STORIES FROM THE STICKS
Featuring stories celebrating the people, creativity, life and energy in regional Australia
All works published must comply with the Rural Room Editorial Guidelines
OCEAN PHOTOGRAPHER - MATT BLAKERS
WRITTEN By Serena Kirby, PROFILE IMAGES BY NIC DUNCAN - both are western australia based media stringers
WAVE IMAGES BY MATT BLAKERS
Matt Blakers sees the Western Australian seasons through a photographer's lens. And, for him, each season has a unique signature that it scribes across the sea.
AG COLLEGE CLOSURES
BY QUEENSLAND BASED MEDIA STRINGER SAM NOON
In rural areas, the right of passage to working in the agricultural industry was once to leave home and take up refuge in the local agricultural college. Opportunities of this nature are virtually non-existent now in Queensland due to the recent closures of the Agricultural Colleges by the Queensland Government last year. It was at these Ag colleges where kids who didn’t find want to undertake an apprenticeship in their home town or head off to the bright lights of University to complete a degree, could find their place in the world and dually gain a qualification ‘to fall back on’.
When “Covid-19” first raised its head in Australia in early 2020, little did we understand how much impact it would have. Social distancing, face masks and lock downs are now the norm and blissful ignorance is a thing of the past.
The HOMESPUN PREMIERE is happening at The Kodja Place on Friday November 5 and tickets are available for purchase! Join cast and crew for a PREMIERE screenings of the series! TICKETS AVAILABLE HERE!
THE LAUNCH OF ‘BUSH JOURNAL’ - BROUGHT TO YOU BY BEAUTY IN THE BUSH COLLECTIVE
WORDS PROVIDED BY JESSICA HOWARD, EDITOR OF THE ‘BUSH JOURNAL’
As newspapers disappear from the shelves of rural and regional Australia, a group of photographers is fighting back with a new publication that shares soulful stories and stunning images from beyond the city limits.
the value of cultural training workshops
photos and words by kush bourke, nsw based media stringer
When I enrolled to undertake the Yalbangarra Cultural Considerations Training that was organised by Far South Film, a screen organisation based on the Far South Coast of NSW, I wasn’t entirely sure what it was or how it related to me as a writer and producer. But by the end of the day I felt I had gained so much.
water
photos and words by dean whiting, nsw based media stringer
Supported by Astrid Volzke as part of the Rural Room Media Stringer Mentor Program
I have always had a fascination with water. From an early age I loved swimming in dams, camping, fishing and I understood how important it is to everything in nature. This connection grew as I grew older and explored what this great country had to offer.
two creative minds
a collaboration between Rebecca Collis and Kate Rutter as part of the media stringer mentor program
Rebecca Collis and Kate Rutter are two artists who have different styles so they put pen to paper to share a little insight into their creative minds and journey so far.
home truths - hire regional creatives
BY bec bignell
Every business regardless of whether it’s a huge multi-national or a small family run operation requires some form of marketing, branding, promotion, creation of collateral or storytelling to connect with their intended customers. Ask yourself how you can be working with regional creatives and when you do reach out to engage them, please remember to respect them equally and share the word about their work so many more businesses can follow suit.
BUSHFIRE RECOVERY ASSIST EXHIBITION - COROWA
BY GEORGIE JAMES - VICTORIA BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Corowa-based architecture practice Regional Design Service hosted an exhibition during May in their studio gallery. The exhibition explored the role of 18 architecture practices in bushfire recovery projects.
the sh*t we do on a daily basis - exhibition
by georgie james - victoria based media stringer
Susie Scott and Bec Kos are New South Wales Southern Riverina based artists. They are also neighbours and exceptionally good friends. Their exhibition was held at Wacky Bird Gallery in Corowa, New South Wales.
PASS THE POLENTA - La Fiera Italian Festival, Myrtleford
by georgie james - victoria based media stringer
La Fiera Italian Festival in Myrtleford is a celebration of Italian culture. The local Italian clubs get together and cook and feed the crowds and it is delicious! The polenta is cut into thick generous bum expanding squares and cloaked in a thick rich ragout and accompanied by a serve of sauerkraut.
A Beautiful Mess – Mount Ophir Estate
BY GEORGIE JAMES - VICTORIA BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Over a two year period I documented the renovations of historic Rutherglen property, Mount Ophir Estate. Mount Ophir dates back to 1891 and was once the largest state-of-the-art wine producing complex in the Southern Hemisphere.
