Explore every episode of the podcast Motherland Australia
| Title | Pub. Date | Duration | |
|---|---|---|---|
| 284: Amanda Ferrari & the Boarding School Journey That Changed Everything | 07 Dec 2025 | 01:09:48 | |
Amanda Ferrari grew up in Sydney with no ties to agriculture, yet felt an undeniable pull to the bush. That path took her from nannying and ag college nights, to Warren, Trangie, the cotton industry, and eventually to a life with her husband, Ross. Motherhood began with a shock—discovering she was pregnant with twins during a “friends with benefits” chapter. Premature labour, weeks in hospital, a traumatic birth, and deep loneliness shaped her early years of parenting. Later, the arrival of her son Ollie brought her darkest mental health battle yet. Today, Amanda channels her strength and honesty into supporting rural families through The Boarding School Collective, helping parents and children navigate the distance and grief she knows so well. This is her story. Pregnancy Loss Support: https://www.pinkelephants.org.au/ 24/7 Crisis Support: Lifeline 13 11 14 R.M.Williams boots are made to last—strong, dependable, and built for life on the land. For generations, rural mums have trusted RMs for paddock runs, long drives, and moments that matter. Shop now HERE | |||
| 283: Sarah Henney on Watching the Life She Built Fall Apart and Starting Again | 30 Nov 2025 | 00:57:26 | |
What happens when the life you built falls apart? Sarah Henney moved to Longreach for love, leaving behind her Gold Coast life to build something new. But years of IVF, raising two little boys and feeling the weight of holding everything together slowly began to take a toll…not just on Sarah, but on her marriage. As the isolation deepened and her marriage broke down, Sarah was forced to rebuild. Now, from the coastal town of Yeppoon, she’s raising her boys and running Outback Linen Co, redefining what happiness and home looks like, on her own terms. This is her story. Mental health crisis support: Contact Lifeline on 13 11 14 Based in regional NSW, Birdsnest truly understands regional life. Visit their stores in Cooma or Burleigh Heads, or shop online from your kitchen table. Birdsnest stocks sizes 8–24. Join their supportive ‘wardrobe wingbirds’ on Facebook, Instagram or via their weekly newsletter. Join Motherland Village today: motherlandaustralia.com.au/motherland-village | |||
| 276: Virginia Tapscott on Why All Mothers Work and Why It’s Time the World Valued Care | 12 Oct 2025 | 01:12:15 | |
When journalist Virginia Tapscott became a mum, she thought she’d be back at work within six months. But motherhood had other plans. Raised on a cattle and cropping farm near Narrabri, Virginia had built a career telling stories that mattered, first in the city and later back in the bush she loved. But once she became a mother, life on the farm with young children gave her a front-row seat to the invisible labour of care. Balancing paid work with childcare drop-offs, she realised what society calls “work” often overlooks the unseen labour mothers do at home — the sleepless nights, the meals, the emotional load. That realisation fuelled her advocacy. Through the Parents Work Collective and her new book All Mothers Work, Virginia is challenging how our systems undervalue the job of raising children. This is her story. Support services: 1800 RESPECT on 1800 737 732 Lifeline on 13 11 14 Kincoppal-Rose Bay Boarding is a second home where balance, care, and belonging come first. For rural and regional families, it’s a place where girls grow in confidence and discover their potential. Visit www.krb.nsw.edu.au/boarding | |||
| 203: Leila McDougall's journey from farming, to fashion, to filmmaker | 03 Dec 2023 | 00:47:06 | |
When Leila McDougall finished school, she left the land and headed to the big smoke to study fashion design. But it wasn't long before the country came calling again, and she settled down in rural Victoria with her husband. Since then, Leila has had two children; she's navigated mental health challenges most of her life- her parents have also struggled. Leila had just had her first child, when her mum attempted to take her own life. Leila is a fierce mental health advocate for rural Australia, so much so that she's made a movie to shine a light on mental health on the land. "Just a Farmer" may be a fictional movie, but with Leila as the lead character, it brings with it some very real and powerful messages. This is her story. | |||
| 202: The day a snake tried to eat Emma Jackson's son | 26 Nov 2023 | 00:40:31 | |
Emma Jackson has lived in the Cape York Peninsula for more than 20 years. She's originally from North Manchester, and the transition to life in rural Australia was a bit of a shock, not to mention the fact that yes, a snake tried to eat her son one night... but there is much more to her story! Emma has four kids, and is in the thick of navigating the teen years. Mental health has been a huge focus for her family, especially after her nephew took his own life shortly after finishing year 12. That led Emma to start the Conquer the Corrugations charity walk. In 2021, Emma saved someone's life, which is why she was named the 2022 RFDS Queensland Hero. We cover a lot in our chat. This is Emma's story. | |||
| 201: How Maggie Mackellar rebuilt her life after her husband died | 19 Nov 2023 | 00:45:23 | |
Maggie Mackellar is a writer, living on a fine wool merino farm on the east coast of Tasmania. Maggie didn't grow up on the land, but her family's strong ties to farming were her saviour during the hardest years of her life. Maggie's husband suicided more than 20 years ago. At the time, she had a five year old and was pregnant with their second child. In the same year, Maggie lost her mum. She escaped the city and sought refuge at her aunt and uncle's property to figure out her next steps. What happened over the next eight years, was not what she had planned. Her writing career flourished... and amongst it all, she found love again through the most unexpected way. In our chat Maggie reflects on grief, mental health, motherhood, and importantly, what's it's like in this new chapter of motherhood- with her children now grown up! This is her story. | |||
| 200: Fiona Waters on raising a transgender teenage girl in rural Australia | 12 Nov 2023 | 01:12:17 | |
Fiona is a dairy farmer based in Deniliquin, NSW. She's one of seven children and grew up in a very loving catholic family. Fiona went on to have four children of her own, all boys, but it wasn't long before she realised her third son, was a bit different. At first, it was easy to brush off his desire to dress and act like a girl as a bit of fun, but as the years went on, Fiona and her husband realised this was very real- and it was life threatening. | |||
| 199: How Anthea Fellows coped after her husband ended up in a Chinese prison | 05 Nov 2023 | 00:55:16 | |
