Motherland Australia
- Episodes
- 358
- Released
- weekly
- Latest episode
- Nov 8, 2026
About the podcast
Hosted by Stephanie Trethewey. Motherland shares real, raw, and unbelievable stories of motherhood told by women on the land. Each week, a rural mum from somewhere in Australia shares her motherhood journey. You'll hear stories of true grit, resilience, grief, and pure joy. Motherhood is the most life changing and transformative journey a woman can go through, and it's not always easy. No matter where you live or what you do, we're in this together and you're not alone.
Episodes 358
319: Jen McCutcheon on Losing Her Husband Suddenly, Raising Two Little Girls & Facing Farm Life Alone
Jen McCutcheon has spent her career telling other people’s stories. But today, she’s sharing her own. An ABC sports journalist, Jen swapped the bright lights of Sydney for a property near Gilgandra in NSW …
Show notes
Jen McCutcheon has spent her career telling other people’s stories. But today, she’s sharing her own. An ABC sports journalist, Jen swapped the bright lights of Sydney for a property near Gilgandra in NSW, after falling in love with Andrew, a teacher and farmer with his heart firmly planted in the bush. Together, they renovated a home, welcomed two little girls and built the life they’d dreamed of. Then, on Valentine’s Day last year, Andrew made Jen her morning coffee, headed off to work and never came home. He was just 36. Suddenly, Jen was navigating unimaginable grief, raising two young daughters and facing the responsibilities of a farm she’d never expected to run alone. In this deeply moving conversation, Jen shares the love story that brought her to the country, the community that held her when her world fell apart, and the painful decision to leave the farm where so many of their memories lived. This is Jen’s story.
MOTHERLAND VILLAGE DOORS OPEN!
Motherland Village brings rural mums together through our six-week online mothers group program to connect, share experiences and build lasting friendships, with expert-led parenting and wellbeing resources. New groups start in February and May, with fully funded scholarships available. You can also nominate a rural mum who'd benefit!
Visit motherlandaustralia.com.au to learn more.
318: Sarah Sivyer on Choosing Solo Motherhood, Building a Cracking Egg Business & Battling Burnout
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 …
Show notes
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.
317: Kerrie Paisley Was 26 Weeks Pregnant When She Started Chemotherapy for Breast Cancer
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 …
Show notes
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!
Father Land S2E8: George Henderson on hiding depression for decades, reaching breaking point, & finding joy in fatherhood again
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 …
Show notes
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.
316: Mum of Four & Fitness Entrepreneur Joy McClymont on Parenting Teens, Confidence & Perimenopause
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 …
Show notes
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/
Father Land S2E7: Robert Mackenzie on Building a Beef Empire, Burnout and What Really Matters
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 …
Show notes
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.
315: Mum of Four Sara Grant on Life After Stillbirth, Infant Loss and Finding Hope Again
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 …
Show notes
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/
Father Land S2E6: Ag pioneer Terry McCosker on losing his son, going broke at 40 and rebuilding from the ground up
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 …
Show notes
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.
Father Land S2E5: Jack Kennedy on Muster Dogs, mental health and becoming a stay-at-home dad
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 …
Show notes
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.
Father Land S2E4: Country singer Tom Curtain on the live export ban, losing everything & his extraordinary reinvention
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 …
Show notes
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.
Father Land S2E3: John Murdoch on reaching breaking point, fatherhood & life after the fires
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 …
Show notes
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.
314: Nikita Hayes on Station Life, Raising Irish Twins & the Night Her Family Lost Everything
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 …
Show notes
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.auToday’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.
Father Land S2E2: Charlie Arnott on family legacy, finding himself & his extraordinary path to fatherhood
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 …
Show notes
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.
313: Kristie Bargenquast on Mothering on the Land Through a Life-Changing Disability
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 …
Show notes
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.
Father Land S2E1: Brendan Cullen on Facing His Demons, Fatherhood and the Swim of His Life
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 …
Show notes
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.
312: Amie Penny Left Sydney With No Job & No Farming Experience — Now She Runs 1,200 Cattle
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 …
Show notes
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.
311: Fiona Bryant's Secret Fight to Become a Mum of Five — Plus Raising a Son with Diabetes
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 …
Show notes
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.
310: Jess Guthrie On Finding Love on Farmer Wants a Wife, Fighting Endo & Finally Becoming Mum
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 …
Show notes
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
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.