National Volunteer Week 2021!
BY KATE EATS - VICTORIA BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Happy National Volunteer Week 2021! This week is Australia’s annual celebration of volunteers; it’s an opportunity to recognise and acknowledge the vital role volunteers play. This year National Volunteer Week runs from Monday 17th to Sunday 23rd May. The theme for this year is Recognise, Reconnect and Reimagine.
PONY PEOPLE
BY DOROTHY HENDERSON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA BASED MEDIA STRINGER
There is something particularly heartwarming when, out of the corner of your eye, you see someone at a horse event gently stroking their horse’s neck, or planting a kiss on its nose. The connection between horse and human can be so strong, even greater than that between human and some humans.
MOTHER’S DAY
BY DOROTHY HENDERSON - WESTERN AUSTRALIA BASED MEDIA STRINGER
It seems that every story written now starts off with a paragraph or a comment related to the Covid 19 pandemic that has gripped the world for over a year now, and there is no question that it has had an impact on every aspect of our lives. Including Mother’s Day. But in 2021, in Australia, Mother’s Day is so different from that of last year.
farina anzac service 2021
by stacey davidson - south australia based media stringer
The navy skies were still scattered with fading stars, stretching out beyond a remote Outback war memorial overlooking a gum lined creek when the crowd gathered for the 2021 Farina Anzac Day service. Almost 200 tourists and locals from nearby properties and communities came to commemorate Anzac Day 2021, a particularly poignant moment considering the cancellation of services last year, as well as the travel bans that were in place.
anzac DAY 2021
by DOROTHY HENDERSON - WESTERN AUSTRALIA based media stringer
ANZAC Day 2021 was supposed to be different from ANZAC Day 2020, when the candlelit presence of family groups at the end of driveways replaced Dawn Services around Australia. In 2020 we tried so hard to remember, Lest We Forget that the Covid 19 pandemic was not the only battle to scar us.
CREATION IN ISOLATION
By JESSICA HOWARD, QUEENSLAND BASED MEDIA STRINGER
The Beauty in the Bush Collective has members in far-flung parts of the country, from Caramut in South West Victoria and Katherine in the Northern Territory; to Cowra in Western New South Wales and Einasleigh in North Queensland. Their work is just as diverse: ranging from commercial, lifestyle and travel photography, but there’s a common thread that weaves through each of their images, and it’s the love and passion they feel for rural Australia.
MOREE ON A PLATE
By Georgina Poole, NEW SOUTH WALES BASED MEDIA STRINGER
We’ve been on a social starvation diet for far too long, and the 2021 Moree on a Plate Food and Wine Festival has grand plans to help break the fast. A feast of entertainment, activity and of course fresh local produce and menus will satisfy those cultural and foodie cravings so lacking throughout 2020. The Moree on a Plate committee is currently planning its 2021 festival, to be held at The Moree Secondary College, Saturday, May 8, 2021, in line with COVID restrictions.
NATIONAL AGDAY 2021
A COLLABORATION WITH CBH GROUP
For most of the year the work of people on the land undertake can go largely unnoticed from the outside. However, harvest makes the contribution of agricultural participants very tangible as the activity is highly visible to onlookers – whether it’s the golden carpets of canola that extend for miles, or the flurry of paddock activity that can be seen from the road, the trucks that amble, ships dotted on the horizon as they sail from the port across the big blue…the impact of harvest is not limited to country towns.
live the little things
BY kate eats, VICTORIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
They say you only get the chance to raise your children once, so I’m making a conscious effort to live the little things.
Aid Workers Pay Ultimate Price
BY DOROTHY HENDERSON, WESTERN-AUSTRALIA BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Every day, and at any given time, there are people all over the world sacrificing their own comfort, safety and even lives to help others. They are humanitarians. This week is a week intended to provoke reflection on what that means, with World Humanitarian Day on August 19 marking the sacrifices and achievements of those who take service to the next level.
kelpies…tailing the mob for over a hundred years
WORDS BY DOROTHY HENDERSON, WA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
PHOTOGRAPHS BY ELLIE MORRIS, WA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
This is a Rural Room Media Stringer collaboration - it highlights the special way our network of regional media makers leverage technology to co-create remotely!