Anthea Fellows is a mum and a grandmother and over the past few decades she's worked tirelessly doing community work across various organisations and charities. Anthea has been married for 35 years and her life has been anything but dull. At 22, she left the Adelaide Hills and moved to a cattle station just outside Alice Springs where she met a jackaroo, and, well, you know what happened next! Anthea had two children and struggled with her mental health at times. Her husband was also battling his own demons, and after 14 years of station life, they decided to leave the property and were gone within a week. There was a twist I didn't see coming in our chat though, just eight years ago, Anthea's husband ended up in a Chinese prison. And Anthea's response to him being jailed... took me by surprise to say the least! This is her story. | |||
| 198: Karla Williams on growing up with deaf parents & managing postpartum rage | 29 Oct 2023 | 01:01:04 | |
Karla Williams lives on a dairy farm in Tassie, she's a nurse and a mum of two little boys, and over the past two years I've grown to know her and love her through our Motherland Village group. To understand Karla's motherhood journey, you have to understand her childhood. Her parents are deaf, and Karla was just 10 months old when she first learned to sign which is how she communicated with them. In many ways, Karla was a mother and a carer, before having children of her own. And when she did start her own family, her experience with her first child was everything she'd hoped for. But a few months into her second pregnancy, she started to experience bouts of rage, and things got worse after she welcomed her second son. Karla is so incredible brave and vulnerable... she shares the heart-stopping moment she knew she needed help, and how finding support through our village and the Gidget Foundation saved her. | |||
| 197: Kate Pianto's experience with ADHD is not what I expected | 22 Oct 2023 | 00:54:10 | |
Kate Pianto is one of my dearest friends. She's in my Motherland Village group, and over the past two years I've had the pleasure of getting to know this amazing woman. But I'll be honest, sitting down with her for this podcast was a bit shocking at times, because she said things I've never heard her say before. Kate has ADHD and was only diagnosed when she was 26. She was seeing a psychologist at the time for postnatal depression and was in a really really dark place. Interestingly, ADHD actually helped Kate thrive as a first time mum, she had an incredible first year before things got very difficult for her. As someone whose partner has ADHD, I found our chat so enlightening and helpful. It's not been easy for Kate to manage ADHD alongside motherhood, her marriage, and her mental health. A quick warning, today's episode does discuss suicidal thoughts, and pregnancy loss. If you or anyone you know needs help, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14. | |||
| 196: Caitlyn Power is ready to talk about the worst day of her life | 15 Oct 2023 | 01:08:51 | |
Yesterday was International Pregnancy and Infant Loss Day, and to honour all those parents who have lost a baby, I wanted to bring you a very special, but difficult episode today. It's personal, because Caitlyn Power is my friend. She's in my Motherland Village group which has been going strong for two years now. Caitlyn has four children- her third, Maggie, was delivered stillborn at full term just a couple of months after Caitlyn connected with our rural mothers' group. It shattered us all. It's very rare we hear from mums who have had to navigate the devastation of still birth. It's not a comfortable topic, and this is a extremely difficult conversation, but it's one that both Caitlyn and I believe is important - to raise awareness and to support other mums who may have gone through something similar, because Caitlyn didn't have that support when she lost Maggie. | |||
| 195: Annabel Tully was 29 and pregnant when she got breast cancer | 08 Oct 2023 | 00:53:09 | |
When deciding whether to pursue teaching or nursing, Annabel Tully flipped a coin, it landed on teaching, and that's what brought her to the bush where she found love. Annabel and her husband have five children, most of them are adults now, but at one point, years ago, Annabel was terrified they'd grow up without a mother. At just 29, what Annabel thought was just a blocked milk duct turned out to be breast cancer. She was pregnant at the time and had to go straight into two surgeries.... one to remove the cancer, and the other, an emergency- c-section to get her baby out before she went straight into chemotherapy treatment. Annabel finally beat it and was cancer free for 5 years before she got the cruel news no one saw coming. October is Breast Cancer Awareness Month, and Annabel is particularly passionate about sharing her story. This is a conversation every woman needs to here, young or old. This is her story. | |||
| 194: Brodie Game realised she'd hit rock bottom at 3am while milking her cows | 01 Oct 2023 | 00:47:14 | |
Brodie Game lives on the far south coast of NSW on dairy country, and she loves her cows, I mean loves them! She's up at 3am milking every morning, living her dream. It's been a tough road though. Over the past 10 years, Brodie and her husband have grown their own herd from 2 cows, to more than 300, but there have been times they've nearly lost it all, or wanted to walk away. Brodie's children were really little when they went through a horrific drought and had to sell half their herd. Then, one of their farms burned and they lost cattle in the 2019/2020 fires. Her husband was at breaking point, struggling with his own mental health, while Brodie tried to hold it together for him and the kids. But just when everything finally got better on farm, Brodie crumbled. Her story is about the power of vulnerability, the importance of looking after ourselves, and what we can all focus on as Australia heads into El Nino, with an uncertain season ahead for so many of us. This is her story. | |||
| Father Land #6: Sobriety, Vulnerability & Masculinity on the Land with Matthew Tonkin | 07 Oct 2025 | 01:13:33 | |
What does it mean to be a good man in the bush? For Matthew Tonkin, the answer has transformed over time. Growing up the youngest of five on his family’s farm near the NSW–Queensland border, Matthew believed a man’s worth was in hard work and providing for his family. But as farm debt and expectations mounted, he equated strength with silence—a silence that led to drinking, despair, and darkness. Seven years sober, Matthew now speaks openly about vulnerability, self-respect, and caring for yourself so you can care for others. As a father of four, grandfather, and leader in agriculture, he’s found a new kind of strength rooted in compassion, discipline, and connection. This episode explores masculinity, resilience, and hope—how one man remade his life, and what his journey reveals about the men raising families and running farms across rural Australia.
