Real Rural Women's Leadership

In this podcast, former rural and regional journalist Natalie Leamy takes us on a quick tour through her varied and interesting career. Our conversation then turns to what is special about rural journalism. Podcast highlights include: Being a rural journalist means contributing to your community and adding value to it; Leadership comes in different forms in journalism and involves considering what is in the best interests of your community; and Tips for how to build relationships with journalists in rural areas.  Social Media - Insta: @Gnatalies, LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/natalie-leamy-18ba0b28/.

Tara is currently Professor of Cultural Studies Flinders University, Professor of Higher Education at Massey University, and Fellow of the Royal Society for the Encouragement of Arts, Manufactures & Commerce and director of the Popular Culture Collective.  She is a Member of the Order of Australia, and writes for The Times Higher Education. Tara has worked all over the world working in universities, deeply engaging with communities. Tara holds three bachelor degrees and four masters degrees including a Master of Leadership, and two graduate diplomas. And a PhD. She has written over 250 journal articles, twenty books, and there's no sign of slowing down. Tara's work translates beyond the academy. One of her vlog series of over 300 videos has about 25 million views. Tara is committed to regional and rural education and communities. In this conversation, Tara and Sarah chat about education, regionality, bullying, mediocre leadership, and followership. Please check out the links to Tara's work below and connect with her on Twitter and LinkedIn. https://brabazon.net/ https://www.flinders.edu.au/people/tara.brabazon Twitter: @tarabrabazon https://www.linkedin.com/in/tarabrabazon https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f_2foQgULYM https://www.youtube.com/c/TaraBrabazonChannel https://www.timeshighereducation.com/content/tara-brabazon

This podcast features Dr. Nelia Hyndman-Rizk. Nelia is a Senior Lecturer in Intercultural Management within the School of Business at UNSW, Canberra. Nelia transitioned from a stay-at-home Mum to an academic and will share her journey of progressing her career while raising a family and pursuing Postgraduate studies in our conversation. She's been successful in a lot of different projects, even growing grapes for local wineries, and managing her agricultural side-business. But her journey of starting university at a more mature age with a family and all its responsibilities is an example of a true fighting spirit. She takes us through her own personal and professional development journey that led to her passion to empower others. Nelia's led many women to achieve their higher degrees. Her research focuses on multiculturalism, gender, and women's empowerment through Higher Education. A very interesting privilege to get to understand her journey. Enjoy. Nelia's Profile: linkedin.com/in/nhyndmanrizk Website: unsw.adfa.edu.au/school-of-business/dr-nelia-hyndman-rizk Phone: +61 6268 8832 (Work) Email: n.hyndman-rizk@adfa.edu.au

This podcast features Prof Meredith Lawley. Meredith is a Professor of Marketing in the School of Business and Creative Industries at the University of the Sunshine Coast. Meredith worked for market research companies before becoming an academic in the late 1980s. Meredith had to make many career transitions and she talks about her support network and what made a difference in her development. She is now almost at the end of her academic career with her planned retirement in the coming year. This led to a reflection on what worked well and what she could have done differently, lessons learned, and what the next generation can take away from her experience. She works on projects focused on regional development, Food, and Agribusiness, as well as seafood marketing. We hope you enjoy listening to such a charismatic person's reflections. Meredith's Profile: linkedin.com/in/meredith-lawley-6a541a21 Email: mlawley1@usc.edu.au

Ann has a background in start-ups with a focus on emerging industries and is a regionally renowned beekeeper based on the Sunshine Coast, QLD. Her company Hive Haven specialises in the manufacture of award-winning native bee boxes and the production of Australian stingless bee honey and pollinator seed mixes. Ann's future vision for the Rural Women's Award is that rural women identify themselves as a movement of leaders who are proud of the role they play in developing and supporting Australia's rural industries. Ann believes that every woman has a personal journey, with no two the same. Ann's aspiration for the rural industry is ‘conservation of the food chain'. Ann says we currently utilise approximately 1% of edible plant species to fuel our diets. Ann is committed to supporting more innovation around the development of highly nutritional food sources. In this podcast Ann discusses how university study and university mentors provide her with inspiration, practical advice and support. She also shares her advice on ‘doing your homework' before and after networking and taking a samples to networking events. In particular, Ann recommends saying yes to every networking opportunity, finding out who will be at each event and not only researching the guest list but making contact with anyone you particularly want to meet before the event to arrange to meet/chat. That way you're guaranteed not to be on your own the whole event, you will most likely meet the people who you believe will assist your venture, and make the most of each encounter. Ann also recommends having a strategy for what you want to achieve at each event and taking along samples (in her case – honey) as a conversation starter and to refer to in conversations. Ann also recommends following up with people you meet at networking event, by maybe sending an email saying how much you enjoyed meeting them… Ann's tips and tricks are an inspiration!

