Can you imagine jumping into your corolla hatchback in Mudgee country New South Wales and driving 2400kms to your new life as a Governess on an outback cattle station in the Northern Territory?
Or moving to a new life with your new husband to discover the enormous property doesn’t have any power?
Imagine being promoted to Operations Manager for one of the biggest exporters in the Northern Territory at the tender age of 26.
Or being the head stockman of a 1.7million acre station, managing a staff of seventeen jackaroos and jillaroos at 28 years old?
I cannot speak more fondly of the ladies I met at the Barkly Women’s Day. Their stories have captured my imagination and filled me with awe.
The past few days have been a wonderful ridiculous red-dust covered blur. I’ve met the most incredible, brave, smart, hard working women.
We were shown genuine Northern Territory hospitality and in three short days I’ve fitted in enough conversation to sustain me on days when Bearhands is on word rations.
How we came to be at Barkly is a wonderful story. Three years ago, Miss Chardy read a blog post by BabyMac and she felt like Beth was talking to just to her. A little bit of connectedness in a very isolated spot. She wrote and invited Beth to Barkly Women’s Day.
Since then, Miss Chardy has started writing her own popular blog, connecting with her own readers in the same way and travelling long distances to tell her own blogging story. It reminds me of a C.S. Lewis quote (that I butchered a little bit during our panel).
I’m now sitting at my desk thinking back over the weekend and wondering did that all really happen? It seems like a wonderful dream.
The territory has won me over and I’ll be back – next time with the crew in tow.
You can read what my travelling companions thought of our trip at Woogsworld and BabyMac.
We got chatting to Lisa Herbert from ABC Darwin while we were at Barkly, you can read what she thought of four bloggers in the middle of the NT here.
ever been to the Northern Territory?
I can’t wait to take the kids there too one day. So they can see how amazing this country is.
We had such a wonderful time Em. You should definitely take the kids. x
I keep reading all your lovely stories about how much you enjoyed your trip to the NT and it seriously fills my heart and brings a tear to my eye. I can’t believe it had such an impact on you all… us… just regular women going about our business here at bum truck nowhere. I am just so happy that you all had such a great time…. I too can’t believe it is all over. I am so glad you all came up and I am missing you all terribly. All the women who attended have told me how wonderful they thought the day was. So – THANK YOU!!!!