Father Land is proudly sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions. Get unmatched market access, expertise and results for your livestock and wool. Talk to your local team today: www.nutrienagsolutions.com.au/livestock | |||
| 193: Why Emily Bryant filed for divorce just 12 months after saying 'I do' | 24 Sep 2023 | 00:52:16 | |
Emily Bryant lives on a cattle station south of Katherine in the Northern Territory. Career wise, she was on fire in her 20s, moving from station cook to head stockman, to station manager in just a few years. Emily lived and breathed work- she admits she was married to her job. In that time, she fell head over heels with a bloke who she went on to marry. But at just 26, a year after saying 'I do' - she was divorced. So what happened? This isn't a story about a dramatic break up or a scandalous affairs, simply a young woman who made a choice to walk away. The 'D' word is not something we talk much about- but it happens, to many couples. And for Emily, you'll hear why being married to her best friend wasn't enough.. and how hard it was to end things, and face the social isolation and judgement that came with that. And finally... what it was like finding love again...she's now balancing station life with three kids, and a fourth on the way! This is her story. | |||
| 192: Steph Wurst had three young children when they lost everything in the Black Summer Fires | 17 Sep 2023 | 00:56:37 | |
Stephanie Wurst was born and raised in the city, and unexpectedly met a farmer on the dancefloor, and soon found herself moving to Kangaroo Island! Steph and her husband Tom went on to have three kids where she had to adapt quickly to the realities of living remotely with limited services. She was flown off the island to have her first baby, and nearly lost her second child during labour. But after all that, as a mum of three, Steph thrived- she loved motherhood, and she grew to adore life on the land. But on January 3rd 2020, Steph and her family lost everything in the Black Summer Fires... their home, most of their farm, and half their livestock. Steph's story is one of heartache, but it's also about rebuilding and the silver linings that can come from unimaginable loss. Steph also has some important advice to share when it comes to preparing for bushfire season. | |||
| 191: Alice Woods had three miscarriages in a row during the peak of Covid | 10 Sep 2023 | 00:53:57 | |
This week, I'm very pleased to introduce you to Motherland's Queensland Ambassador Alice Woods. Alice is based on a farm near Goondiwindi, she's a trained vet, and spent more than 4 years in a long distance relationship with her now husband Dave, until they finally settled down on his family's farm. The journey to parenthood was not easy. After having her first little boy through IVF, Alice had three miscarriages in a row...and if living rurally wasn't isolating enough, it all happened during the peak of covid. Before I had my miscarriage, I had no idea what to expect, and like Alice, being so unprepared for what happened physically only intensified the emotional trauma. Alice has bravely shared the raw reality of her experience, in the hope it helps someone else. Just a warning, parts of this episode might be triggering for some. | |||
| 190: Josh Borowski stepped up, manned up, & became the partner and father he needed to be (Part 2) | 03 Sep 2023 | 00:51:23 | |
Last week, we heard Steph Borowski's story, and today, you'll hear my very candid interview with her husband Josh. Josh is the first bloke I've had on this show, and this is one of the most important interviews I've ever done, because while my focus is on supporting rural mothers through Motherland, I felt it was time to hear a father's perspective to help close the loop. Josh is ready to talk. He's ready to share how initially becoming a father scared the hell of him, how he struggled with farm life and the pressures of drought, all while navigating family life. Josh honestly took my breath away at times with his depth and his vulnerability. He believes men have lost their way, and that it's time for fathers to step up and man up. And when he says manning up, it's not what you think. This is his story. | |||
| 189: Why I interviewed Steph Borowski AND her husband (Part 1) | 27 Aug 2023 | 00:47:33 | |
This is the two-part episode I'd argue every mum and dad needs to listen to. In Part 1 today, I speak to Steph Borowski, and next week, you'll hear my chat with her husband Josh- the first man to be on Motherland. Steph met her husband in L.A, fresh out of school, they were both young actors chasing a dream. Fast forward a few years, and they settled on Josh's family farm in North West NSW, where life got pretty tricky once they had children. Josh, like so many farmers, was working around the clock, rarely home for that dinner/bathtime routine, and emotionally unavailable in so many ways. Steph felt what many of us have felt at some point as mothers... alone, frustrated, and at times, unsupported by our partner. There was a moment where Steph snapped, and it changed everything, from her marriage to her mental heath. In this very honest and raw discussion, Steph, opens up about what happened when she realised she needed help, and what happened when she asked her husband to step up. This is her story. | |||
| 188: The heart wrenching decision Sarra Riddick had to make to save one of her twins | 20 Aug 2023 | 00:59:03 | |
Sarra Riddick and her partner tried to have a baby for three and a half years, before she finally fell pregnant with their twin boys, Heath and Hunter, through IVF. But after a devastating 20-week scan, Sarra and Jarrad had to make the toughest decision of their lives, terminating one of the twins, to give the other the best possible chance of survival. Sarra had to go through an unimaginable emotional rollercoaster after birthing her boys, experiencing joy after welcoming Hunter, who was rushed to NICU, while at the same time, mourning Heath who was stillborn. Living on a farm a couple of hours from Perth, Sarra then spent nearly four months away from the farm in hospital until she could finally bring Hunter home. Sarra wants her grief to have purpose, as she puts it. She wants to help other families feel less alone, and she wants you to know that her story, although heartbreaking, does have a silver lining, including her miracle baby Ollie. This is her story. | |||
