The Garden of Hope is a proposed mental health retreat for farmers to visit when they are struggling to cope with daily life.
Mr Sidebottom is currently looking for properties around Echuca that he could potentially transform into a mental health sanctuary.
His real estate agents have so far been unsuccessful in finding a location due to high property demand in the Echuca region.
“I would like to build around 28 units with two bedrooms each for farmers that need to get off the farm for a three-week break. I want it to be of no cost to the farmer and that’s why I’m after government money to do it. That way there’s no bills for the farmers to come and visit,” Mr Sidebottom said.
Attempting to offer farmers a change of scenery, the retreat is expected to contain a walking track and a considerable amount of native wildlife.
Farm work can be isolating, lonely and generally involves strenuous work and long hours.
Mr Sidebottom’s own brother was a dairy farmer who ended up taking his own life in 1972.
They were planning to head on a trip to Tasmania together for the purpose of a mental reset.
“If I’d have known then what was going to happen, I would have picked him up and taken him away from the farm right then, but I didn’t,” Mr Sidebottom said.
“After that, I vowed and declared that I would build something good for mental health.
“This project will save a lot of lives. Farmers will be happy because they’re in a different atmosphere and when they head back to their farm after three weeks, they will have a different outlook,” Mr Sidebottom said.
Upon receiving a letter on behalf of Deputy Prime Minister Barnaby Joyce, Mr Sidebottom feels that he is finally closer to making his dream come true.
The letter advised that the Building Better Regions Fund (BBRF) may be a suitable funding choice as it “supports regional and remote communities by funding shovel-ready infrastructure projects up to the value of $10 million.”
The finer points of the BBRF policy are currently being tweaked but applications will open in the next few months.
Mr Sidebottom will apply for the program when he is able to do so.
Previously, he has been unsuccessful in securing any funding from local councils.
The BBRF will allow him to apply directly to the program, which is then assessed by the Federal Government.
In the meantime, income for the project will be generated by selling three books as a package deal at Campaspe Library on April 2 as a part of Meet the Authors Day.
The books on offer are Kelvin Sidebottom’s autobiography titled One Man’s Dream, Dale Sidebottom’s (Kel’s great nephew) All Work No Play and the Koala Manifesto written by Deborah Tabart.
In addition, Mr Sidebottom will be raising funds by encouraging people from the community to donate to the project.
He hopes that if he can gain enough traction from members of the community advocating for the project then it will prove to the government that this is something worth putting money into.
“Mental health is out of control. We’re losing too many good people. We’re a food producing nation and we produce the best food in the world but our farmers are dying because they’re not being looked after,” Mr Sidebottom said.
The original site for the project was to be at Numurkah Lake which Mr Sidebottom created by digging out a swamp in 1979.
The site sold for $1.3 million, but the sale fell through and Mr Sidebottom was forced to find a new place for his proposed mental health refuge.
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