Highlights: Margaret discusses her pathway into journalism and her role at Paradigm Shift Media a new venture designed to work with communities to develop local journalism that is collaborative with communities and provides solutions to issues. What journalism can be for communities outside metropolitan areas. Advice for those seeking to have their voices heard and stories told. The opportunities for those wanting to become journalists working in non-metropolitan areas including the suburbs, regional, rural and remote communities. Social Media: https://www.margaretsimons.com.au/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/margaret-simons-3017231a/?originalSubdomain=au Twitter: @MargaretSimons

This podcast features Prof. Sue Williamson is an Associate Professor of Human Resource Management in the School of Business at UNSW, Canberra. Sue specialises in gender equality in the workplace, and public sector human resources and industrial relations. She talks about her career transitions and how she had to overcome a series of obstacles to build several careers. She is devoted to making a difference through her research and is a passionate activist for equality in the workplace. Her recent research includes examining what the future of work might look like post-pandemic; and how middle managers can progress gender equality. Sue has partnered with various state government and Australian Government agencies on projects aimed at progressing workplace gender equality. Sue's Profile: linkedin.com/in/sue-williamson-1642496b Email: sue.williamson@unsw.edu.au Twitter: SWilliamsonUNSW

In this interview Jen Gourley highlights the passion that has underpinned her approach to rural and regional journalism for more than 20 years. She explains why she has continued to experiment with difference types of news outlets in a rural community and how these endeavours have contributed to the community. Podcasts highlight: Leadership is about putting a community's interests at the centre of journalism. Local news is vital for the health of small communities. The future of local news outlets in regional, rural and remote communities will be about experimentation. Free access to local news is important and always will be. Twitter: @jengourley45 https://www.thebiloelabeacon.com/

Dreaming Big and Letting Go: Jane Harbison is third generation of a Texas farming family. She went to boarding school in Toowoomba and embarked on what she perceived as a safe and secure pathway in accounting. Jane worked in the shipping and livestock export industries, before completing her Master of Business Administration in New York and working in London. But at the age of 40, she felt that she was not being true to herself and she launched her own creative business, Dream Big for Little Girls. In this podcast, Jane shares why she launched out on her own, what she learned from her own business, and why she eventually chose to let her business go. This podcast will inspire you to back yourself and not be afraid to fail. Website: https://janeharbison.com.au LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/janeharbison Twitter: @JaneHarbison Insta: @janeharbisondesignau

In this conversation Dr Sarah Casey chats with Joelle Compton. Joelle is a qualified life coach, counsellor and facilitator and she developed a business Transformational Coaching and Counselling, which is based in Brisbane. Before this, Joelle studied in the creative industries and also has degree in teaching. She has worked with NIDA and has also been a mediator. Joelle is about helping people to move forward in life in positive ways to feel empowered and to feel they're a part of a community and strong within themselves. Joelle shares some of her deeply personal story. She has moved from survivor to thriver. Joelle shares her journey from a place where she felt alone - where community had shut her out and down – and how she built her very own community as she learned to practise positive self talk and self-compassion. In this conversation Joelle talks about how we are still feeling our way as women, particularly driven women, to find balance, and she shares strategies to help others on their empowerment journeys. For more information about Joelle and her work, please look here: https://transformational-coaching-counselling.com.au/

Editor of The Moorabloo News, Helen Tatchell gives us some insights into why someone would continue putting out a local newspaper despite the trials and tribulations that come with running a local rural newspaper. She explains the crucial role of The Moorabool News plays in connecting the community particularly during disasters and the pandemic. Podcast highlights include: Importance of rural newsroom as training grounds for journalists, but value of senior journalists in rural newsrooms i.e. knowledge, context etc. Role of rural newspapers as a connector, keeping community connected but also as an archive. Crucial role of rural newspapers in providing local content not otherwise available. Value of local newspaper during the pandemic and especially during lockdowns. Local news as a provider of key information during disasters. Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/helen-tatchell-9b42a91ba/