| 187: Why Melissa Duniam turned to horses after a life-changing farm accident | 13 Aug 2023 | 00:58:53 | |
Melissa Duniam lives on the far north west coast of Tasmania and has spent the past 20 years in the dairy industry. When she was 18, she fell pregnant with her first daughter and soon after, became a single mum after her relationship ended. Melissa once vowed she'd never marry a dairy farmer, but that's exactly what she went on to do a couple of years later after falling in love with her now husband. She had two more daughters, and navigated some intense highs and lows during early motherhood. Horses have always helped Melissa through the toughest moments of her life, and her biggest battle came in October 2016 after she was seriously injured in a side-side-by side accident on the farm. Physically and emotionally it's been an ordeal, with Melissa struggling with PTSD for a long time after the accident. That set her on a huge personal development journey where she leaned into her horses, and now helps others through her business, Leading Rein. Melissa is flying the Tassie flag this year as the state winner of the AgriFutures Rural women's award. This is her story. | |||
| BONUS: Simone Heng on loneliness & the five types of human connection we all need | 08 Aug 2023 | 00:43:35 | |
This week is Australia's first ever Loneliness Awareness Week. It's a national epidemic and through Motherland's work, we know there are so many rural mums out there who are struggling with feelings of loneliness and isolation. Simone Heng is a human connection expert. Her new book, Loneliness- Let's talk about it, details her personal struggles with loneliness, but it's also an incredible guide on how we can kick loneliness to the curb for the sake of our health and our families. Simone grew up in Australia and has since lived all over the world. In 2013, one phone call changed her life. Her mum had a severe stroke which left her paralysed and Simone dropped everything to be by her side and spent the next six months of her life cleaning her mother's house (her mum has hoarding disorder). Simone was isolated from the outside world and experienced the worst loneliness of her life, which set her on her current path of helping others. In our chat, we get stuck into the hard stuff... and Simone shares the FIVE types of human connection we all need in our lives. | |||
| 186: Maddie Staff on birth trauma & how a broken leg tore her family apart (Part 2) | 06 Aug 2023 | 00:46:05 | |
In last week's episode, we heard about Maddie's incredible highs and lows before she became a mum, and in Part 2, you'll hear about the rollercoaster she went through after birthing her little boy. She suffered a traumatic 24 hours after having her son, even passing out on the table in theatre. Her journey into motherhood wasn't what she imagined, and while things eventually go better, they, unbelievably, got a whole lot worse again. Last year, Maddie snapped her leg in two places and ended up in hospital for two months. The cruel twist is that she was separated from her son and her fiancé for 6 weeks. The details are pretty heartbreaking. The silver lining to Maddie's story.... she's now planning her wedding (finally!). This is her story. | |||
| 185: Maddie Staff on finding out she was adopted, & surviving two abusive relationships (Part 1) | 30 Jul 2023 | 00:43:27 | |
Maddie Staff lives on a station on the NT/WA border, and in this first part of her story, she opens up about losing her mother from breast cancer when she was just 18 months old, then years later finding out she was adopted. You'll hear what happened when she met her birth mother, plus how she found her birth father and slid into his DMs on Facebook. Maddie has also navigated two very toxic relationships, one that involved a miscarriage, and she also shares how she turned to alcohol to cope when she hit rock bottom. There is so much more, but for now, here's part one with Maddie staff. Part 2 will be released next week! | |||
| Father Land #5: Piers Dumaresq — Rebuilding After Divorce and Putting Fatherhood Before Farming | 30 Sep 2025 | 01:01:51 | |
12 years ago, Piers Dumaresq walked away from the high-flying world of Sydney wealth management, to return home to the family farm in Tasmania with his future wife. On paper, it looked like a tree-change success story: a 200-year-old family farm, marriage, two children, and a future firmly rooted in the soil. But behind the original stone buildings of Mount Ireh, life wasn’t as simple on the family front. Piers’s marriage ended when his children were still little, and in the aftermath he found himself confronting not just the realities of co-parenting and running a farm, but the deeper question of who he was as a man and a father. He hit rock bottom, then rebuilt—choosing to put his kids first, reshaping the family business, and doing the hard personal work to heal. Today, Piers opens up about life on the land, fatherhood, the reason he believes so many marriages fail, and what it means to rebuild after loss while carrying a very big family legacy forward. This is his story. Get in touch with Pier's via https://divorce-recovery-guide.com/ Nutrien has teamed up with the VFF to help farmers facing record-breaking dry conditions by connecting them with drought relief grants, practical resources, and vital mental health support. Nutrien is also helping farmers prepare for tomorrow, with sustainability services that measure and manage environmental impacts like soil health and greenhouse gas emissions.
