Buy from Bush push to change rural lives

It wasn't long ago that Kim Burnheim's husband was asking her if she might have to give up on her online stationery business Note Couture, which she - with the help of her sister - ran online out of her home on a farm near Coonamble.

For Ms Burnheim, a teacher and soon to be mother of four, the business was a passion outside of the farm, but as drought dragged on it became a secondary source of income that could help her young family stay afloat.

Overnight, that potential was realised when - after Note Couture was featured on Buy from the Bush - she was inundated with orders, totalling more in one week than she'd had in a year.

"I can't begin to tell you the number, we've had hundreds of orders come through," she told AAP on Monday.

"It's been so uplifting, we're so overwhelmed ... it's been really humbling the response and support from people far and wide."

Grace Brennan began #buyfromthebush from her property in Warren in northwest NSW.

After sharing a Facebook post from a struggling Warren business she realised just how much good could be done if people did their gift shopping from areas battling to survive drought.

In less than two weeks, it's had such an impact people have rung her in tears of relief.

"I think we hear so much about farmers in the drought and what it means to agricultural businesses but what we hear less about is the impact on the broader community," Ms Brennan said on Monday.

"This is a direct injection of dollars into businesses, but it also means hope."

While the extra money will help support the Burnheims through Christmas and bring with it relief through added financial security - it's also brought something far more priceless to their isolated home.

"The change in my spirit, just in the last week it's been amazing how uplifting it's been," Mrs Burnheim said.

"The last couple of years has been far more challenging and I guess I didn't realise that I wasn't feeling, that I was lacking a bit of positivity ... (now) I feel inspired and energised, it's made me think we really are onto something here."

The campaign has also seen Ms Burnheim quadruple her social media following, providing her with the sort of exposure businesses west of Sydney can't buy.

The NSW government on Monday announced its own 'Buy Regional' campaign alongside the official launch of Ms Brennan's #buyfromthebush initiative.

Minister for Regional NSW John Barilaro encouraged people to think about rural communities when doing their Christmas shopping.

"For anyone that wants to support drought-stricken communities, the best thing you can do is buy regional," he told reporters in Sydney.

Australian Associated Press