Father Land #7: Facing Himself First: Dave Woods on Fatherhood & Challenging our Approach to Mental Health in the Bush

What does it really mean to do the work before becoming a dad? For today's guest, Queensland farmer Dave Woods, fatherhood wasn’t something he wanted to just stumble into.  He wanted to be prepared. So, long before he and his wife Alice welcomed their three children, Dave confronted his own mental health struggles head-on, determined to build the kind of stability he hoped his kids would grow up with. In this conversation, Dave opens up about growing up on his family’s farm, the pressures of succession, and the often-silent battles rural men face.  He talks candidly about depression, ego, and the culture of stoicism in the bush - and how alternative approaches gave him the tools to change his life. It’s this work that led him to become a 2025 Nuffield Scholar, focusing his research on why, despite increasing investment, rural Australia’s mental health challenges are not improving. His story is one of courage, challenging the status quo, and what it takes to become the kind of father you always hoped you’d be.