309: How Young Farm Manager Liz Escaped a Coercive and Controlling Relationship
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 …
Show notes
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.
308: Georgie Cavanagh on the Chance Meeting at a Rural Pub That Took Her from Sydney Life to Farm Life
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 …
Show notes
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.
307: Jo Edson On Her Wild Adventures From Sheep Stations, Bodybuilding & Losing Herself in Motherhood
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 …
Show notes
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.
306: Lezli Burgess on Leaving Texas for Love and Building a Life on Remote Bruny Island
Lezli Burgess was living in Austin, Texas when she met the love of her life. The only problem? He was from Tasmania. Just six months later, she moved to the other side of the world for a man she barely knew …
Show notes
Lezli Burgess was living in Austin, Texas when she met the love of her life. The only problem? He was from Tasmania. Just six months later, she moved to the other side of the world for a man she barely knew. Today, she's raising two young sons with her husband, Cameron, on Bruny Island. But motherhood in one of Australia's most remote communities hasn't always been easy, with no childcare, no hospital, and neighbours who become your lifeline. On today's episode, Lezli shares her extraordinary journey of leaving everything behind for love, building a family and business on a remote island, and why she's found exactly where she belongs. This is her story.
Did you know this week is Farm Safety Week? Kidsafe Victoria has some fantastic farm water safety resources that make it easy to spot potential risks and take action. This week, set aside 10 minutes for a safety check of your property. It's a small investment of time that can provide priceless peace of mind. Visit kidsafevic.com.au to find out more.
305: "Why Not Me?" Kirstin Fox's Extraordinary Story of Rebuilding Again and Again After Loss
By the time Kirstin Fox was 35, she had been married twice, lost a daughter to stillbirth, and rebuilt her life more times than most people ever will. Growing up on a small farm outside Young in regional NSW …
Show notes
By the time Kirstin Fox was 35, she had been married twice, lost a daughter to stillbirth, and rebuilt her life more times than most people ever will. Growing up on a small farm outside Young in regional NSW, Kirstin never imagined the heartbreak that would shape her life. At just 25 years old, her daughter Phoebe was stillborn – a loss that changed her forever. In the years that followed, Kirstin navigated unimaginable grief, divorce, single motherhood and the challenge of starting over again and again. Yet through it all, she kept finding a way forward. One question became her anchor, and Kirstin discovered a mindset that helped her reclaim her story and keep moving forward, even through life's darkest moments. In this deeply moving conversation, Kirstin opens up about her attempts to protect her heart from further heartbreak, finding love again, and why, at 44, she finally feels like life is only just beginning.
Pregnancy and child loss support services:
Red Nose Grief & Loss Support 24/7 Support Line 1300 308 307
The Pink Elephants Support Network
SPONSORS:
Living regionally means being surrounded by dams, tanks, troughs and creeks, making farm water safety an important conversation for every family. Kidsafe Victoria's Farm Water Safety campaign shares practical advice to help identify everyday water hazards and prevent child drownings. Learn more at kidsafevic.com.au.
With deep roots in regional Australia, Elders is committed to supporting farmers, rural communities and the people who sustain life on the land. Together with Motherland, they're backing important conversations and stronger connections across rural Australia.
304: Rodeo Champion Shianne O'Donoghue-Kent on Becoming a Stepmum of Four & a Pregnancy That Nearly Took Her Mobility
Shianne O'Donoghue-Kent entered her first rodeo at five and by 25 had won Australian rodeo titles, spending most of her life in the saddle. What she didn't expect was becoming a stepmum to four …
Show notes
Shianne O'Donoghue-Kent entered her first rodeo at five and by 25 had won Australian rodeo titles, spending most of her life in the saddle. What she didn't expect was becoming a stepmum to four children before 30, or facing a pregnancy that nearly left her unable to walk. At 20 weeks pregnant, Shianne could barely move. Doctors said the pain was normal, but an MRI later revealed two ruptured discs and severe nerve damage that had left her unable to move her right leg. Surgeons warned she could lose her ability to walk altogether. Today, Shianne lives near Echuca on the NSW-Victoria border, where she and her partner Pete run horses, farm hay and livestock, and raise their young daughter alongside Pete's four older children. Today, she speaks candidly about eating disorders, mental health, step-parenting, chronic pain, and the life-changing journey of motherhood.
