Reforms in the Australian government school system gave more freedom to schools to develop curricula appropriate to local circumstances. This article argues for suicide prevention curricula that are specific to the needs of rural schools rather than simply trying to implement practices used successfully with high risk populations in urban areas. A pilot suicide awareness & prevention program introduced to high schools in Wagga Wagga, New South Wales in 1993 is provided as an example of a successful rural community initiative. (4 refs.)