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| 184: How a fax machine on the farm changed Georgie Somerset's life | 23 Jul 2023 | 00:40:16 | |
Georgie Somerset is a rural industry leader and a trailblazer. While a lot of us know her as the president of AgForce, and her many board roles including the ABC, and the National Farmers Federation, it's what she did decades ago that I've loved digging up. Georgie is one of the pioneers of agri-tourism. Growing up the land, she was just 17 when she set up a farm stay business on her family farm, later establishing national farm tourism body. After working in the city for a while, she eventually moved to her husband's farm, taking her fax machine with her, and used it to run her business, working remotely in the 80s and 90s well before Covid made it cool! Georgie has raised three kids on the land who are now all grown up, and she takes us through how she's managed it all. This is her story. Special Motherland discounts: | |||
| 183: Bronnie Taylor's journey from rural nurse, to the most senior female in the NSW Government | 16 Jul 2023 | 00:55:09 | |
Bronnie Taylor has been in the public life 10 years, four as a cabinet minister, and two as the most senior female in the NSW Government. Until her party lost the election in March, she was the Minister for Women, the Minister for Regional Health and the Minister for Mental Health. She's now the Deputy Leader of The NSW Nationals and the shadow Minister for Regional Health. But that's just a taste of her political CV. What I had the privilege of discovering is the real Bronnie Taylor, the Bronnie who spent years as a nurse working in oncology and palliative care- fighting to bring services to her region in the Snowy Mountains. Bronnie fell in love with a country boy in year 12 who later became her husband. Together, her and Duncan have raised two girls on the farm, and it's been a wild ride. In our chat, Bronnie opens up about motherhood, farm life, her passion for rural health, and what it's like to be on the receiving end of political and personal attacks. This is her story. | |||
| 182: After Georgia Lillie's husband died, she wrote a book in his honour | 09 Jul 2023 | 00:40:49 | |
At just 19, Georgie had finished school, bought a house, and met James... the man she wanted to spend her life with. Fast forward a few years, and her and James had gotten married, and were busy raising two beautiful boys on his family's farm. Life was pretty picture perfect, until it wasn't. In 2017, James was diagnosed with terminal cancer and was given just 6 to 12 months to live. In our chat, Georgia bravely shares her story including what it was like losing her husband, what she told her kids, why she decided to stay on the farm, and the heartbreaking, but beautiful, inspiration behind the children's book she wrote which is called 'My Dad is an Eagle Now. This is story. | |||
| 181: Humanitarian Gemma Sisia left rural Australia for a life in Africa | 02 Jul 2023 | 00:49:59 | |
Gemma Sisia grew up on a sheep and cattle property in northern New South Wales, as one of eight children. After finishing school, she went to Africa to teach... that was 22 years ago and she's never looked back! Gemma met her husband on safari (that's a cracking story) and had four children. You'll hear about the incredible cultural differences and how she was treated after having her babies over there. Amongst it all, Gemma had a dream to build a school that would support some of Africa's poorest children. In 2002, she established the School of St Jude in Tanzania which provides free, high-quality education to thousands of children. She is a true humanitarian and what she's done is remarkable. And it all started with just a couple of acres. This is her story. | |||
| 180: Alice Greenup almost lost it all after a horrific horse riding accident | 25 Jun 2023 | 00:46:23 | |
Alice Greenup grew up in Melbourne, and when she finished school, she went travelling on a gap year, got a job as a governess on a cattle station, where she fell in love with a jackaroo. At the time, she couldn't tell tell a cow from a bull, and how things have changed! Today Alice and her husband, Rick who have three teenage children, run one of Australia’s largest seedstock businesses, supplying bulls and cattle to the Australian beef industry. 10 years ago, Alice wrote a memoir detailing the ups and downs of her transition to life on the land. It includes her near death experience, the morning she almost lost it all, when her horse bucked her out of the saddle in remote bushland. This is her story. | |||
| 179: Sue Barclay's epic fight for life after being diagnosed with untreatable ovarian cancer | 18 Jun 2023 | 00:44:55 | |
Sue Barclay lives 500 kilometres west of Sydney and over the past 12 months she's visited the big smoke far more than she'd like. Sue got out of the shower one night with a frightening symptom that changed her life. She was diagnosed with untreatable ovarian cancer, but refused to give up and sought a second opinion at Sydney's Royal Hospital for Women. Since then, she's made the trip back and forth to the hospital 17 times, in the fight of her life. At one stage, when her station succumbed to flooding, she was even helicoptered out by her neighbour so she could get to her chemo session. Sue wants to share her story to raise awareness for the Hospital Foundation’s fundraiser ‘Heart for Her’ which takes place this month. This is her story. | |||
| 178: Sally Warriner was not 'just' the wife of the general manager | 11 Jun 2023 | 00:54:39 | |
In the 1980's, Sally Warriner returned to Australia after backpacking overseas, and she hitchhiked to the far north. It's there, she fell in love and married a cowboy, and spent the next 25 years managing pastoral properties in the top end while raising seven children, including three of her own. Sally wore so many hats. As a trained nurse, she was at the scene of many emergencies and accidents over the years. She was the station cook, her husband's business partner, and even a social secretary- in our chat, you'll hear how on earth she ended up hosting and organising some of Kerry Packer's parties! But after feeling undervalued and underappreciated for decades, viewed by some as 'just' the wife of the general manager', Sally finally snapped. She ended her marriage, and left the land to start a whole new life. And now- she's written a book that reveals all. This is her story. https://agrifocused.com.au/farm-office-plus/ | |||
| 177: Cassie Norris was born without ovaries & needed eggs donors to start a family | 04 Jun 2023 | 00:57:31 | |