Support for eating disorders: https://butterfly.org.au
Beyond Blue: 24/7 mental health support line: 1300 22 4636
Pop Family Speech Pathologists is Australia’s largest online speech pathology practice, supporting families nationwide with expert care and no waitlist. Founded by outback Queensland local Heidi Trusler, Pop was built to make support more accessible for rural and regional families. Learn more or book online at: popfamily.au
303: Jess Reynolds on Raising Neurodivergent Kids, Burnout & Finding Herself Again
Jess Reynolds lives in the Snowy Valley region of NSW, helping run her family’s Angus stud while raising four daughters with her husband. Warm, funny and incredibly jovial by nature, Jess also has a deeply …
Show notes
Jess Reynolds lives in the Snowy Valley region of NSW, helping run her family’s Angus stud while raising four daughters with her husband. Warm, funny and incredibly jovial by nature, Jess also has a deeply reflective side that shines through in this conversation. But behind the demands of farming, motherhood and community life, she was struggling in ways she couldn’t explain. It wasn’t until her eldest daughter was diagnosed with autism and ADHD that things began to make sense. Since then, Jess has navigated bushfires, COVID lockdowns, homeschooling, burnout, her own ADHD diagnosis, and the realities of raising neurodivergent children in rural Australia. Today, she shares her story with honesty and vulnerability, including what happened when she finally stopped trying to do it all on her own. This is her story.
Pop Family Speech Pathologists is Australia’s largest online speech pathology practice, supporting families nationwide with expert care and no waitlist. Founded by outback Queensland local Heidi Trusler, Pop was built to make support more accessible for rural and regional families. Learn more or book online at: popfamily.au
302: Lacey Long on Building Buck Wild Country, Raising 3 Kids & Backing Herself
At just 19, Lacey Long launched her first online clothing store—long before online shopping became the norm. A proud indigenous woman with an entrepreneurial spirit, Lacey later founded Buck Wild Country after …
Show notes
At just 19, Lacey Long launched her first online clothing store—long before online shopping became the norm. A proud indigenous woman with an entrepreneurial spirit, Lacey later founded Buck Wild Country after struggling to find the kind of country clothing her husband wanted to wear. What began as an idea has grown into one of Australia’s best-known western fashion brands, with a deeply personal mental health story behind the name. In this episode, Lacey shares the story behind the business, balancing entrepreneurship with raising three children, navigating FIFO life and regional moves, and why building a life that works for her family has always come before chasing growth. This is her story.
For crisis mental health support, please call Lifeline: 13 11 14
Pop Family Speech Pathologists is Australia’s largest online speech pathology practice, supporting families nationwide with expert care and no waitlist. Founded by outback Queensland local Heidi Trusler, Pop was built to make support more accessible for rural and regional families. Learn more or book online at: popfamily.au
Vitality by Verus Coaching is a new wellbeing initiative supporting women through menopause and midlife, with a focus on regional and rural communities. Founder Clare Lawley is inviting women to help shape the program through a short survey or focus group. Learn more at veruscoaching.com.au
301: Katie Craig’s Incredible Journey Raising Her Son After Becoming a Widow at 29
Katie Craig thought she knew what motherhood might look like. She and her husband Lachy were building a life together in Biloela, Central Queensland, and after years of worrying endometriosis might affect …
Show notes
Katie Craig thought she knew what motherhood might look like. She and her husband Lachy were building a life together in Biloela, Central Queensland, and after years of worrying endometriosis might affect fertility, they were overjoyed to be expecting their little boy, Dougy. But at just 27 weeks pregnant, Katie went into labour. Dougy weighed only 1.1 kilograms at birth, and Katie was then separated from him for the first seven days of his life after testing positive to COVID. What followed was months in NICU, brain surgery, hearing loss investigations, and years navigating medical trauma in rural Australia. Then, just as life was beginning to stabilise, Lachy was diagnosed with terminal cancer at just 34 years old. Today, Katie shares the unimaginable reality of becoming a widow at 29, raising a medically complex child through grief, and why she still feels incredibly hopeful about the future.