HOMELESS IN A LAND OF PLENTY
BY DOROTHY HENDERSON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
How can it be that we still have people living on streets while as a society we have so much? Not just in material terms, but in terms of support. We have, arguably, made so much progress in terms of helping others. And yet there are still gaps that some people fall through.
INTERNATIONAL DAY OF FRIENDSHIP
BY HELEN CARPENTER, NEW SOUTH WALES-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Today we mark International Day of Friendship -a day which is an important recognition of friendship. It’s also a symbol of coming together that values connection and it promotes an understanding of diversity as friendship provides us with an opportunity to learn from friends who come from different backgrounds, enjoy different experiences and ways of living or who may have different beliefs and perspectives.
COMMUNITY SPIRIT SOARS HIGH
BY helen carpenter, new south wales-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Off the back of the very successful Community Poppy project held in 2018 commemorating the Centenary of Armistice our community launched another project which has again demonstrated our community strength and resilience in action.
tHERE BY THE GRACE OF GOD GO I
BY DOROTHY HENDERSON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
In November 1997, I was working as a journalist for The Kalgoorlie Miner newspaper as its Esperance reporter. As a daily publication, the paper provided scope for storytelling. During this time one story I covered haunted me long after the words I wrote faded from my memory and the paper they were printed on has yellowed and crumbled with age.
nine ways to support regional creatives
BY kate eats, VICTORIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Who we support now, determines who will be left standing. Here are nine ways to support creatives in regional Australia and help them feel visible and valued.
FLOWERS FOR MUM
BY DOROTHY HENDERSON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
There is often truth in the adage “…every cloud has a silver lining…”, even though at times the cloud may obscure the silver lining from view. For Australian flower farmers, it is possible that the Covid 19 pandemic may be the cloud that brings with it a silver lining in the form of increased support for the producers of blooms in this country.
COONABARABRAN SHOW 2020
BY JESS RICHARDS, NEW SOUTH WALES-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
The Coonabarabran P A I & H Association held their annual show on the 13th and 14th of March. The annual event showcases local agriculture, produce and talent, and provides the community with the opportunity for a social gathering and distraction from the farming life.
LIVING ON THE BORDER
A SHORT PERSONAL REFLECTION BY SUE CARRISON, VICTORIA- BASED MEDIA STRINGER
I live in Nelson on the border of South Australia and South West Victoria, and I wanted to share my experience of the difficulties I’ve experienced due to the closed borders during this time as the COVID-19 restrictions highlight the challenges associated with living in regional Australian that are often overlooked.
farmer turns up the heat
BY maggie marshall
Creating thriving businesses in regional areas by applying their STEM-based skills (in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) is a growing trend among many farmers who are constantly innovating to establish a competitive edge.
WORLD HEALTH DAY
BY HAYLEY DAWSON, VICTORIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Today is world health day. When I was asked to write this piece, I didn’t think we would be in a health pandemic but seeing as all this COVID-19 craziness is happening in the world at the moment I thought I might talk a little about it on this very important day.
FOLLOW YOUR BLISS
BY HAYLEY DAWSON, VICTORIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
A business can be hard, often followers just see our highlights reel on social media, but there’s a lot more to it. I’ve felt the pressures and the challenges first hand so I wanted to take this opportunity to encourage you to follow your passion and what lights you up inside by sharing my personal experience.
FEEL GOOD FRIDAY - A SEA OF GREEN
BY KIRSTIE DAVISON, QUEENSLAND-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
It has been a shocking start to 2020 and as the world spirals into a virus fuelled panic we thought we’d pause and share a story that will lift your spirits. Recent rain has brought some light relief to communities in regional Australia. While these precious drops are extremely valuable - they go a small way in the larger scheme of things and sadly for some the rain didn’t make it over the fence or down the road...
FANNY LUMSDEN’S COUNTRY HALL TOUR
BY JESS LEHMANN, RURAL ROOM REGIONAL COMMUNITY DEVELOPMENT MANAGER
Here at Rural Room we are huge fans of the award-winning musician Fanny Lumsden. Not only is Fanny an extraordinary talent but the born and bred country girl remains grounded and closely connected to her fans despite her success. Annually, she takes her Country Halls Tour on the road to celebrate live original music throughout regional Australia. To mark the launch of Fanny’s highly anticipated new album Fallow available today here, we are throwing back to an interview Jess Lehmann, Rural Room Regional Community Development Manager, coordinated backstage with Fanny during the Country Halls Tour in 2019.