Pam has had a long engagement with communities and people who want change for good. She has strong knowledge and experience in capacity building, skills development, mentoring and leadership for emergency services and disaster response in Australia and internationally, outstanding results overseeing major sport and recreation infrastructure projects for community, local government and peak sporting organisations, and strong connections across regional Queensland. Pam currently Principal at Future Ag Qld. Pam is an experienced team leader with broad experience in stakeholder negotiation, an excellent presenter, and public speaker. Pam's stories of leadership and collaboration demonstrate the importance of reciprocity, persistence, distributive power. This is a beautiful and honest conversation where Pam weaves personal stories with career narratives and advice for living well. Connect with Pam here: https://www.linkedin.com/in/pamelagreetbrisbane/

This podcast features Lisa Annese, Chief Executive Officer of the Diversity Council Australia. Lisa discusses her strategic communication plan, driven by her progressive agenda and based on research. Lisa also discusses the importance of diversity and inclusion to economic success, social and cultural life, and how and why the Diversity Council seeks to influence for positive social change. The podcast focuses on how creating change and informing policy have to be informed by the evidence, which often spans and goes beyond individual experience. Lisa stresses the importance of influencing ‘the power brokers of the status quo', and that it's strategically important that these people are not disengaged and shut out from progressive cultural policy. She considers how do I engage business leaders, how to use evidence to persuade people to adopt principles and practices of inclusion and diversity; the importance of articulating benefits to inclusivity in business terms, to engage stakeholders Lisa also discusses communication strategy and understanding what it is you want to say, think in the language of your audience, and engage with your audience in a way that is relevant to them This is an engaging and warm conversation where Lisa talks of her life, her love of literature and how reading science fiction can help you think or imagine ‘otherwise'. We hope you enjoy it!

The importance of determination and leaning into failure: Charlotte Durack is a trained graphic designer who started her own communications company specialising in developing meaningful branding and communications strategies for agricultural businesses. In just five years, Studio Agriculture has become the leading firm in the Australian agribusiness sector, earning Charlotte recognition as a finalist in the Telstra Young Business Women's Awards in 2017. In this podcast, Charlotte talks about how she spotted an opportunity for her business, the risks she took to make it happen, and the determination that she has approached the development of her business particularly during the past two years of Covid-19 related restrictions. Website: https://agricreative.com.au LinkedIn: linkedin.com/in/charlotte-durack-b599a470 Instagram: @charlottedurack

This podcast features a dynamic duo, and the leadership team of Lighthouse Business Innovation Centre (Lighthouse) is part of the LHInnovation Group. Anna Pino is the Director and Chief Executive Officer, and Candice Edye is the Director and Commercialisation Manager. Both women have a wealth of experience and credentials behind them in running, supporting, investing in, and advising businesses. This duo is very passionate about helping businesses to grow and does not offer a one-size-fits-all approach, but rather focuses on targeted and individualised services and solutions. They have developed business support programs with the government such as the IP Toolkit, Teen Start-Up, and specialized design projects in Allied Health. But also, ‘community-based' projects, e.g., Entry29 and Festival of Ambitious Ideas. Both are inspiring inclusive leaders and they also facilitated one of our workshops. Lovely to see them interact and work together so seamlessly. For an informative and empowering interview listen to this podcast to learn more about starting a business. https://www.facebook.com/LighthouseInnovation/ https://www.lighthouseinnovation.com.au/ Phone: (02) 6163 8300 Email: enquiries@lighthouseinnovation.com.au

In this podcast Genevieve provides some insights into her career and the importance of regional, rural and remote journalism. She explains the rationale behind the establishment of the Region Media Group and its aims and goals. Podcast highlights Genevieve explains what motivated her to become a journalist and how she broke into journalism. The regions are where our national stories come from, not a sideline. How Region Media wants to fill the gaps left by the exit of other news media organisations. Surviving and thriving in the face of upheaval in news media. The importance of reflecting the bush to itself and others as it really is. Social Media: https://www.linkedin.com/in/genevievejacobs/?originalSubdomain=au https://region.com.au/

Bags to Riches: Gidgee Smith's Almost Accidental Road To Success and Self-Discovery Gidgee Smith started making bags as a way of supporting her family during the millennial drought. Almost twenty years later, Gidgee Smith Bags are going strong, employing local women to sew and market the bags, and the business has opened up other networking and entrepreneurial ventures for Gidgee and her family. Now, Gidgee's property near Morwen in South-West Queensland hosts a camping ground and coffee shop, and Gidgee works tirelessly throughout Western Queensland as an advocate for mental health. In this podcast, Gidgee discusses how these ventures have happened, and shares some life lessons that she has picked up along the way. Website: https://www.gidgeesmith.com.au/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/gidgeesmith

