A LETTER FROM THE EDITOR
This morning, my mum reminded me of the time we had to take our horses and stand them in the creek as the fires crept closer to our place. That was the day the firies came and asked her if they could fill up their tank from our pool.
Mum said yes, of course. Just at that moment a tree behind the house burst into flames and it began to rain. We were so lucky. That year, the fires came right up to our back paddock, leaving behind a charred boundary line as a reminder for many months afterwards. As I write this, many people in NSW and Queensland, already battling the drought, are now facing the most dangerous bushfire season on record — much, much worse than the fire I’ve described. Our thoughts are with them and the amazing firefighters who do such a brilliant job.
One of the first stories in this issue is about some very resilient and enterprising women living in the bush. Photographer Clancy Job, florist Suzie Meers and graphic designer Emma Barrett recently got together to create some beautiful images which prove there’s still a rich creative life happening in our rural communities despite the tough times. “I want to show people that while the paddocks are not giving, the silos are empty and the wool presses stand idle, we can still prosper as women, mothers and families. Hard times give us the opportunity, and permission, to grow our skill sets, capabilities and communities,” she says. “There’s real beauty in the dry landscape.”
I was on a road trip last year when I stopped and went into a shop in a small country town. It was filled with interesting antiques and I made a note to see if its owner, Helen Curtis, had a house we should do a story on. It turns out that she did, and you will find it featured on page 38. Helen tried city life for a while but, after growing up on an East Gippsland farm that had been in her family for 160 years, she found the transition difficult. “We moved to a small apartment in the city but after living there for six months with no garden, no trees and no grass under my feet, we decided to buy something in the country so I didn’t go insane. The country is in my blood; I need earth under my feet.” It’s a sentiment I know is shared by many, because no matter how tough things can get, the land has a powerful pull on our hearts.
Enjoy the issue,