Rural societies across the developed world are undergoing substantial change as a result of migration, changes in the farming sector and broader societal trends (eg women's empowerment). This unit explores the changing character of Australian rural society, chiefly through a focus on the place-based communities of which it is comprised. The unit aims to convey an understanding of contemporary rural society and the challenges it faces through themes such as the following: the changing relationship between rural communities and agriculture; service provision issues; myth and reality in popular representations of rurality; the 'sea change' and the 'tree change' effect.