Motherland Australia

I was speaking at the Rural Women Unite event in Charters Towers last month when I met Lisa Hodgkinson, a mum of 4 from Clermont in central Queensland. Lisa met her husband Glen when she was 18. By 19, the couple were married. And 2 weeks after they tied the knot, just as Lisa turned 20, she found out that she was infertile. It took 3 years, two pregnancy losses, and two more cycles, before their eldest daughter Mia was born. They continued to try for more kids, all via IVF. With their fourth baby Marlee, Lisa knew something was very different, and soon after she was born, Marlee was diagnosed with Down Syndrome. While it’s been a tough journey, she has enriched the lives of Glen and Lisa and their older girls, but living rurally has also had an impact on the care that Marlee can access. October is National Down Syndrome Awareness Month and it’s also Pregnancy and Infant Loss Awareness month. Lisa has experience with both. This is her story.

If you’ve experienced Pregnancy Loss and need support, call the 24/7 Red Nose Grief and Loss Support Line on 1300 308 307 or visit rednosegriefandloss.org.au. This is Lisa’s story.

Are you raising a child with developmental concerns, a disability, or who is neurodivergent? Envisage is here to empower you and your family to feel confident and supported. Their FREE peer support program is designed to provide parents a compassionate space where you can learn, grow, and find the resources you need to thrive. There’s NO diagnosis or NDIS plan required— and...it's fully funded with no cost to you. Head to: https://envisage.community/

The Compassion Project is an organisation dedicated to helping mums face difficult days. They’ve launched the Emotional Support for Mothers Toolkit - designed to help you navigate every stage of motherhood. Over the next 12 months, EVERY rural mum who enrols in our Motherland Village online program will receive this toolkit, for FREE. To learn more head to thecompassionproject.au

Motherland Village enrolments for 2025 are now OPEN across all three age groups, 0-3 years, 4-10 years and 11-18 years.

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Some of us know Kaitie Nash from Instagram, she proudly calls herself 'the first time farmer', and is part of a growing number of farmfluencer mums online, sharing real, relatable and often hilarious content about life on the land. But farm life hasn't always been a laughing matter for Kaitie. She moved to her husband's family property in the middle of a drought, while still adjusting to motherhood with two very young kids. Her mental health plummeted and in our chat she opens up about her very personal journey with that. Kaitie has been a lot of things, even a flight attendant! Farmer was never part of the plan. Today, you'll hear all about the ups and the downs, plus what happened when she got bitten by a snake when she was home alone with the kids. This is her story.
If you or anyone you know needs help, contact Lifeline on 13 11 14, or Beyond Blue on 1300 22 4636

A big thanks to our Autumn season sponsor Nutrien Ag Solutions who proudly support the communities, families, local clubs and organisations which are the backbone of rural and regional Australia. In 2023 alone Nutrien invested more than $2.8m in rural and regional communities, with over half of that invested locally through their branches and directly into communities supporting agriculture.

Check out Nutrien’s Community Impact Report HERE

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Milly Taylor grew up near Paris. And she never intended to live on a farm, let alone a farm in Australia. But while on a University exchange to Melbourne where she was studying aero-space engineering, Milly met Michael Taylor. Michael was also studying engineering, but he had always planned on returning to his historic family’s farm, Taylors Run, located in Kentucky, New South Wales. They were living in Melbourne when they welcomed their first child, and still there when they fell pregnant with their second. It was then that the Taylor’s decided to return home to Taylor’s Run. And it was a far cry from Paris, to say the least! Milly felt very isolated at times, with little connection outside Michael’s parents and their family unit. Eventually, she convinced Michael to pack up their three children and move to Paris for a year. Milly has been in Australia for 25 years, she has an incredible story and a beautiful accent. This is her story.
CABLE’s winter sale on now! Save on cool-weather essentials crafted from 100% Australian Merino Wool, Cashmere, Mohair and Cashwool. CABLE’s huge Autumn/ Winter sale includes Jumpers, Cardigans, Coats, Jackets and Puffers, Pants, Dresses & Tops. Save up to 60% on this premium Australian-owned and designed label. Head to: https://www.cablemelbourne.com/collections/sale

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Robyn Verrall unexpectedly fell pregnant when she was 19, and six months into her pregnancy, her relationship ended. As a nurse and a young single mum, she battled at times just to buy food and support her little girl- and it's these struggles with food security that has ignited her passion to support others through her busines Bully's Meats. Robyn is the AgriFutures Rural Women's Award South Australian Winner and she's been in the headlines- but her story and her motherhood journey has never been told like this. Ironically, she moved to land and later started her meat business after swearing she'd never marry a farmer, but she did. A man who had been there all long- a romance that blossomed thanks to her 20 year high school reunion. This is her story.
The Mumma Days Weekly Planner is a practical planner designed for mums, with systems that actually work. The Mumma Days 2023 Weekly Planners are designed & printed in Australia, and are available for pre order now. Head to www.mummadays.com.au and until next Tuesday 6th September a free gift will be included with your order when you use code MOTHERLAND.

Merry People are reimagining gumboots with their comfortable, durable and stylish designs! Made to wear anywhere and everywhere by anyone, in rain, hail or shine...more than gumboots - these are the perfect everyday boot! Go to merrypeople.com to find out more.

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