Cassie Norris lives on her family cattle station in the far south west corner of Queensland. Right now, life looks picture perfect with her and her husband raising their two beautiful little girls. But there is an extraordinary and heartbreaking story behind the happy smiles you see today. Cassie was 15 years old when she discovered she born without ovaries- and her condition meant she'd have to seek egg donors if she ever wanted to fall pregnant and start a family. Cassie went through IVF hell. It took 5 years, thousands of kilometres of travel, 10 embryo transfers, and three eggs donors to have her two girls. And the twist? There was a simple test and procedure she could have had that would have changed everything. This is her story. | |||
| 176: Alison Jones reveals all about her time on Farmer Wants a Wife! | 28 May 2023 | 00:48:23 | |
In 2010, when Dr Alison Jones applied to be a contestant on Farmer Wants a Wife, she did it for a bit of a laugh, and had no idea just how seriously the show would impact her life. Fast forward to today and her and Charlie are busy raising three young boys from their property in Walcha, New South Wales. Alison is a long way from inner-west Sydney where she grew up, and admits it took her two years to adjust to life on the land after a 7 year long distance relationship with Charlie. After her third child, Alison was horrified to learn that parents like herself were having to take their kids to work, or not be able to work at all, due to a lack of childcare in the town. Amazingly, after a year long mission, Alison and other local families have banded to end Walcha's childcare shortage. | |||
| 175: When Keiley Noble unexpectedly fell pregnant at 21, everyone had an opinion | 21 May 2023 | 00:40:47 | |
Keiley Noble met her future husband when she was 20, and initially thought it was just a summer fling. But before they knew it, life was moving very, very quickly when Keiley unexpectedly fell pregnant. Incredibly, Keiley didn't know she was having a baby until she was 22 and a half weeks along, and what followed was a whirlwind journey. She faced judgement and doubts as she tried to face her new life as a young mum, while trying to finish uni, grow a career and do all the things people said she wouldn't be able to do. Last month, Keiley made history by becoming the first mother to win the NSW Rural Achiever Award, and she's passionate about being a role model and inspiring other young mothers, particularly in ag. | |||
| Father Land #4: Dolly’s Dad Tick Everett Speaks on Fatherhood, Family and Fighting On | 23 Sep 2025 | 01:14:21 | |
Tick Everett is a man who never imagined he’d be the face of a national movement. For decades, he worked the land, raised his daughters, and built a life around family and farming. But in January 2018, that life changed forever. At just 14, Tick’s youngest daughter, Dolly, died by suicide after an extended period of bullying and cyberbullying. Soon after, Tick and his wife Kate launched Dolly’s Dream. Today's episode isn’t the story you’ve heard before. With honesty and vulnerability, he opens up in ways he never has before about love, loss, and what it means to keep going when your world has fallen apart. He reflects on resilience, fatherhood, the importance of men speaking up about their mental health, and why even the smallest acts of kindness can matter more than we’ll ever know. This is his story. Since teaming up with Dolly’s Dream in 2022, Nutrien’s people and communities have turned blue each year, raising over $600,000 to help end bullying and improve mental health for young people in rural Australia.. And that’s just part of more than $2.8m invested in projects that strengthen and support regional communities right across the country. Learn more: www.nutrienagsolutions.com.au/supporting-communities | |||
| 174: After Anna Toland's husband died, she fell in love with his friend | 14 May 2023 | 00:44:59 | |
Anna Toland is a survivor. She was born with a facial hemangioma the size of her head and as a newborn was given just a 10% chance of living. When she was in her 20s, it felt like her life was finally falling into place. She met her first husband, fell head over heels, and then fell pregnant with their little boy Charlie. But when Anna was just 26 years old, her husband Dan died unexpectedly after battling pneumonia- it was a complete shock to everyone. All of a sudden, Anna was a widow, with a six month old baby to care for- and a future that felt completely uncertain. She moved to a rural property to escape, to grieve, and to find herself again. What happened next, is quite extraordinary. She fell in love with her son's godfather, who was also one of Dan's best mates. This is her story. | |||
| 173: Joss West had four miscarriages in a row but never gave up hope | 07 May 2023 | 00:42:37 | |
Joss West was born in the Northern Territory and grew up on cattle stations. She's always been an animal lover and brought all kinds of creatures home when she was a little girl, from dingo pups, to injured brumby foals. It wasn't a surprise to her family then when she went on to become a vet, and she now manages a pre-export quarantine property in Victoria. Joss met her husband in a very romantic way....while preg testing cattle! When they decided to try for a family of their own though, they faced a heartbreaking journey. Unbelievably, Joss had four miscarriages in a row before her rainbow baby Poppy arrived. A warning this episode might be triggering for anyone who has suffered pregnancy loss. If you need support, reach out to The Pink Elephants Support Network at https://www.pinkelephants.org.au/ or Sands https://www.sands.org.au/
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| 172: Why proud stepmum Julia Spicer decided not to have children | 30 Apr 2023 | 00:57:13 | |
Julia Spicer is so many things. She's a business owner, a step mum, and she's a big part of Motherland and sits on our charity's board. She's also Queensland's Chief Entrepreneur, a prestigious position she's been in since late last year. From the outside, Jules has got a lot going on. From the inside, boy, where to start! Today's interview is the first time Julia has opened up so publicly about some of the more personal parts of her live as a rural woman, and a proud stepmum...she doesn't have any biological children of her own. The decision not to have children is a very personal one for so many women, and like them, Julia has been on the receiving end of judgement and unnecessary comments. Deciding not to have kids before life threw everything at her was actually a blessing for Julia, because in her early 30's she met a bloke who already had a child, then she got cancer and found herself in the fight of her life. All while navigating life as a stepmum to a teenage girl. This is her story. | |||
