Two or three selected rural regions in Western Australia, Queensland, and Tasmania were surveyed to find out what happens to school leavers in rural areas of Australia and how their perceived options and actual opportunities can be enhanced. The three-phase survey began with a questionnaire being administered to all Year 9-12 students in Western Australia and Queensland and all Year 9-10 students in Tasmania (n=3432). The second questionnaire, sent to 978 actual school leavers, yielded 762 responses and the final phase was comprised of approximately 30 interviews. Background information on the selected regions, i.e., economic, demographic, social, cultural, and educational characteristics, were compared and unusual features and differences between areas noted. Each state used its own data to write an individual report and these formed the basis of the national analysis and comparisons. Included in the 14 findings were that 6 months after leaving school, 23% of Western Australia leavers and 30% of Tasmanian and Queensland leavers were unemployed, with female school leavers being the majority of the unemployed. Numerous statistical tables (47) are dispersed throughout the document and a substantial appendix concludes the report. (AH)