Motherland Australia

Sarah Sivyer is a chemical engineer, farmer and businesswoman who's never been afraid to forge her own path. After studying at Oxford and working for BHP and Rabobank, she returned home to the Hunter Valley in NSW to launch her own egg business. But when Mr Right didn't come along, Sarah decided to pursue another lifelong dream: becoming a mum on her own. Raising her daughter Grace, running a demanding business, grieving the loss of her dad and helping care for her mum with Alzheimer's took an enormous toll. After almost a decade building her business, Sarah was completely burnt out. She made the difficult decision to sell, and felt overwhelming relief. Today, Sarah shares the highs and lows of solo motherhood, the pressure of trying to do it all, and why walking away from the business she'd poured her heart into finally gave her space to enjoy the life she'd worked so hard to create. Last week, Motherland proudly launched Raising Rural – Australia’s National Report on Rural Motherhood, alongside our Patron, the Governor-General of Australia. Informed by more than 1,000 rural mums, the report reveals confronting findings and outlines five calls for change. READ IT HERE. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

At 33, Kerrie Paisley was pregnant again after the heartbreak of pregnancy loss. Then a lump in her breast changed everything. At 22 weeks pregnant, she was diagnosed with breast cancer. By 26 weeks, she was undergoing chemotherapy, with a little boy at home, a baby on the way, and one overwhelming thought: she needed to be here for them both. Living on a cattle property near Lismore, NSW, Kerrie has faced enormous challenges, from traumatic birth and pregnancy loss to chronic illness and cancer, often having to fight for answers along the way. In this powerful episode, she opens up about the toll of treatment, motherhood guilt, and learning to trust her body again. For Breast Cancer Awareness Month, Kerrie's story is an important reminder to know your body, trust your instincts and advocate for your health. Motherland Connect is Australia's first digital health directory for rural mums, connecting you with services to support your physical, mental and emotional health. And if you're a business that can support rural mums, either in person or via telehealth, you can list your services for FREE and help more women access the care they need. Visit motherlandconnect.org.au to find support or list your business today! https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

George Henderson is a farmer, husband and dad of three, raising his family on the same property where he grew up, near Yass in New South Wales. But behind the scenes, George had battled depression and anxiety since his teenage years. For decades, he kept his struggles largely to himself, until eventually, he reached breaking point. As the pressures of farming and fatherhood grew, George struggled to find joy in the life he loved. In this episode, George shares how his wife Lan, family, friends and professional support helped him through his darkest days. He opens up about the impact on fatherhood, stepping away from the farm, and his long road to recovery. Today, George is enjoying fatherhood and farming again, and is sharing his story to help others. It's a raw and important conversation about fatherhood, mental health, marriage and the power of asking for help. Content warning: this episode includes discussion of depression and suicidal thoughts. If you or anyone you know needs help, contact Lifeline immediately on 13 11 14 Father Land is proudly supported by Nutrien Ag Solutions, going further for Australian farmers. From farm supplies and agronomy advice to livestock and finance, Nutrien’s local specialists combine local know-how with the backing of one of Australia’s largest agricultural networks. Find your local branch at nutrien.com.au and see how Nutrien can go further for your farm. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

Finding your place in a farming family isn't always easy, especially when you're raising children. Joy McClymont knows that feeling well. Joy lives on a sheep and cattle property west of Longreach, where she and her husband have raised four children. Before motherhood, Joy had travelled the world, competed in an Ironman World Championship and worked as a teacher. But moving onto her husband's family farm challenged her confidence. Between babies, distance education, drought and farm work, Joy built something of her own: Off the Track Training, an online fitness business supporting rural women. Almost 17 years later, with her eldest at university, three children at boarding school and the challenges of midlife, Joy is preparing to close that chapter. Today, Joy shares the highs and lows of raising four kids in outback Queensland, finding her place on the farm, navigating perimenopause and learning when to put herself first. With deep roots in regional Australia, Elders proudly supports the farmers, families and communities that sustain life on the land. Through its partnership with Motherland, Elders is backing important conversations and stronger rural communities, helping build a brighter future for Australian agriculture. https://elders.com.au/ https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

