'If you step out of line in a country town, the smell sticks ... you have to leave to make a fresh start!' That's one of the viewpoints expressed in research leading to a new Australian play written to help reverse the flow of young people from country towns to big cities.

Another more positive viewpoint expressed was 'growing up here has been great because I've always felt safe'.

The world premiere of 'Snagged: An Australian Play About Growing Up, Leaving Home and Sausages' will be conducted on Friday, August 22, in Clermont.

The play will be toured in country areas and will become available to school children as a video/book resource package.

But producer Howard Cassidy, from Central Queensland University, does not expect 'Snagged' to prevent young people leaving for the big smoke.

"We want to instill an emotional and rational timebomb in young people while they are still at school ... we hope they will remember positives about country life when they reach the stage of starting families," he said.

Mr Cassidy said 'Snagged' had been developed through several drafts by Brisbane playwright Robert Kronk in response to feedback from country youth.

"It's based on lived experiences ... it had to be authentic to pass the crap detectors," he said.

'Snagged' was prepared with substantial funding through a partnership between Central Queensland University and the Commonwealth Government’s Priority Country Area Program (PCAP) Central Region Authority.

Feedback from young audience members at the premiere will be recorded for inclusion in the proposed 'Snagged' book/video package for school libraries.

ENDS For details call Howard Cassidy via 0409 396 563 or 4930 9579 or playwright Robert Kronk via 0416 103 799 or 322 11 527 . Captions ... Howard Cassidy (second from left) and Mark Weir from PCAP join drama students Melinda Beck and Dennis Mayhew to get into the spirit of 'Snagged'.