SPACE TO CREATE

After Melbourne’s lockdowns, Shirley Bliss, her husband EP, 42, Naomi, 17, Isaiah, 15, Semirah, 13, and Gemma, two, moved to a farm in north-east NSW.

“Melbourne’s lockdowns affected my mental health, and the children were feeling the brunt,” says photographer Shirley, 42. “We’d never lived in the country, but I knew if we didn’t go somewhere with space and freedom to create, things would get worse.

“So, in November 2021, we stored our furniture and started scouting for a place we felt a connection to. That was Moonbi, outside Tamworth, NSW – population 550. As we’re newbies to country life, we wanted to rent instead of buying, but rentals are rare here. The homeschooling community led me to the owner of the house we rent now, which is on 16 hectares.

“We grow vegetables, raise chickens for eggs, breed quail for meat – and our menagerie is growing. There’s Nara the maremma, Teddy the moodle, Gigi the cat, Daniel, Daisy and Dorothy the ducks, Jayjay the goat, and chickens and quail. It’s so precious to pass on homesteading skills to the next generation.

“We do need to plan more here. And we moved in our 40s, when most people have established networks, so we had to make an effort to connect with others. But we have helpful neighbours who post our maremma’s mugshot in the Facebook community group when she decides to go on patrol – rescuing her is how I met the locals!

“We don’t miss city life. We cook more; we’re healthier. We’re busy, but spend more time together, and we have to say no to screens much less. Naomi has a business making bouquets for my wedding photography clients, and now she grows flowers for it. Nature is our entertainment: the creek, the animals, the swimming hole. And we love the peace.”

Visit EP’S graphic design company at maverickville.com and Shirley’s photography business at shirleybliss. com. Follow Naomi @florazara

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