“I am changed forever by kindness”, “Women leaders give other women another possibility of being a woman”, “Leadership means passing on” and “All my life I have been led by women” - These are just some of the insights, based on her lived experience, that Dr Kathomi Gatwari shares with us in this podcast. Kathomi is a senior lecturer at Southern Cross University, the President of Australia Gender and Women's Studies (the peak body for women and gender studies in Australia). She is also the founder of Healing Together (Counselling & Psychotherapy)- a therapeutic practice aimed to provide culturally safe therapy to Black and other people of colour in Australia, and is the founder CountingDeadWomen- Kenya a platform which collates all reported deaths of Kenyan women who have been killed through violence. In this podcast, Kathomi discusses the importance of considering all women in empowerment and leadership by adopting an intersection feminism lens in her work and practice. She provides a definition of intersectionality as recognising the white history of feminism, where middle-class white woman were aided and abetted in pursuing equal opportunities in public life, through the support (child and domestic care) by Black women, women of colour, and poor women. Kathomi also notes that in all policy and practice it is important to consider the lived experience and barriers to full participation in all public life by poor women, Black women, women of colour, women with disability, Indigenous women, rural woman etc. as there is a tendency to use white women as the standard. For instance, when we discuss dates women were provided the right to vote... we have to include all women Kathomi's goal in leadership is to build intersectional feminism and to support all women, so that all women can be seen/heard. Her leadership focuses on facilitating Black and African women being able to see themselves in places and spaces they had not seen themselves Kathomi muses on the relationships she has had with women (her mother, grandmother, lecturers..) to note that “some of the most incredible women leaders who have come into my path has been relational…” and advises to “let the relationship be the foundation of mentorship and leadership… [be generous with your knowledge] “you are a custodian of knowledge until you pass it on”. She considers that leadership can be used generously (and not competitive), though acknowledges that when you have been kept of spaces of leadership our only entry to accessing the space is to behave like the people in there we reproduce the same barriers. She instead shares some incredible stories and strategies of leadership as relationship, leadership as generosity, and leadership as authenticity. Finally, Kathomi discusses her experience of racial fatigue (as a Black woman living and working in rural Australia), and people seeming to erase race as a factor of her experience. In response, Kathomi developed an organisation Healing Together (Counselling & Psychotherapy) to provide racially sensitive therapy for Black and women of colour.

In this episode Dr Sarah Casey is joined by Rechelle Leahy. Rechelle resides in the New England area of NSW. Rechelle is committed to making the world a better place than she found it. After studying law at the great rural university, the University of New England, Rechelle moved to Canberra, and was there for about 20 years. A lot has happened in this time. Rechelle lost her beloved husband to cancer and has two young sons. She has a podcast and business, IDecided where she speaks with others about their experiences of loss, and assists with end of life planning. Rechelle's main work is with Regional Collab where she's the CEO. It's a consultancy business to help rural, regional and remote Australia roll out different projects, programs and facilities basically sponsored by government. She's passionate about social and economic prosperity in rural Australia. Rechelle works on a number of different boards and committees like the National Rural Women's Coalition, which is one of the six National women's Alliances (NWA) funded by the Australian Government. Rechelle has been to the Commission on the Status of Women at the UN more than once and has spoken about rural, regional and remote women and also about widows. Rechelle is also on the Australian Gender Equality Council. Her passion for the rural, for gender equality and for advocacy is inspiring. Here are some links about Rechelle's work, life, and businesses: https://www.linkedin.com/in/rechelle-leahy-343654107/?originalSubdomain=au https://regionalcollab.com/ https://www.mamamia.com.au/author/rechelle-leahy/ https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCRpGYXVGMwlAW2micNjyC6g https://about.abc.net.au/profile/rechelle-leahy/ https://www.agec.org.au/project/rechelle-leahy/ https://www.nrwc.com.au/about/board-member