FILM AND TELEVISION OPPORTUNITIES FOR REGIONAL AUSTRALIANS
THE SCREENWEST REGIONAL ROADSHOW
Eva Di Blasio, Screenwest Talent Development Manager and Gabby Cole, Screenwest Production Attraction and Services Manager
Beating the ‘diversity’ drum from the comfort of an air-conditioned inner-city office really doesn’t cut it when it comes to issues of regional access…the only genuine solution is to get out on the dusty road.
the KANGAROO’S PLACE
BY ASTRID VOLZKE, WESTERN AUSTRALIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
It’s 5.30 am as I drive down a dirt driveway on the outskirts of Moorine Rock. I have been invited for breakfast and I’m excited. The house yard has 20 kangaroos hopping around and as I make my way towards the front door a cheeky wallaroo reluctantly hops off the doormat to let me enter the house. Ron and Laura are in the kitchen busy prepping milk bottles, chopping apples, corn, cabbage, celery, and peanuts.
LODDON MALLEE RENEWABLE ENERGY ART AWARD
BY AIMEE TIMPSON , VICTORIAN BASED-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
At Rural Room we’re focused on drawing attention to the rich reservoir of creativity and entrepreneurialism within in regional Australia. To illustrate the depth of talent that exists outside urban areas we use our platform to highlight the vast array of people working in artistic spaces.
VALENTINE’S DAY IDEAS FROM THE BUSH
BY PERIN MULCAHY, WESTERN AUSTRALIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
YOU ROCK - the cheapest and cutest gift around! Image: PERIN MULCAHY
A WIRELESS CONNECTION
BY PETULA SAVIN, VICTORIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
In honour of WORLD RADIO DAY on February 13, Petula penned a poem to celebrate the role of the radio out in the bush.
LOVE FROM US TO YOU ON VALENTINE’S DAY!
A MEDIA STRINGER NATIONAL COLLABORATION BY PETULA SAVIN, HAYLEY DAWSON & KATE RUTTER
How loveable is this Valentine’s Day inspired design from Kate Rutter?!
As a thank-you for all the support shown to the Rural Room community, we’re giving you back some love!
SUMMER RECIPE
BY hayley dawson, VICTORIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
The perfect summer pudding!
THE EMERGENCE OF AN ACTIVIST
BY DOROTHY HENDERSON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Raised garden beds full of vibrantly green vegetables and fruit trees surround the Esperance home Raana Scott shares with her partner and their three children, Otis (7), Dusty (3) and Huck (3 months). The wooden floorboards in the house creak underfoot, and the objects within it reflect the love of nature shared by its inhabitants.
NATIONAL AG DAY
BY DOROTHY HENDERSON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Today is National Agriculture Day, a day that officially enables us to raise a toast to the industry that employs, feeds and clothes many of us. For the last few days I have been trying to think of words to mark this occasion in a way that does this important sector justice: we can talk about the economic contribution agriculture makes to Australia, or about the role farmers play in putting food on tables, or about the major role they play as custodians of vast tracts of Australia’s landscape.
15 YEARS ON FROM THE PALM ISLAND DEATH IN CUSTODY
A PERSONAL REFLECTION BY MEGAN WOODWARD, QUEENSLAND-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
WARNING: ABORIGINAL AND TORRES STRAIT ISLANDER READERS ARE WARNED THAT THE FOLLOWING STORY REFERENCES DECEASED PERSONS.
This story has been published with the permission of Doomadgee family representatives.
15 years ago, today I was sent to Palm Island, a small Aboriginal community off the coast of Townsville in north Queensland. Once listed as the most violent place outside a war zone by the Guinness Book of Records, it is a location that most Queenslander’s have an opinion about, but few have visited to get their own firsthand account of.
FOUNDERS TO FIELD TOUR TO ATTRACT AGTECH SPECIALISTS TO MOREE
BY GEORGIE POOLE, NEW SOUTH WALES-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
With the dawn of a new, digital frontier in agriculture, rural Australia is poised to take advantage of an industry brimming with potential. And it won’t just be producers in the paddock reaping the rewards, but rural communities also. Given the wealth of agricultural expertise within rural Australia, Moree Agtech specialist Brooke Sauer of IntellectAg, believes further collaboration between AgTech start-ups and the community will become a key driver for genuine and meaningful digital adoption and innovation.
