“It means opportunity”: Grace Quast and others talk 10 years of Graziher

For Graziher’s 10th anniversary photoshoot, we headed to Sammie O’Brien’s cattle property near Tarome in Queensland’s Scenic Rim.

The gathering, featuring 10 rural women who have been part of the Graziher journey, was photographed by Allie Lee and styled by Lizzie Walsh — the team behind Graziher’s fashion editorials — under the creative direction of Jo Quarmby. I’ve worked with Jo for years, but it wasn’t until this shoot that I finally met her in person.

That’s one of the wonderful things about working with Graziher as a writer and photographer: it has allowed me to collaborate with women, brands and businesses from every far-flung corner of this country, though rarely do I get to meet them.

I loved listening to all the conversations percolating around me at lunch; everybody has somebody in common in rural Australia. Each of the 10 women featured wore jewels from fifth-generation family jewellers, McKinney’s. I wore my battered old Akubra Warrego — an unlikely match for their beautiful diamonds and pearls. Hugh McKinney-Welch was on hand to ensure that every last gem made its way back from the paddock.

I arrived with my son, Hunter, two, and our dogs in tow. It all felt manageable until my labrador, Tilly, climbed into the cattle trough, and our puppy, Maggie, sampled her first taste of cow poo and couldn’t help but go back for more. Sammie’s two-year-old daughter Elke woke from her nap and promptly snuggled up in Graziher digital producer Amie Shann’s lap, while Sammie’s son Lenny, four, and their black lab, Rex, acted as the ultimate tour guides.

Thank you, Graziher, for 10 years that have shown me — and women like me — what it is possible to cultivate as a rural woman. – Grace Quast

JULIE MCDONALD, 52, DEVONCOURT, CLONCURRY, QUEENSLAND
Mentor, CFO and director of Zanda McDonald Award

How important do you think independent media companies like Graziher are for women living remotely?
Very important. The mainstream media is dominated by politics, conflict and sport, and it can be a depressing read. The news cycle is rapid and transient. By contrast, Graziher is the type of magazine you want to have in your home on the top of the pile, to reread and to show articles to visitors. It is uplifting. The adage, “You can’t be what you can’t see” comes to mind — one that Claire Dunne has said encouraged her to start the magazine. Graziher is making sure rural women of all ages are seen.

You were on a Graziher cover once. What was that experience like?
Great fun. Our good friend Hannah Hacon took the photos on a very hot afternoon at home: it was 43 degrees, from memory, but you would not know that from the pictures. Hannah is so talented and relaxed, and I think the photos reflect the lovely afternoon that it was.

What does Graziher mean to you?
I love the foundation story — started around the kitchen table, self-funded and published by a young rural woman. Isn’t that the best? For a decade Graziher has given time and weight to the lives and experiences of rural women: such an incredible achievement.

Women of rural Australia are under-represented in the media, and Graziher has been at the forefront of filling this gap. I have such admiration for the work of Claire, Victoria Carey and the Graziher team.

SENATOR SUSAN MCDONALD, TOWNSVILLE, QUEENSLAND
Senator for Queensland, Shadow Minister for Resources and Northern Australia

How important do you think independent media companies like Graziher are for women living remotely?
Rural and remote women face additional challenges of health and education service shortages, geographic isolation, and reduced opportunities for the company of like-minded people, as well as all the same opportunities and challenges facing their urban counterparts. Graziher provides a dedicated space to focus on women who have that unique combination of circumstances, to celebrate successes as well as highlight unique challenges.

What does Graziher mean to you?
Graziher is a stylish and positive focus on regional and remote women by regional and remote women. I love that.

LAURA GEITZ, 37, SUMMERHILL, DARLING DOWNS, QUEENSLAND
Former Australian netball captain and mother of four

How important do you think independent media companies like Graziher are for women living remotely?
I think independent media companies like Graziher are incredibly important for women living remotely. When you’re outside of the big cities, it can sometimes feel like you’re removed from conversations, trends, and even opportunities. Having access to platforms like Graziher provides a sense of connection, community and representation; it’s a way of staying engaged with stories, ideas and perspectives that might not always reach you otherwise. For many women, it becomes a lifeline of inspiration and communication, helping bridge that distance.

What does Graziher mean to you?
When Graziher arrives in the mail, it means grab a cuppa and sit down and be transported to the world that I love so much through the beautiful images and stories.

SAMMIE O’BRIEN, 33, OMAHA, SCENIC RIM, QUEENSLAND
TV presenter, podcaster and farmer

How important do you think independent media companies like Graziher are for women living remotely?
Graziher first caught my eye about five years ago. To me, it’s more like a beautifully curated coffee table book than a magazine. As a born and raised city girl with a deep love and appreciation for the bush, it gives me such a beautiful sense of connection to rural Australia and the wonderful women who live and work on the land.

What does Graziher mean to you?
We’re now farm owners, and Graziher reminds me why I fell in love with the country in the first place.

GRACE QUAST, 37, DOMANG, CROOBLE, NSW
Farmer, writer and photographer 

How important do you think independent media companies like Graziher are for women living remotely?
Independent media matters, making space for the stories that might otherwise go untold. For Graziher, that means celebrating rural and remote women — women who raise families, lead organisations and shape communities.

What does Graziher mean to you?
After almost a decade of contributing to Graziher’s pages, I can say that to me, Graziher means opportunity: the opportunity to tell stories that matter to me and my community, to learn from women who inspire me — and to do it all from our farm, 500 kilometres from the nearest capital city.

SELENA GOMERSALL, 57, SCENIC RIM, QUEENSLAND
Psychologist and mother of four adult children

How important do you think independent media companies like Graziher are for women living remotely?
I think that independent media companies like Graziher are just so important for rural and remote women, and in fact for all women.