Robert Mackenzie left school at 14. By 17, he was buying trucks and machinery. Today, he’s the man behind Maccas Australian Black Angus Beef, one of Australia’s most respected Angus beef enterprises. But behind the success is a story he’s never fully told, until now. Robert opens up about working 120-hour weeks, burnout, the breakdown of his 25-year marriage and losing his best mate to cancer. He also shares why he decided to walk away from his businesses and spend an entire year travelling Australia with his family. But at the heart of this conversation is fatherhood. After years of working harder, building bigger and providing more, Robert came to realise that what matters most is time with your kids. Now, with two sons working alongside him, he reflects on family, fatherhood and the legacy he hopes to leave behind. Father Land is proudly supported by Nutrien Ag Solutions, going further for Australian farmers. From farm supplies and agronomy advice to livestock and finance, Nutrien’s local specialists combine local know-how with the backing of one of Australia’s largest agricultural networks. Find your local branch at nutrien.com.au and see how Nutrien can go further for your farm. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

October is Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness Month, and October 15 marks Pregnancy and Infant Loss Remembrance Day. Sara Grant is a mum of four, but the rest of the world only sees her as a mum of two. Her first baby, Jesse, was stillborn after a devastating diagnosis at their 20-week scan. The following year, she welcomed her daughter Holley, and while living remotely in Mount Isa, found an important sense of connection through a local mothers’ group. Then in 2008, after an otherwise healthy pregnancy, her daughter Bo died just five hours after birth. Two years later, Sara and her husband welcomed their daughter Belle. Today, Holley is 20 and Belle is 16. Jesse and Bo remain very much part of their family. For the past six years, Sara has worked with Red Nose, supporting other bereaved parents, including families in rural Australia. Today, Sara shares her story of loss, grief, motherhood and finding her village. It’s heartbreaking, but it’s also full of hope. Pregancy & infant loss support: Instagram: @rednosegriefandloss Facebook: @rednosegriefandloss Hospital to Home Lived Experience Peer Support Program https://rednose.org.au/grief-and-loss-support/find-support/hospital-to-home/ Support Groups, in person and online https://rednose.org.au/grief-and-loss-support/find-support/peer-and-group-support/join-a-group/ Community Engagement, for October Walks to Remember Events https://rednose.org.au/events/walk-to-remember-2026/ https://www.pinkelephants.org.au/ https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

Many would describe Terry McCosker as one of Australia's most respected figures in agriculture. For more than 50 years, he's helped shape Australian farming through RCS, the organisation he co-founded in 1985, working with thousands of farming families to rethink the way they manage their land, their business and themselves. But this rare conversation isn't just about agriculture. Behind the success is a story of grit, heartbreak and resilience few people know. Terry opens up about losing his firstborn son in the Territory, burying himself in work to escape the grief, and becoming broke at 40 with three young daughters, relying on welfare to feed his family. This episode is about rebuilding... not just a business, but a life. We talk fatherhood, marriage, grief, burnout, purpose and what he's learnt after nearly 53 years alongside his wife Pam. We also explore why he believes people, not profits or production, are the foundation of every successful farming business. Father Land is proudly supported by Nutrien Ag Solutions, going further for Australian farmers. From farm supplies and agronomy advice to livestock and finance, Nutrien’s local specialists combine local know-how with the backing of one of Australia’s largest agricultural networks. Find your local branch at nutrien.com.au and see how Nutrien can go further for your farm. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

Jack Kennedy is a livestock contractor in Western Victoria, a dad of two little girls, founder of a local Tough Guy Book Club chapter, and someone you may recognise from season three of Muster Dogs. But behind the TV cameras, Jack was navigating a much bigger adjustment. Becoming a dad changed everything. He was managing a busy farming operation, working 60-plus-hour weeks, trying to be a good partner and father, and beginning to understand firsthand the pressure that can come when farming and family collide. When his wife Nikki returned to work, their local daycare had closed and childcare was almost impossible to find. So Jack made a huge call: he left a farm management job he loved and became a stay-at-home dad. Later, after the birth of their second daughter, drought, financial pressure, grief and fatherhood all collided, and Jack found himself struggling with his mental health. Today he opens up about farming, fatherhood, postnatal stress, and why finding a life and identity beyond the farm matters. Father Land is proudly supported by Nutrien Ag Solutions, going further for Australian farmers. From farm supplies and agronomy advice to livestock and finance, Nutrien’s local specialists combine local know-how with the backing of one of Australia’s largest agricultural networks. Find your local branch at nutrien.com.au and see how Nutrien can go further for your farm. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