HALLOWEEN
BY DOROTHY HENDERSON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
As a child, my memories of Halloween were very down to earth; a father carving ghoulish faces into large, hollowed out turnips, and then placing candles in the centre of the eviscerated vegetables. The soft, wax-fuelled glow allowed the inner spirit of the Jack-o’-lanterns to spill out menacingly or cheerfully, depending on the manner in which our father had wielded his pocket knife
SPACE ART GALLERY
BY JESS RICHARDS, NEW SOUTH WALES-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Hi! My name is Jessica Richards, and I’m a local of a small country town in Central New South Wales called Coonabarabran. I work at Coonabarabran Bakery, they do the best caramel tarts, so if you’re ever around Coonabarabran definitely call in as you won’t be disappointed! I’m also a photographer on the side and my passion is to capture the amazing moments, different events and striking scenery around our local town. I thought I’d share a few of the Coonabarabran highlights with you!
RURAL WOMEN’S DAY 2019
BY DOROTHY HENDERSON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Accidentally sitting beside my computer is a book that is perfectly poised to inspire thoughts about Rural Women on a day that has been dedicated to them. The brightly coloured cover of “Cattlemen in Pearls” sings to me with its outback red and blue sky cover…and the pages between tell ballads of the lives of women who work with cattle.
SPRING RECIPE- APRICOT SLICE
COLLABORATION BETWEEN HAYLEY DAWSON (RECIPE & WORDS) AND EMMA LEONARD (PHOTOGRAPHS)
It’s that time again…time for me to share another wholesome nutritionist approved recipe! Spring often comes with spring cleansing or detoxing but I’m all about balance and everything in moderation. There were a few requests for a sweet recipe, so I’ve listened and provided you with one of my super easy, sweet recipes - a delicious apricot slice.
ESPERANCE WILDFLOWER FESTIVAL
BY DOROTHY HENDERSON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
For five days in September the coastal town of Esperance, in Western Australia’s south east, blossomed with activities that celebrated the region’s natural bounty.
THE GOOD OLD OPPORTUNITY SHOP
BY EMMA TAYLOR, WESTERN AUSTRALIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
This week we highlight the good old opportunity shop in National Op Shop Week. Hundreds of these treasure troves dot the streets of both Australian cities and country towns.
INTERNATIONAL COFFEE DAY
BY SAM MEURANT, QUEENSLAND-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Today is International Coffee Day! This special day was created to bring together coffee lovers in a global celebration to share their love of coffee and support the millions of farmers whose livelihoods depend on it.
thoughts about CITIZENSHIP DAY
BY DOROTHY HENDERSON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Sometimes in our lives, we are forced by circumstance to think about things that we don’t normally think about, framed in a way that we would not normally consider. Recently, as part of a university unit I was doing on education and diversity, I had to ponder on myself as an “other”, one of those people who will be citizens alongside you where you live, but who are not the same as you…and therefore challenging to the sense of self and identity that make you who you are.
A LETTER TO MY FATHER
BY DOROTHY HENDERSON, WESTERN AUSTRALIA-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
As Fathers’ Day approaches and other people organise gatherings and gifts to ensure the fathers in their lives know that they’ve not been forgotten, I feel an aching gnawing emptiness in my soul as I realise that my siblings and I will be without our father again this year. Of course, most of us expect to have to live our lives without the presence of our parents at some point---a harsh reality that doesn’t make it any easier when it happens (assuming that you do miss the absent parents as opposed to finding the lack of them a relief!).
PET PROMISE DAY
BY KATE RUTTER, NEW SOUTH WALES-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Today is Pet Promise Day, which is a day dedicated to creating awareness about pet ownership responsibilities. A number of pets are surrendered and euthanised every year due to lack of education regarding what it takes to care for and own a pet. The Pet Promise idea, for a pet owner, is like vowing to care for your pet as a member of the family for as long as the pet shall live.
DAFFODIL DAY
bY HELEN CARPENTER, NEW SOUTH WALES - BASED MEDIA STRINGER
People the world over recognise the daffodil as the flower that represents hope, rebirth and new beginnings. The daffodil is recognised internationally as the symbol of the Cancer Council in countries including Australia, New Zealand, Canada and England. The daffodil emblem is used to raise awareness and critical funds in the research and fight against Cancer.