I think Graziher is a unique, quality and powerful showcase of rural women, both for one another as peers and colleagues, and also in offering insight to women in the broader population.

I think Graziher also offers a legitimate luxury experience for rural women (not that luxury time-out needs to be legitimised). Graziher and a good coffee offer a beautiful experience that is completely justified by the quality content, information and connection to key people, stories and initiatives of the bush.

And finally I think Graziher amplifies the stories that need to be told and the role of women in the bush, in a way that mainstream media just does not! It is delivered from a place of deep understanding and a desire to truly celebrate all that rural women are to the fabric of Australia.

What does Graziher mean to you?
Graziher holds a very special place in my heart. It was first released at the same time as I was growing the not-for-profit that I had been part of founding: Outback Futures. My early years of Outback Futures and connecting with the bush more deeply were a dawning understanding of the critical role that women play in rural communities. As I developed trusting relationships with these women, as I listened to their stories and as I began deeply leaning into the issues around mental wellbeing in the bush, I came to truly appreciate the heart, the strength and the power of rural women.

At around the same time as this learning was taking place for me in a very real and personal way, Graziher came onto the scene, showcasing and celebrating the stories of these same women in a quality, artistic and thoughtful manner.

It resonated deeply with my personal journey. We were included in the Spring 2016 edition, which was another lovely tie, and it has been a special and regular reading experience for me ever since.

KELLY SHANN, 58, NIBBEREENA, CLERMONT, QUEENSLAND
Grazier and Life Journey podcaster

How important do you think independent media companies like Graziher are for women living remotely?
Living remotely is a unique lifestyle and women in the bush face different challenges than their city counterparts. Independent media like Graziher has become vital to connect, inspire a sense of belonging and to have our stories told with honesty and pride.

What does Graziher mean to you?
For me, Graziher gives me the opportunity to read stories from the women who inspire in so many ways: the courageous, the great cooks, the great gardeners, the great business women. It allows me a small window into their lives. I like nothing more than sitting quietly with a cup of coffee, reading Graziher and relaxing into someone else’s world for a short time.

I think the key is authenticity — really listening and telling stories with respect and honesty. Rural journalism needs to capture the essence of resilience and vulnerability without stereotypes and show why these stories matter to all Australians, not just those who live in the bush.

AMIE SHANN, 26, YELVERTOFT, MOUNT ISA, QUEENSLAND
Fourth-generation grazier and Graziher Digital Producer

How important do you think independent media companies like Graziher are for women living remotely?
I grew up on the land with all these incredible and inspiring women around me to look up to, and it’s great that their stories are finally being told. I think Graziher has given a voice to rural and women, which mainstream media has often overlooked in the past.

More than ever, in today’s climate it is so important that people in cities understand where their food comes from. Independent media companies like Graziher are helping to bridge the gap between city and country, allowing people living in urban areas to get a better understanding of how we live out here.

I think it is also important that we are showcasing the opportunities available to people in this industry in a positive light and I feel that Graziher is encouraging more young people, particularly women, to live in the bush or pursue a career in the industry. Rural women are so diverse, and Graziher doesn’t just cover farmers and graziers: it’s teachers, nurses, veterinarians, butchers, bookkeepers, mechanics — the list goes on. The possibilities are endless.

What does Graziher mean to you?
To me, Graziher is all about connecting with women on the land, reading and listening to their stories. There is so much to learn from these women who are featured in the pages of Graziher, from their innovative ideas, to the way they have faced adversity and the hurdles life has thrown at them. Graziher is a community of inspiring women, and it’s so rewarding to be able to play a small part in helping to share some of the remarkable stories of everyday women in rural Australia.

PENNY BUTTON, CROSSMOOR, LONGREACH, QUEENSLAND
Grazier

What does Graziher mean to you?
I have lived in rural and remote Queensland all my life and feel totally blessed to have done so. I felt overjoyed that a new (and excellently presented) modern magazine, with a focus on this type of genuine lifestyle, had been launched. We are fifth generation loving this rural life and I love to think more and more people can be exposed to rural Australia, where families stay together, work together and achieve great results. I feel Graziher helps expose this lifestyle to many people and that is wonderful.

FLEUR ANDERSON, 43, WILCANNIA, THEODORE, QUEENSLAND
Non-executive director, senior public servant, farmer, advocate and mother

How important do you think independent media companies like Graziher are for women living remotely?
The opportunity that Graziher brings to rural women is invaluable, but it’s not just for rural women, it’s for the community as a whole. It expands the definition of what it is to be a rural woman and the diversity that exists in rural and remote areas. I think the stereotype exists for a reason: we hadn’t been fed anything different for a really long time until Graziher came along. What that does for the community is opens up the unknown and the possibility of what it means to create a life for yourself in the bush. And for rural women themselves it brings connection, and recognition. To see something that reflects you and your life in the pages of Graziher is empowering and inspiring. It might sound grandiose, but I really do think that Graziher has helped lift not only the profile but the possibility of what it means to be a woman in the bush.

What does Graziher mean to you?
I love Graziher for the stories it tells and what it’s done for celebrating life in rural Australia; for plunging into what everyone says is a declining industry, in a market that people think doesn’t exist, and sharing stories that people have said others aren’t interested in. Claire and the team have smashed all those myths! And the community that Graziher has created from all corners of the country is not just in its readership but also in its team. It’s wonderful to see Graziher 10 years on from its beginnings at a kitchen table in rural Queensland. Graziher has continued to stay true to its purpose as an independent media company that serves rural and remote women. Bravo!

Thank you to McKinney’s Jewellers for supplying jewellery and to Jurlique for skincare products. All hats by Akubra.

Like this article? Consider supporting independent media by subscribing to Graziher, or giving a gift subscription to someone special.