Julia grew up on the family farm in South West Qld and now lives in Goondiwindi, running Engage and Create Consulting. Julia is a passionate supporter of rural businesses, innovation, and for women having a seat at the table. She has a background in environmental science, has worked in sustainable agriculture and natural resource management projects, and is on the Innovation Advisory Council (Qld State Government) and is the CEO of Eco-Markets Australia. In this podcast Julia chats with Sarah about her commitment to the South West of Qld and rural Australia broadly. She's not only an entrepreneur and innovator, but an advocate for whole of communities. In 2022, Julia was awarded Member of Order of Australia for her service. Check out more about Julia, and connect with here: https://twitter.com/telford_julia https://www.facebook.com/EngageandCreateConsulting https://engageandcreateconsulting.com.au/ LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/julia-spicer-oam-69a9ab27/?locale=fr_FR https://businesswomenaustralia.com.au/user/julia+spicer/

In this podcast Gail Crimmins chats with Robin McConchie. Robin is a professional storyteller with over three decades as a rural reporter with the ABC Country Hour, was a Director of the National Press Club, and is a member of the Queensland Rural Press Club's Hall of Fame. Her journey has taken her across Australia telling stories from back of a ute in the middle of drought to the corridors of the Federal Parliament. Her new podcast, Postcards from the Bush with Robin McConchie builds on her experience and love of the bush. Robin very generously discusses her career journey, the lessons she's learned along the way, she offers her advice to women on leadership, and the importance of integrity in all that you do. More specifically, Robin discusses rural reporting/rural journalism, and oral history where she muses about how people like to ‘sticky beak' over the fence to see what challenges people faced, and how they managed them; the importance of being open to audiences, to give a little bit about yourself, to be personal but not private. Regarding career success and advice to women leaders, or women aspiring to be leaders, Robin attributes her career success to staying curious: “I've always been interested in asking questions, always interested, always curious, wanting to know why things the way they are”. She also identifies that career success requires determination, being competitive, hard work, and commitment. Robin shares her insights on the importance of building networks, being honest, “be who you are… your integrity is something that you own and you value. She also advocates giving your time and talking to people”. In terms of building a team, Robin recommends being fair, inclusive, and prepared to trust people and support people; knowing and playing to your strengths (outsource the skills you don't have); being prepared to constantly learn as “Resilience is not about stoicism it's about adaptability”. Regarding leading in the Australian bush, Robin recommends joining QRRWN and building rural and community networks, Finally, in the face of discrimination – whether it be gendered or based on country/city divides… Robin soundly articulates to always ‘play the issue, not the person'.

In this interview, Dr Amanda Gearing explains what drew her to rural and regional journalism. She discusses some of the key stories she has investigated in rural and regional areas and the contribution her journalism has made to those communities. We discuss a different sort of leadership enmeshed in her approach to journalism. Podcast highlights include: Value of contributing to rural communities through investigative journalism. Importance of listening to those you interview and leaving space for them to tell their stories. Leadership does not always involve a line of people following one person, but comes in different shapes including taking on an advocacy role to bring issues to the attention of those in power. https://www.linkedin.com/in/amanda-gearing-phd-5ab76134/?originalSubdomain=au Twitter: @AmandaGearing

Barb has held many service and community leadership roles in rural Queensland. In this podcast she discusses some of the projects she has helped to lead, including collating beautiful hand-made quilts for members of the homeless community, survivors of domestic and family violence and elderly community members; the creation of home-made mother's day cards and bookmarks; and collecting kits for kids packages which provide school resources to children without books and pens etc. These ‘love' projects are all designed to support people to feel ‘seen' and cared for. Barb also discusses the benefits of volunteering to communities but also to the volunteers. She talks about how her community work allows her to engage with a diversity of women, establish relationships, and supports a sense of belonging. Barb shares her perspectives on women's leadership, teamwork, and her respect for women leader's generosity. Key ideas that are central to this podcast include ‘love' of community and how we can let people know they are seen; caring for community is caring for self; and the importance of generosity. We hope you enjoy Barb's insights

This podcast features Emily Martin, a St. George local. Emily is the Human Resource Manager for Maranoa Mechanical, but also the author of the inspirational book, titled: “The Gift”. After her cycling accident left her with a brain injury, she wrote this book as a message of hope and a reminder that life is short and to make the most of it. The podcast focuses on Emily's connection with her family, friends, employees, and the local community. Emily is a support system' for so many, but especially her family. She is a powerful example of a woman in the region who is entrepreneurial and resilient in her approach and in supporting others in everything she does. A special interview and we hope you enjoy this special overview of what matters most.