FINDING CONNECTION IN THE COUNTRY
BY HAYLEY DAWSON, VICTORIA - BASED MEDIA STRINGER
I frequently hear that the two most difficult things women living in the country face, are the long distances they have to travel and the feelings of aloneness, due to isolation. Well I hear you. I completely understand both issues. Every single week I travel over 1000kms around the country side, today alone I drove into town twice as I was running around doing jobs for the farmer. That’s a total of three hours in the car - imagine all the blog posts I could have written in that time! Thank goodness for podcasts and audiobooks!
RSPCA CUPCAKE DAY- 19 AUGUST 2019
BY PETULA SAVIN (COUSIN BILLIE), VICTORIA - BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Did someone skip lunch? Need an excuse to cheat on their diet? Or was it just a stroke of genius?
Regardless of how it came about, “any excuse for a cupcake” is the motto of life’s greatest people, and RSPCA’s annual fundraising event certainly is a paw-some idea! The event began in 2008 to raise money for animal welfare services, and at the time of writing; this year’s campaign had raised over $382,000! The teams on top of the leader board for 2019 are TriCab and Krispy Kreme with a combined effort of $10,050, followed closely by the Bayside Dog Owner’s Group.
FESTIVAL SHOWCASES ARTISTIC APPETITE IN REGIONAL AUSTRALIA
BY HELEN CARPENTER, NEW SOUTH WALES - BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Festivals are an important part of country and community life in Australia. They bring local communities together, they reconnect people with their community, attract visitors and they promote the local area and its benefits to a wide audience. They also provide local community groups and businesses with an opportunity to showcase their products, which often generates economic return to the local community. Festivals boost local pride, a sense of place, and serve to remind visitors that life in regional areas is positive, entrepreneurial, creative and contemporary.
LITTLE LIFE LESSONS FROM A LEFT-HANDER
BY AMANDA BARLOW, NEW SOUTH WALES-BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Left Handers Day celebrates the unique differences of left handers every year on August 13. On this special day I thought I’d share my personal left hander life lessons, dedicated to all my fellow left handers the world over!
Sheepvention WOOL HANDLING COMPETITION
SUE CARRISON, VICTORIA- BASED MEDIA STRINGER
A lot of fun was had watching the teams at work on Sunday at Sheepvention in Hamilton, Victoria. It was great to watch! I captured a snap shot of the action to share the behind the scenes fun!
FASHION FEATURE
EMILY RIGGS, SOUTH AUSTRALIAN-based Media Stringer
This week, among all the fun of Sheepvention, we’re shining the spotlight on merino wool champion and fashion designer extraordinaire, Emily Riggs of Iris and Wool . Emily’s line and elegant knitwear range is the perfect go-to for women the world over. Not only is it Australian made and ethically produced, but it also heroes the first-class fibre, merino wool…get to know Emily in our quick catch up below and then head to her site to stock the wardrobe with some of her gorgeous garments!
Raising the Baa on Fashion - Sheepvention 2019
Petula Savin, VICTORIA- BASED MEDIA STRINGER
Now in its 41st year, Hamilton’s annual Sheepvention event is once again drawing large crowds to Victoria’s South West this week.
From farmers to fashion designers, the three-day show is focused on Australian wool, with events such as a wool handling competition, sheep show, and a ram sale.
National Tree Day 2019
dorothy Henderson, western Australian- based Media Stringer
It’s a bright winter day in the small town of Ravensthorpe, in the south-east of Western Australia. There is a gentle commotion in the yard surrounding the school in the centre of the town, as a 4WD and a tidy trailer pulls up outside the school. The Ravensthorpe District High School gardener and community stalwart Don Green is there to greet Antoinette Vincent from Esperance Farm Trees.
Laurie’s Love
Megan Woodward, Queensland-based Media Stringer
The Burdekin is on fire this time of year.
It's the only sugar cane growing region in Australia that still burns cane, as opposed to harvesting it. It's a sight, a sound, a smell that is intrinsically north Queensland and, a little like your first love, your first cane fire is impossible to forget.
It's entrancing and beautiful and overwhelming and is a practice that's part of the fabric of this tiny rural area, a little over an hour south of Townsville – made up of towns like Home Hill, Ayr and Brandon.