Tom Curtain always dreamed of living and working in the Northern Territory. What he didn’t know was how much that dream would ask of him. After heading north, Tom built a thriving horse-training business across the Top End and discovered an unexpected talent for music. Then the 2011 live cattle export ban hit. Almost overnight, the work dried up. Under immense financial pressure, Tom did whatever he could to stay afloat, shoeing horses, working around the clock and singing at caravan parks four nights a week. At the same time, his marriage broke down and his two young children moved to WA. What followed was an extraordinary reinvention. Today, Tom is a country music singer, horseman and dad of four who runs Katherine Outback Experience with his wife Annabel. Today he shares how he rebuilt his life, the unlikely hitchhiking encounter that led him to love, and the joy and heartache of rural fatherhood across two chapters. Father Land is proudly supported by Nutrien Ag Solutions, going further for Australian farmers. From farm supplies and agronomy advice to livestock and finance, Nutrien’s local specialists combine local know-how with the backing of one of Australia’s largest agricultural networks. Find your local branch at nutrien.com.au and see how Nutrien can go further for your farm. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

John Murdoch likens people to rubber bands. You can only stretch them so far. And for him, the breaking point came during the drought and bushfires of 2019 and 2020. Years earlier, he’d left a career in accounting to return to the family farm in the Monaro region of New South Wales. He wanted to work alongside his dad, and build a future with his wife, Kate. Now, he was feeding livestock through drought, helping his parents through their separation, and raising a young family of his own. He felt needed everywhere. Then, in the middle of it all, his second daughter arrived five weeks early via emergency caesarean. The rubber band didn’t just snap. In John’s words, it “disintegrated into dust.” Now a father of three girls, he shares what it took to find his way through, the joy and guilt of being a farming dad, and how he’s learning to manage the anxiety he’s carried since childhood, while farming without the father he came home to work beside. Beyond Blue Mental Health Counselling: 1300 22 4636, 24 hours / 7 days a week Father Land is proudly supported by Nutrien Ag Solutions, going further for Australian farmers. From farm supplies and agronomy advice to livestock and finance, Nutrien’s local specialists combine local know-how with the backing of one of Australia’s largest agricultural networks. Find your local branch at nutrien.com.au and see how Nutrien can go further for your farm. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

In June this year, Nikita Hayes was home with her two little boys when their house caught fire. They escaped, but within hours, almost everything they owned was gone. Just a few months on, she’s speaking publicly in depth about what happened for the first time. But Nikita’s story begins long before that — growing up on a sprawling cattle station outside Alice Springs, going droving, meeting her husband Luke and, just eight months later, being the one to propose… and trust me, where and how she did it is a story in itself! Then came motherhood and two little boys born just 11 months apart. In this episode, Nikita opens up for the first time about her experience with postnatal depression, raising Irish twins far from family support, the terrifying night they lost almost everything, and how her family is now picking up the pieces and starting again. This is her story. PANDA helpline: 1300 726 306 www.gidgetfoundation.org.au Today’s episode is proudly supported by Haakaa, creating practical products for breastfeeding, pumping, baby feeding and postpartum life. From their iconic Silicone Breast Pump to milk collectors and everyday motherhood essentials, Haakaa is designed with mums in mind. Visit haakaa.au and use the code MOTHERLAND15 for 15% off. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

Charlie Arnott’s great-great-great-grandfather founded Arnott’s Biscuits. His grandfather helped create the Tim Tam. And Charlie became the first in five generations to forge a different path. At just 25, he unexpectedly took over his family’s farm near Boorowa in New South Wales. But behind Charlie’s life on the land is a deeply personal journey of figuring out who he is, what makes him happy, and the kind of man, husband and father he wants to be. Today, Charlie opens up about the beliefs he carried from childhood, the inner work that followed, and how it’s shaped his approach to mental health, marriage and fatherhood. He first became a stepfather before he and his wife Angelica went through IVF to welcome their daughter. Years later, their son was being carried by a surrogate in California when they received a call: their baby was arriving two months early, just as a bushfire erupted near the hospital. From an extraordinary family legacy to finding his own identity, this is his story. Father Land is proudly supported by Nutrien Ag Solutions, going further for Australian farmers. From farm supplies and agronomy advice to livestock and finance, Nutrien’s local specialists combine local know-how with the backing of one of Australia’s largest agricultural networks. Find your local branch at nutrien.com.au and see how Nutrien can go further for your farm. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