Pop Family Speech Pathologists is Australia’s largest online speech pathology practice, delivering flexible telehealth support to rural and regional families nationwide, with no waitlist. Head to: https://popfamily.au/
The Victorian Farmers Federation is delivering the Making Our Farms Safer project, offering free, confidential farm safety visits to help producers reduce risks and build safer farming businesses and families. Head to: https://vff.org.au/project/making-our-farms-safer/
EPISODE 300: Lottie Rae’s Most Honest Conversation Yet: Motherhood, Chaos & Change
You might know Lottie Rae from Australian Survivor. Or from Portrait Artist of the Year, where she painted Ken Done. Or maybe from the time Gigi Hadid slid into her DMs and bought one of her paintings for …
Show notes
You might know Lottie Rae from Australian Survivor. Or from Portrait Artist of the Year, where she painted Ken Done. Or maybe from the time Gigi Hadid slid into her DMs and bought one of her paintings for Bella. Perhaps you follow her art online or listen to her podcast. But behind the art, the TV appearances and the wild stories, is a deeper side to Lottie you’ve probably never heard before. Until now.
Lottie was just 22 when she unexpectedly fell pregnant with her eldest son, two days before she was due to leave for Europe. What followed wasn’t the life she had planned — but in many ways, it became the making of her. Since then, she’s pursued art full time, collaborated with major fashion brands, gone viral around the world and navigated motherhood through all of it. Today, you’ll hear Lottie Rae unfiltered — on young motherhood, identity, ambition, survival and learning how to be a mum without losing herself in the process. This is a chat that is as moving and deep as it is wildly funny. I loved getting to know Lottie Rae, the mum.
Mums Matter, a bulk-billed psychology service, supporting women through pregnancy, postpartum, and the journey of motherhood. If you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, or simply not like yourself, you don’t have to go through it alone. Visit mumsmatterpsychology.com to learn more or book a telehealth appointment.
299: Mum of 4 Nikki Lyons on Setting Shearing World Records, Mental Toughness & Motherhood
Nikki Lyons didn’t grow up on the land. She was raised in Western Australia, and only discovered agriculture as a teenager. But by 17, she’d bought her first shearing kit and started chasing work in sheds …
Show notes
Nikki Lyons didn’t grow up on the land. She was raised in Western Australia, and only discovered agriculture as a teenager. But by 17, she’d bought her first shearing kit and started chasing work in sheds across the country. More than 20 years later, Nikki is a mum of four living in Yass, NSW, and one of Australia’s most remarkable shearers. In 2024, she set a women’s world record by shearing 395 merino lambs in eight hours. Then in 2025, she made an additional record by shearing 502 merinos in nine hours. After taking almost a decade away from shearing to raise her kids, Nikki found her way back to the shed during school hours, rebuilding her body, her confidence, and a dream she’d quietly held onto for years. In this episode, Nikki shares what it took to return to one of the toughest jobs in the country, how motherhood shaped her mental toughness, and what she hopes her kids learn from watching her chase something of her own. This is Nikki’s story.
Mums Matter, a bulk-billed psychology service, supporting women through pregnancy, postpartum, and the journey of motherhood. If you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, or simply not like yourself, you don’t have to go through it alone. Visit mumsmatterpsychology.com to learn more or book a telehealth appointment.
What if you didn’t have to panic or turn to Google every time your child got sick? The Sick Sense is designed to help parents understand what actually matters in the moment - their baby and kids online first aid course helps you build your own “Sick Sense” with practical, easy-to-understand guidance that fits into real life. Head to: thesicksense.com
298: Cailyn Muntelwit on Breaking Generational Cycles, Neurodivergence & 48 Hours in Paris
Cailyn Muntelwit grew up on cattle properties across Central Queensland in a loving but emotionally unstable home, navigating school, undiagnosed neurodivergence, and a brain that never switched off. At 19, she …
Show notes
Cailyn Muntelwit grew up on cattle properties across Central Queensland in a loving but emotionally unstable home, navigating school, undiagnosed neurodivergence, and a brain that never switched off. At 19, she met her partner Frank in the stock camp, and by 27 they were starting a family of their own. But motherhood hit hard. With ADHD, a child navigating ADHD and autism, and a partner working away for months at a time, those early years became more about survival than balance. In this episode, Cailyn shares how she’s learning to break generational patterns, parent differently, and build a life that works for her family — including a business idea that unexpectedly took her all the way to Paris to represent regional Australia on the world stage.
Motherland is proud to partner with Mums Matter, a bulk-billed psychology service, supporting women through pregnancy, postpartum, and the journey of motherhood. If you’re feeling anxious, overwhelmed, disconnected, or simply not like yourself, you don’t have to go through it alone. Visit mumsmatterpsychology.com to learn more or book a telehealth appointment with Mums Matter.
These are the latest 40 of 358 episodes. You’ll find older episodes in the podcast’s feed.
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