It’s amongst the sugar cane and the fires and the cane toads that Laurence Pavone grew up. And with his wife Julie he’s built a life, a family … and a fire, all of his own.
FLEECES, FARMERS, FASHION – SHEEPVENTION 2019
EMILY RIGGS
Sheepvention is the largest agricultural show in Victoria attracting over 25,000 visitors each year to the one-of-a-kind event. Executed by the Hamilton Pastoral and Agricultural Society, Sheepvention 2019 kicks off this Sunday, bringing together farmers, fleece and fashion enthusiasts for the three-day event.
National Farm Safety Week
HAYLEY DAWSON INTERVIEWS ALEX TAYLOR
National Farm Safety Week, is coordinated annually in July to raise awareness of the importance of farm safety across Australia. The week provides an opportunity for Farmsafe Australia to address farm safety issues that have a national focus. There is no-one better placed to speak about this topic than Alex Thomas, Founder and Director of a business focused on people, safety and sustainability. Alex is an authority in the space, and a truly inspirational rural woman with over 13 years’ experience helping businesses, “re-calibrate the value proposition of work health and safety from ‘box-ticking’ to empowering people, reducing risk and ultimately preventing people from getting hurt.”
COUNTRY LIFE TIDBITS
BY KATE RUTTER
In this day and digital age, we often take information for granted, we can Google, search and swipe. But what about all the gems of knowledge that are hidden in our heads that we should hand down?
WARM WINTER VEGGIE SALAD
COLLABORATION BETWEEN HAYLEY DAWSON (RECIPE & WORDS) AND ROSIE HENDERSON (PHOTOGRAPHS)
Winter is definitely in full swing here in Western Victoria with the fresh icy mornings and cold, howling wind! But I love winter for many reasons - the sound of rain on the tin roof as you go to sleep, the bright of green grass extending across the rolling hills, baby lambs frolicking and the joy of rugging up in a coat and RM Williams boots to head to the local footy.
VOICE TREATY TRUTH - NAIDOC WEEK 2019
EMILY RIGGS INTERVIEWS AMANDA WESTLEY
This week artist Amanda Westley generously shared with me what NAIDOC week represents to her and her community. Amanda is from Victor Harbor, in South Australia, and has a deep connection with country, especially water. Her people are the Ngarrindjeri people, who are the traditional custodians of the lower Murray River, Coorong and western Fleurieu Peninsula.
COUNTRY LIFE TIDBITS
CONCEPT BY KATE RUTTER
As a child, standing on a stool next to Grandmother watching her work dough with her experienced hands, all you’re really thinking about is eating the leftover scraps of pastry! Tasting that delicious apple and rhubarb pie fresh from the oven is probably a vivid memory. But what doesn’t register when you’re young, is that Grandma might have had the secret to the perfect pastry in her head, a simple but effective step that was never written on paper…
INTERVIEW WITH AUSTRALIAN TEXTILE ARTIST CAROLINE SHARKEY
HELEN CARPENTER TALKS WITH TEXTILE ARTIST CAROLINE SHARKEY.
Here at Rural Room we love anything and everything creative so naturally we love textile artists! We were very fortunate to be treated to an intimate interview with Australian Textile artist Caroline Sharkey.
STEM SKILLS SHAPING THE NEXT GENERATION OF FEMALE FARMERS
WORDS BY MAGGIE MARSHALL
A new generation of confident, well-educated young women are positioning themselves as key players in Australian agriculture by applying their skills in STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) to give them a competitive edge.
STILL WATERS RUN DEEP FOR NARROGIN ARTIST
IMAGES AND STORY SUPPLIED BY OUR PARTNER, THE CREATIVE GRID
Narrogin artist, Casey Thornton, creates a rare opportunity for visitors to escape the hustle and bustle of their modern lives to relish a moment of peaceful calm and reflection.
‘Quietude’ at Nexis Gallery, Narrogin, during May.
INTERNATIONAL TEA DAY
By Dorothy Henderson
The cups are empty: obviously time for another brew! As I sip on a freshly brewed cup of Australian grown tea on the veranda of our home, overlooking paddocks that are parched and bleached beach sand white by the summer sun, I contemplate the role of tea in our lives, and in the lives of many people around the world.