Kristie Bargenquast was pregnant with her son, Mitchell, when she went searching for answers about her own health. Everyday movements were becoming harder, and when Mitchell was just over a year old, Kristie was diagnosed with limb-girdle muscular dystrophy, a rare genetic condition causing progressive muscle weakness. Suddenly, she was navigating new motherhood alongside a disability that was changing what her body could do. Today, Mitchell is 11 and has become her beautiful right-hand man, instinctively stepping in when she needs help. Living in Queensland’s South Burnett, Kristie also struggled to find work that could accommodate her declining mobility, so she created her own opportunity. Now running a thriving bookkeeping business from home, Kristie shares her fears for the future and the promising new treatment giving her fresh hope. Motherland Village is now open for October! Motherland Village is our six-week online mothers’ group program, connecting small groups of rural mums to share honestly, feel supported and build meaningful friendships. This October, we’re welcoming mums with children aged 0–3 and 4–10 years. If cost is a barrier, free scholarships are available, no questions asked. You can also nominate another rural mum for a scholarship. Head to motherlandaustralia.com.au to learn more and apply. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

Brendan Cullen lived 600 kilometres from the nearest beach when he decided to become an open-water swimmer. Training before dawn in lakes and dams, he went on to swim the English Channel in 2022 - spending 17 hours in the water and covering 64 kilometres. But Brendan will tell you that wasn’t the hardest thing he’s ever done. A lifelong sheep and cattle farmer from Broken Hill, Brendan spent decades carrying childhood trauma he didn’t speak about. In 2015, struggling with depression, he walked into Broken Hill Base Hospital and said: “I need help.” It changed his life - and the kind of husband and father he was able to become. In this deeply personal conversation, Brendan opens up about parts of his story he hasn’t spoken about in this way before - including how farming, trauma and mental health has shaped his experience of fatherhood, and what asking for help gave back to him and his family. This episode features conversations about mental health and depression. If you need help, please call Lifeline on 13 11 14 Father Land is proudly supported by Nutrien Ag Solutions, going further for Australian farmers. From farm supplies and agronomy advice to livestock and finance, Nutrien’s local specialists combine local know-how with the backing of one of Australia’s largest agricultural networks. Find your local branch at nutrien.com.au and see how Nutrien can go further for your farm. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

Amie Penny was born and raised in suburban Sydney and was building a promising career at Macquarie Bank when one weekend on a family farm near Cowra changed everything. Within a month, she’d quit her job and moved into a rundown farmhouse with no job, no real plan and no idea how to farm. It was there she met her husband Jason, but building the life they wanted would take almost 15 years, countless moves and plenty of sacrifice. Amie raised their two children largely without a village while Jason worked away, with their son Cooper attending six different primary schools as the family chased work around Queensland. Today, Amie runs around 1,200 Angus cattle across several properties near Gunnedah. On this episode of Motherland, she opens up about learning to farm from scratch, raising children without family support and why the life people now call “lucky” was anything but. This is her story. Alcohol at any stage of pregnancy can harm a baby's development. If you're pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or supporting someone, visit everymomentmatters.org.au for trusted, evidence-based information. It's been developed by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education and endorsed and funded by the Australian Government. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

Fiona Bryant always knew she wanted to be a mum — she just didn't know how hard she'd have to fight for it. After a polycystic ovaries diagnosis, Fiona faced years of fertility treatment, multiple miscarriages and gruelling trips to IVF appointments, all while keeping much of her struggle private. Today, she and her husband Mark have five children and run a farm in central New South Wales. In this episode, Fiona reflects on raising her family, embracing her role as a stay-at-home mum, and supporting her teenage son through a diabetes diagnosis. Now, as her kids start leaving home, she's training to become a midwife... determined to bring better maternity care to rural women like herself. This is her story. Alcohol at any stage of pregnancy can harm a baby's development. If you're pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or supporting someone, visit everymomentmatters.org.au for trusted, evidence-based information. It's been developed by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education and endorsed and funded by the Australian Government. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