Emily Watts is the 22-year-old behind Catlok Goat Stud, a venture currently working on cross-breeding goats for the Western Qld Conditions. At the time of our podcast, Emily is studying a Diploma of Agribusiness at Marcus Oldham College in Geelong where she is advancing her knowledge of animal fertility and optimal growth, and the business skills to support a dynamic, grown industry. Emily is also the force behind Catlok Goat Stud's Facebook page which uses photography, updates on sales and a little bit of motivation to provide an insight into stud life and build the profile of the Australian Goat Industry. Yeah The Goats! *Emily's hashtag on Facebook is #YTG or #Yeahthegoats Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/Catlok-Goats-105235398339011

In this conversation, Sarah Southern joins Dr Sarah Casey in a chat about rural life. Sarah Southern has lived in St George Qld for over a decade after growing up in rural NSW and travelling around with her family. She is a woman who wears many hats. Sarah is a wife, a mother of five sons, she works in community development with Care Balonne St George, and she also works with her husband doing work on the land. Sarah discusses the housing issues facing rural Australia, victim blaming culture, the values she shares as a mother of sons, and the community and closeness of the rural world and the idea of checking on one's mates and helping each other out.

Connecting Communities Liz Hill has worked has a bush nurse, radiographer, arts worker, community development coordinator and a grazier in the Thallon region in South West Queensland. In 2005 she established Connect South West, an online portal advertising jobs, events, and local businesses as a way of mediating the tyranny of distance and the technological divide. Liz taught herself the skills to build the initial website, and has been growing her skills and networks through Connect South West ever since. In this podcast she discusses the importance of technology in rural areas as an important aspect of community building. LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/liz-hill-8a486340/ Web: https://connectsouthwest.com.au

In this conversation Dr Sarah Casey is joined by Donna Stewart. If you mention the South West of Queensland, someone will mention Donna Stewart's name. She spent thirty-four years in local government as a Mayor and Councillor, and an extra three years as a Local Government Grants Commissioner. Born and bred in the South West of Qld, Donna was inspired to enter local government to make change. Donna talks about making very tough decisions while trying to do the best for people in her role, about digital connectivity in the bush, women who inspire her, what she misses and what she doesn't about being in the government.

In this conversation, Dr Sarah Casey is joined by Sally Rigney, a strong, articulate, and seriously clever rural woman. Sally lives on a property called Myall Plains which is eight kms from Nindigully in the Balonne Shire. Nindigully is a name synonymous with the South West. It's the home of an iconic pub. And film featuring Hugh Jackman! Sally and her family live on grazing country with Angus cows and they have a feedlot. Sally spent her earlier life in Goondiwindi and Texas. Later she spent many years away from her beloved Southern Qld, working with ABC as a journalist in the beef capital, Rockhampton among other places. Then Sally went to the national capital, Canberra, to continue her career before returning north. Sally chats with Sarah about the loss of media outlets and the difficulty for rural voices and rural stories to be heard. This is one story you don't want to miss.

In this episode, Dr Sarah Casey chats with Robyn Fuhrmeister. Robyn Fuhrmeister is the Chairperson and Manager at Care Balonne, St George. Care Balonne Association Inc. is primarily an information and referral service covering the whole of the Balonne Shire. Care Balonne was established by Balonne Shire Council in 1994 in the middle of a drought. Within the first twelve months management was offered to the community. The first program that was established was Rural Family Support which aided families who could not afford to come to town. Care Balonne has since assisted the shire during floods and long periods of drought as well as administering its other programs. Cr Robyn Fuhrmeister is also a Balonne Shire Councillor. 2022 marks almost three decades of service to the Balonne Shire. She is passionate about preserving her community's history. Robyn leads this project with Care Balonne. Robyn is a force. She's a woman of determination and courage. In this conversation we talk about rural housing, domestic violence, connectivity, the towns of the Balonne Shire, local businesses, Robyn's pride in family, and how people can connect with those in positions of power. Robyn Furhmeister is a mother, a grandmother, a friend to many, a survivor, a worker, a giver, and a community conduit. Her story is nothing short of inspiring. Website: https://www.carebalonne.com/ Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/carebalonne In this chat, Sarah mentions a previous project with links to interviews: Real Rural Digital Solutions . Also discussed are: https://www.tina-mareejewellery.com/, https://nullawokka.com.au/, Handmade St George https://www.facebook.com/Handmade-St-George-370271823086193/ and Liz Hill's Connect SouthWest https://connectsouthwest.com.au/ and Bec Steer Catering (for more information see https://www.facebook.com/thebollonhotel)