THE NOBLE ONES
Written and photographed by Dorothy Henderson
It is 4.50am. Hooves shuffle quietly in the dark, seemingly muffled by the blackness. Flashlights and headlamps move slowly around a small cluster of horse floats and cars parked on a portion of unseasonably green grass in the middle of Esperance. Gentle laughter sprinkles in the cold air as leather straps are pulled tight over boots, girths are buckled; spurs jingle and bits tinkle as horses and riders prepare for the town’s annual ANZAC Day Dawn Service.
EATING FOR AUTUMN
By Hayley Dawson, Naturopath
The mornings are getting colder, the leaves are falling from our trees and Autumn is in full swing! As a naturopath and nutritionist, I like to educate my community as much as possible about the importance of seasonally eating.
MUNGLINUP CAMPDRAFT
WORDS AND PHOTOGRAPHS BY DOROTHY HENDERSON
Horses stand calmly by the gate into the metal fenced yard, watching the single horse and rider inside as they deftly single a black calf out from a bunch of Angus weaners which drifts from one end of the yard to another. People milling around comment on the quality of the cattle, and that fact that they are so quiet and well handled.
THE ART OF RECONCILIATION: ADNATE AND A WALL THAT TELLS A STORY
BY DOROTHY HENDERSON. PHOTOGRAPHS BY DOROTHY HENDERSON AND ESPERANCE COMMUNITY ARTS
In the south east of Western Australia a bland brick wall has been transformed into a significant work of art during a process intentionally designed to heal and reconcile, using story and imagery to bind Indigenous and non-Indigenous people as they live together in one country.
INNOVATIVE EXHIBITION SERIES BREAKS NEW GROUND IN REGIONAL WA
Creative Grid Feature- images and story supplied by our Partner, THE CREATIVE GRID
Artists, curators, photographers and arts organisations from communities across regional WA are creating a legacy of positive impact for the State through the collaborative development of a ground-breaking series of fourteen inter-connected exhibitions titled ‘The Alternative Archive’.
THE PRESENCE OF WOOL - AN IMMERSIVE AND QUIRKY LOOK AT THE HISTORY OF WOOL IN ALBANY!
Photographed by Bob Symons. STORY PROVIDED BY AUSDANCE (WA)
We’ve been busy finalising the Rain Dance script and we know Rural Roomies are very excited for us to get moving so we can screen the series in select shearing sheds around regional Australia! However, if you’re in Western Australia, you’ve got a unique opportunity this weekend to watch a LIVE dance in a secret shearing shed in an exclusive performance of The Presence of Wool!
SILO SPECTACULAR IN THE STICKS - FEATURING THE 26TH PUBLIC ART SILO FEATURE IN AUSTRALIA
STORY, PHOTOGRAPHS AND VIDEO CREATED AND SUPPLIED BY HELEN CARPENTER
The Australian Silo Art Trail was conceived in 2015 in the Western Australian town of Northam through a creative collaboration between leading cultural organisation, FORM, and CBH, the grain grower cooperative group. The creative trend travelled interstate to Victoria when the town of Wimmera-Mallee launched six evocative pieces of public art on silos. The positive community response inspired many towns Australia-wide to adopt the public art initiative. The Australian Silo Art Trail has since grown extensively and enables a unique opportunity to connect regional communities through art.
ART TRANSFORMS LIFE FOR ALBANY SCIENTIST
Creative Grid Feature- images and story supplied by our Partner, THE CREATIVE GRID
Albany artist, Chelsea Hopkins-Allan, celebrates the beauty and diversity of moths from the Great Southern region in her exhibition, MOTH, at the Vancouver Arts Centre.
MUSIC IN THE VINES 2019
Interview by Bec Bignell with festival Founder, Pieter Badenhorst
Pieter Badenhorst is a master at everything he lends his hand to. By day, he’s a Senior Research Scientist in plant breeding, tasked with developing and validating new technologies in agriculture. By night, he’s a brewer, winemaker and music festival Director, dedicated to making the Music in the Vines Festival a stand out event for the Macarthur community! Coordinated on his vineyard, Suffoir Winery, the festival is a huge drawcard for the local region and Pieter puts his heart and soul into producing it every year. I caught up with Pieter to learn more about this fantastic festival, it’s a must attend event on March 2. If you haven’t secured your tickets yet, get onto it today because there are some very special inclusions this year! Read on to find out more…