During one of Melbourne’s lockdowns in 2020, Jess Guthrie’s friend convinced her to apply for a little show called Farmer Wants a Wife . Jess and Andrew met on the show, spent 11 months navigating a long-distance relationship and eventually built a life together in Dalgety, in the Snowy Mountains. They married in March 2024 and soon began trying for the baby Jess had dreamed of for years. But becoming parents wasn’t straightforward. At 23, after more than a decade of debilitating periods, Jess had been diagnosed with stage four endometriosis. She knew falling pregnant could be difficult, but she wasn’t prepared for the emotional and logistical toll of fertility treatment from the bush. After an early pregnancy loss, months of treatment and countless long-distance trips for blood tests and scans, Jess finally saw the positive test she had been waiting for. Today, she and Andrew are parents to little Gracie. On this episode of Motherland, Jess opens up about the reality behind reality television, endometriosis, rural fertility treatment and finding joy in a chapter she once feared might never come. This is her story. Pregnancy loss support: pinkelephants.org.au endometriosisaustralia.org Alcohol at any stage of pregnancy can harm a baby's development. If you're pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or supporting someone, visit everymomentmatters.org.au for trusted, evidence-based information. It's been developed by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education and endorsed and funded by the Australian Government. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

At 21, Liz thought she was building a business, a relationship and a future. Three years later, she walked away carrying debts in her name that she hadn't created and questioning everything she once believed about herself. Liz grew up in Queensland's cattle industry, studied agribusiness and built a career in feedlots and property management. But as her relationship became increasingly toxic and controlling, she slowly lost confidence in herself. Leaving meant rebuilding financially and emotionally, learning to trust herself again, and raising her son without the family life she had imagined. Today, she's helping manage four family properties in Queensland's Western Downs while raising her two-year-old son on her own. She's sharing her story to help other women. 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732) This is a 24-hour national sexual assault, family and domestic violence counselling line. Alcohol at any stage of pregnancy can harm a baby's development. If you're pregnant, planning a pregnancy, or supporting someone, visit everymomentmatters.org.au for trusted, evidence-based information. It's been developed by the Foundation for Alcohol Research and Education and endorsed and funded by the Australian Government. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

Nine years ago, Georgie Cavanagh was living in Sydney, working in influencer marketing while building her French linen and homewares brand, Carlotta + Gee. Farm life was the furthest thing from her life plan. But during a work trip to Orange, she met a bloke named Curtis at the local pub. After a year of long distance, Georgie fell pregnant with their first child and packed up her Sydney life to move to his family’s cattle and cropping property near Narromine. The isolation hit hard after their daughter Amelia was born. Now, two and a half years later, Georgie and Curtis have welcomed their second child, seven-month-old Sinclair, and are planning their wedding for early next year. But after navigating a move to the country, first-time motherhood and the isolation of farm life, Georgie says nothing prepared her for her biggest adjustment yet: going from one child to two. This is her story. Use the code MOTHERLANDGEORGIE for 10% all Carlotta + Gee Water safety isn't something we think about once a year—it deserves our attention all year round. On farms, drowning risks can include dams, tanks, troughs and creeks. Visit kidsafevic.com.au for free, practical resources to help keep children safe around water. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

Jo Edson first met her partner Nathan at a country rodeo in South Australia more than a decade ago. Before life brought them back together, Jo spent years chasing adventure across Australia. She worked on sheep stations, milked cows in Tasmania, became a head stockman, chased a bodybuilding dream on the Gold Coast, worked in shearing sheds, lived in the Top End, and never stopped saying yes to the next opportunity. But after finally finding everything she'd been searching for, Jo faced her biggest challenge yet. While pregnant with her first child, she suddenly lost her dad. Then, after welcoming her son Taylor, grief, identity loss and postnatal depression collided. On this episode of Motherland, Jo shares the long road back to herself. This is Jo's story. Kidsafe Victoria's farm water safety campaign is all about putting layers of protection in place, from actively supervising young children around water, restricting access to dams and other water hazards wherever possible, and setting up a safe, securely fenced play area for the kids. Visit kidsafevic.com.au for practical farm water safety information and free resources to help keep your family safe. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia