while older residents noted that changes in temperature were affecting their ability to function day-to-day.
“Sensory issues are just harder to deal with in general when there’s heat.”
“Things have changed so much from when I was young… It’s just very hard to cope these days.”
“I love it hot. Winter, I keep telling everybody, winter I should be a bear and hibernate… But summer, I’m good.”
There was also growing concern about the sustainability of current practices – from food production to everyday habits – and the need for better housing efficiency and power security.
As temperatures rise, participants worried about energy costs, the ability to cool or heat homes, and the environmental impact of waste.
Points of difference
While the themes were consistent, the study revealed important differences shaped by each group’s unique context.
In a northern multicultural agricultural town, participants spoke from firsthand experience of working in extreme heat.
For many, climate change wasn’t an abstract concept but a daily reality.
There was a strong connection to the land and food systems, as well as a practical approach to adaptation.
“You have to experience it for yourself. Think like a farmer.”
“Change shift to the night-time rather than daytime (if it is really hot), but then that leads to being tired. Then it takes longer to get the work done.”
“Bees – we rely on them to pollinate flowers… a big worry.”
Some saw climate change as part of a natural cycle, while others weren’t sure what role humans played.
“Cycle of life from old to new, climate change is a natural thing, don’t know if it is man-made or we can do anything.”
Cultural practices also shaped health responses, such as using masks during seasonal spraying or for protection from allergens.
“I know in Australia, if they see people wear the mask, they think you’ll be weird, but I think that’s protecting myself… especially the spring season.”
In the neurodiverse community, participants highlighted how climate stress intersects with sensory processing and emotional regulation.
There was a heightened awareness of how environmental factors like heat, noise, and unpredictability can affect daily functioning.
Older participants expressed frustration with the changing climate and the difficulty of accessing reliable, understandable information.
“I don’t understand the weather now. Everything is just topsy-turvy.”
“I don’t know anything about the science of it all, but I just do think that we often do hear the worst things on the news.”
Access to digital technology and trust in media were also barriers to engagement. For some, the noise of public debate made it easier to disengage altogether.
“Well, like I said before people have different opinions and you wonder… how much is media generated.”
“You’ve just got to go with the flow because you’ve got no control over it.”
New insights
This project provides preliminary, experience-based data that is rarely captured in climate change research.
By focusing on communities who are typically excluded, it offers new insights into the lived realities of climate vulnerability – and how deeply it is tied to social, economic, and cultural context.
The inclusion of neurodiverse individuals, multicultural agricultural workers, and older adults demonstrates the need for a broader, more inclusive lens when designing climate responses.
Based on these insights, the following recommendations have emerged:
- Further research with one or more of the above groups to better understand the impact of climate change and co-design place-based solutions.
- Localised action to determine appropriate and achievable approaches to recycling, reuse of materials, and dissemination of clear, trusted information.
- Focused efforts on improving domestic thermal efficiency and energy security to protect health and reduce vulnerability during extreme weather events.
These voices – diverse, thoughtful, and deeply grounded in lived experience – highlight both the complexity and urgency of climate adaptation.
They remind us that solutions cannot be one-size-fits-all. They must be local, collaborative, and respectful of people’s realities.
“We believe what we can feel, what is happening to us on a daily basis.”
As climate change continues to unfold, listening to and learning from these communities is not just good research practice – it’s essential for building a future that includes everyone.
Author details
Dr Jo Adams is Research Fellow at the Violet Vines Marshman Centre for Rural Health Research, La Trobe Rural Health School, La Trobe University in Bendigo.
Project team
Further reading
Women are rising to address the climate crisis
Join the #CroakeyLIVE
Hear more from Dr Jo Adams and other health experts at the #ClimateHealthMatters webinar from 5-6pm AEST on Monday, 28 April. Register here.