| 171: Angelica Arnott's incredible journey from 1980's popstar, to farmer | 23 Apr 2023 | 00:52:46 | |
Angelica Arnott had never stepped foot on a farm until she started dating her now husband Charlie. The pair met in an extraordinarily vulnerable way and in an instant, Angelica's life changed forever. She already had two children from a previous relationship which ended when her partner left her when she was pregnant with their second child while they were living in New York. Angelica was a TV actress and a model, turned popstar whose band The Chantoozies dominated the 80s and 90s with their party anthems. But deep down, she craved something deeper. During her 11 years as a single mum, Angelica went on a journey of self healing and self-discovery, and flipped the script on everything in her life. She's now content raising her four kids on the land, but her family's journey on the Arnott property has been far from conventional and full of ups and downs. Angelica is so beautifully raw, I loved our chat and I know you will too. This is her story. The Mother Nurtured’s new online counselling practice has got you covered with same or next day appointments always available with their friendly compassionate team of registered counsellors. Remember they are currently offering $20 off your session until the end of May. To claim and get the support you deserve – register via their website. www.themothernurtured.com.au | |||
| 170: Why Aussie born Kristy McGregor moved to New Zealand & launched a magazine | 16 Apr 2023 | 00:41:40 | |
Kristy McGregor grew up on a small block on the outskirts of Sydney, before falling in love with the outback. She once lived on a remote cattle station in western Queensland and co-founded the Channel Country Ladies Day, an incredible annual event in the bush. Life is very different now though after Kristy fell in love with a Kiwi and moved to a sixth generation family farm in New Zealand. It was a tough transition and she felt more isolated there than she did living eight hours from the nearest town in Queensland. Her struggles inspired her to start Shepherdess, a quarterly magazine that showcases the lives of rural women across New Zealand. This is her story. Mums & Co is the network helping women in business grow no matter where you live in Australia! Register for their free 'Sign Up' membership to connect with other women at an online member meet up! Download your free resources including ‘the step-by-step formula to launch your business’ and a ‘checklist to help you attract your dream customer without spending a cent. | |||
| 169: Frauke Bolten-Boshammer's incredible journey from widow to diamond dealer | 09 Apr 2023 | 00:47:06 | |
Frauke Bolten-Boshammer is from Germany and arrived in Australia in 1981 with her husband Friedrich and their children. They called Kununurra in the Kimberley home, and while Frauke felt the pang of isolation, she had no idea of the heartache that lay ahead. Three years later, she lost her husband to suicide and found herself living on 1000 hectares of remote farmland with four children to raise. She suffered another cruel blow years later, when her son Peter also took his own life. Frauke's story is so unbelievable and raw, and in our chat she opens up about life after unimaginable loss, finding love again, and creating a new path for herself as a highly successful diamond dealer that sells some of the world's rarest pink diamonds. | |||
| 168: Mei Li's journey from Beijing to the bush | 02 Apr 2023 | 00:39:11 | |
Mei Li was born in China but moved to the US when was 11. She married young, and had two children with her first husband, but when that relationship ended, she found herself torn between two worlds, co-parenting from the other side of the world. Mei was working for a law firm when she met her second husband Hugh, an Aussie bloke who was a long way from home. After having a daughter together, it was Mei's idea to uproot and move to Australia to Hugh's family farm in rural NSW. For Mei, the past few years have given her the stability and the permanent home she'd been chasing all her life. Culturally, her upbringing in China was very different to what most of us experienced and it's had an impact on Mei's motherhood journey. She's done the work and some deep inner child healing from intergenerational trauma so she can now be the mum she wants to be. This is her story. | |||
| 167: Beth McRae and her extraordinary outback midwifery mission | 26 Mar 2023 | 00:50:35 | |
Beth McRae has been a midwife for most of her life and she's delivered babies all over Australia. Ironically, she grew up on on a farm, in a very conservative household where the topic of cattle giving birth, let alone humans, was never spoken about. But years later, birth became became Beth's life. After more than 30 years working in hospitals, while in her 50s, she set out on an outback midwifery mission. She packed up and moved to a remote Aboriginal community and embarked on a whole new adventure. It's a story she wrote a book about, so strap yourself in! This is her story. | |||
| 166: Jenna Mouritz opens up about the worst day of her life | 19 Mar 2023 | 00:43:57 | |
Jenna Mouritz lives on a property in the wheatbelt of Western Australia. She's the local physio in a town of just 150 people and has dedicated so much of her time to improving access to services across her region. Jenna's journey especially when it comes to motherhood has been heartbreaking at times to say the least. From an injury, a miscarriage, and overcoming stage 2 melanoma, it hasn't been an easy few years. But Jenna's toughest time came when at 20 weeks pregnant with one of her children, she was diagnosed with a complication everyone believed would be relatively harmless as long as she continued to be monitored closely. But At 36 weeks, while on the farm, 350 kilometres from the nearest birthing hospital, Jenna was suddenly in a lot of pain. She travelled with her husband all the way to Perth in agony, and arrived to discover that her baby had passed away. She went into labour and delivered her little boy stillborn. This is her story. Modibodi, Australia’s original period underwear brand, wants your help to understand more about periods for people living in rural & regional areas. Please complete their quick survey HERE. Use the code Motherland15 for 15% off your next Modibodi purchase. Code excludes sale items, bundles, gift cards, Puma, reduced items and maxi absorbency. Expires 30th June 2023.
