GRAZIHER PODCASTS

Alison Lester’s books have become iconic staples for many Australian children, making her a household name right across the country. Not only are her timeless tales eagerly awaited as a bedtime story, her words and illustrations are woven into the fabric of so many families’ lives.

She’s the cherished author whose stories and illustrations, such as ‘Magic Beach’ and ‘Kissed by the Moon’ filled our childhoods, and now, adorn the bookshelves of our children, evoking waves of nostalgia from our own youthful days.

Originally from a picturesque property near Foster in Victoria’s South Gippsland region, where the undulating hills converge with the vast expanse of the sea, Alison now calls Nar Nar Goon North, her home. An hour out of Melbourne in West Gippsland, she, her husband and their horses, revel in the serenity of their sprawling 10-acre property as told to Sammie O’Brien.

Tracey Hayes is one of the Australian beef industry’s most esteemed leaders. The mother of four sons who are sixth generation Northern Territorians, she is the Chair of the Federation Board of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and owns and runs a successful small business. Tracey was also the first female CEO of the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association and a driving force behind the watershed class action against the Federal Government’s 2011 live export ban to Indonesia.

Tracey is one of Graziher’s panellists for the Up Early breakfast to be held at Rockhampton’s Beef 2024, an event that sold out so quickly we wanted to make sure you also heard from each of these amazing women here on the podcast.

Today’s conversation revolves around picking Tracey’s incredible brain about her business sense, mentors, how we get more female representation around board tables, the importance of superannuation for women who are parenting, the many inroads to a professional career at ANY time of life and what has happened in the three years since we last spoke.

Jessica Bidgood is a cattle producer from Baralaba in Central Queensland and after a couple of decades on the land, is living her best life with her husband John and children Lylia, Zander and Cormac.

In this episode, our host Emily Herbert discovers Jess’ sense of purpose, both in business and in their family life. The Bidgoods background and trade up to 1500 head of cattle across their three properties – with a big focus on regenerative practices and time-controlled grazing. She has so much knowledge to share in this episode which is truly invaluable.

In the final epsiode of our Summer Series, Graziher’s editor Victoria Carey couldn’t resist revisiting Lori Pensini’s story.

The artwork of the Western Australian artist was featured on the cover of our October/November edition – a first for the publication and a very exciting milestone. Lori’s heart belongs to the Western Australian bush.

From her Perth upbringing to following her new husband to the isolated expanse of a Kimberly cattle station and now championing regenerative farming in the state’s south, Lori’s devotion to the Australian landscape and it’s people is gorgeously depicted in her art. Her connection to the land runs deep, shaping not only her art, but also the very lens through which she views the world.

Graziher’s podcast producer Jayne Cuddihy found Wendy Henning’s mantra has stayed with her since the interview first aired.

In a world where being busy is a badge of honour – Wendy’s mantra is that if it’s important, then you’ll make time. Wendy and her husband Andrew own and manage a cattle and mixed cropping business at Merchison Park, near Glenmorgan, Queensland. In Wendy’s own words, they are ‘in the middle of everywhere, but not quite anywhere. Two hours to Gundy, two hours to Roma, two hours to Dalby and an hour and ¾ to St George.

With four daughters now having flown the coop, Wendy is busier than ever. As a long-term passionate advocate for education, Wendy has spent years with the ICPA (or Isolated Children’s Parents Association), dedicated to ensuring every child, regardless of how they learn, is able to receive a quality education. Wendy was recently elected as President of the Queensland State Council, meaning the balance of business, volunteer roles and travelling time to see her girls just got even more intense!

Graziher’s Sammie O’Brien was completely enraptured when she heard Camille McClymont’s story. While her life in Western Australia’s Kimberly region is well reflected in her Instagram posts, ( @thecattlemans_daughter); the red dust, the blazing sunsets and the days of mustering, it was the candid insight behind the lens that stayed with Sammie.

In this episode Camille gives an insight into life managing 10,000 head of cattle spread across 122,000 hectares, during some of the most extreme weather Mother Nature has thrown at them in recent history. She also gives a heart wrenching, yet deeply insightful look into her idyllic childhood preceding a series of devastating twists of fate in her early teens that marked the beginning of a life-threatening eating disorder.

This is a story about family, commitment, love and most of all, a truly wonderous sense of belonging.

The story of outback dressmaker Melinda O’Donoghue more than captured the imagination of Graziher Founder Claire Dunne.

Melinda is often compared to ‘Cinderella’s fairy godmother’. Known as The Outback Wedding Dressmaker, she’s made close to 300 wedding dresses for country and city brides around the nation — and even some overseas!

Melinda is a classically trained seamstress, working alongside the likes of well-known designer Alex Perry in Sydney. Melinda and her husband, Des, now live on a property in Gurley, just over 30 kilometres south of Moree, in New South Wales. This is Melinda’s story of the trials and tribulations of living on the land, coupled with the magic she brings to brides across Australia.

Graziher’s Sally Jackson was riveted by the story of rural photographer and farmer Kim Storey.

In November 2022, Kim was preparing for a flood, but what she, and her neighbours didn’t know, was that it was a one in 5000-year event. In a matter of hours, Kim went from calmly preparing her property by taking her motorbike and dog next door, to a frantic helicopter evacuation while raging waters lapped at her door.

This is the story of how Kim, and her nearby town Eugowra; a small rural community in the Lachlan Valley of central west NSW weathered an extreme weather event and came out the other side.

Graziher’s Amie Shann revisits the amazing tale of Sophie Elliott in the first episode of our Life on the Land Summer Series.

Sophie’s story is a testament to the tenacity of the human spirit and stands as a poignant reminder that even in the face of formidable challenges, happiness can be found again.

A born and bred western Queensland girl, Sophie was working at The Blue Heeler Pub in Kynuna in her early twenties. It was here, that her life would change forever. This is a love story, entwined with tragedy, and a new beginning.

Mental health in the bush has long been a topic of conversation, and it seems we are becoming more aware of the particular challenges of the idea, but are things changing quickly enough and is enough being done in rural Australia to help those most at risk?

Originally from the city of Adelaide in South Australia, Steph Schmidt has become a brilliant advocate for changing the narrative and redefining the picture of farming mental health. After overcoming her own setbacks when she moved to the country back in 2011.