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| 165: Bestselling author Toni Tapp Coutts on her extraordinary life in the top end | 12 Mar 2023 | 00:39:45 | |
Toni Tapp Coutts grew up on a cattle station in the Northern Territory as the eldest of 10 children. She's an author who wrote a bestselling memoir about her childhood on the legendary Killarney cattle station. Her stepfather was cattle king Bill Tapp, and for the first few years of family life on the property there was no electricity and Toni and her siblings slept under the stars in swags. She was just five. Toni went on to raise her own kids in the gulf country, 600km from town. She's had a varied career, from station life, to campdrafting, running a clothing boutique and now, real estate. Toni has been with her husband for nearly half a century! It's been quite a ride. This is her story. | |||
| Father Land #3: Ben Wundersitz — From Fat Farmers to Fit Fathers, A Movement Saving Rural Lives | 16 Sep 2025 | 00:55:20 | |
12 years ago on South Australia’s Yorke Peninsula, three farmers looked in the mirror and didn’t like what they saw. So they founded Fat Farmers, a grassroots movement now inspiring rural communities to get moving, check in on each other, and quietly save lives. One of the founders is Ben Wundersitz, a fifth-generation farmer from Maitland, SA — a state still crippled by drought. Ben shares how those first awkward workouts grew into 35 groups nationwide, the mental health conversations that happen between reps, and what fatherhood means to him after raising two kids with his high-school sweetheart, Belinda. Last month, his impact was recognised when he was named the overall Bush Champion and Ag Champion at the inaugural Bush Champions awards. This is his story. Father Land is proudly sponsored by Nutrien Ag Solutions, a leading agribusiness that draws on more than 180 years of service to Australian agriculture. With a network of over 700 locations nationwide, Nutrien offers more than just farm supplies. Their services span agronomy, livestock marketing, animal health, crop protection, digital ag, finance, insurance, rural real estate, and water management. https://www.nutrienagsolutions.com.au/ | |||
| 164: Channel 7 star Edwina Bartholomew & her growing connection to the country | 05 Mar 2023 | 00:46:02 | |
Edwina Bartholemew has been a journalist for more than 20 years and I'm sure you're all familiar with her from Sunrise. What you might not know though is Edwina's growing connection to the country. Her and her husband Neil bought a small farm in the Capertee valley of NSW which they set up as a boutique accommodation business. Neil, who has a background in tech, became an accidental farming after moving there for a whole year to set it all up. When covid hit, Edwina, Neil, and their little girl Molly bunkered down there for months. Since then, Edwina has welcomed another child, and it was a thrill hear more about her life behind the TV screens. You'll hear how motherhood has given her a higher purpose, why her and her husband sleep in separate beds, and why she's selling her Sydney home, to invest in a country community! This is her story. Highly qualified agri-finance expert Carmen Quade launched AgriFocused to deliver high quality online training courses for farming families, anywhere, anytime. | |||
| 163: How the crippling mental load inspired Bridget Johns to change her life & help other women | 26 Feb 2023 | 00:40:50 | |
Bridget Johns once vowed she would never kiss a farmer, let alone fall in love with one and move to the land. But 18 years ago, a night at a country pub changed all that. She's now based on a property in the York Peninsula of South Australia and she wouldn't change a thing. Bridget has had her fair share of ups and downs. She suffered a miscarriage at someone else's house while she was on holidays which was incredibly difficult. And like so many mums, she knows what it's like to feel overwhelmed and to take too much on. There was a moment where she nearly hit rock bottom and realised it was time to declutter her life and mind. And now, she helps other women do the same. She's created micro habits that have changed her life, and in our chat she also shares a bit about the bucket list she created of 40 things she wanted to do before she turned 40! This is her story. | |||
| 162: Amanda King's heart wrenching decision after a devastating diagnosis of her unborn twins | 19 Feb 2023 | 00:54:55 | |
Amanda King is an Aussie who fell in love with a kiwi while on a sailing trip around Croatia. She now lives on a sheep and beef farm on the south island of New Zealand. The transition to life on the land was a rollercoaster for the former city girl. But it was the next chapter in her life that proved the hardest. Amanda and her husband tried to have a baby for three years, before turning to IVF. Their first round was a success and Amanda discovered she was pregnant with twins. But at 17 weeks, she got the heartbreaking news that her babies had Edwards Syndrome and wouldn't survive. She was then faced with a heart wrenching decision of what to do next, and decided to end the pregnancy which was incredibly traumatic. It took six rounds of IVF to create the family she has now. This is her story. | |||