Whether it’s in the shearing shed or at home on a rainy day, this tea loaf lifts the mood and warms the soul. Best served with a pot of tea! Ingredients: 450mls of cold tea (I love English Breakfast or Earl Grey) 1 cup of brown sugar 375 grams of mixed fruit 2 1/2 cups of self raising flour 1 egg Mix the tea, sugar and fruit. Add the beaten egg and fold in the flour. Cook in the oven for 45 minutes. Happy baking ..read more

It has been a little while since I posted, instead spending a few weeks reflecting over the where this blog started, what it has achieved and what I hope for its future. I’ve been pondering it a lot, whether it’s adding value and meaning like I intend, whether it captures the elements I seek to share. This blog started as a way for me to capture my thoughts as I worked out what living back in Gloucester meant for my professional career, and vice versa. It’s been a hard balance at times, contemplating how I can do both effectively and wondering how I can get the best results in every field. And ..read more

Time has seemed to have caught up with me today, as this blog is marked a little later than normal. Clocks ticked with a few days in the city and imitated the horses moving in the round yard. Izz now moves with ease, oblivious to the once apparent sounds and movement. Polly has also seemed to settle more and more, with only some days an exception. And city smoke filled the skies during the trip this week, as the Board Room for the day weeped smoke in drabs. And more times with the horses saw them thrive and take on new challenges. The lillypilly’s bloomed despite the drought, providing a c ..read more

At the farm, it’s evident that the drought has made its mark along the Coast. Surrounded by burnt ground from a raging inferno, the land wilters, begging for the few metres of rainfall that normally meets the ground. Instead, metres of rain is replaced by metres lost from dams and it’s hard to think of the once kneehigh green grass that used to make walking through the paddocks difficult. It all takes it toll- each day of heat and smoke harder to remain optimistic, with each fall of rain a trigger of second guessing how much comes next. Slowly, I think it’s wearing the hopes of legacy. Slowly ..read more

On country I ponder my mark, the legacy that will be left and the moments of importance that play into the grand plan. I wonder about the daily actions required to reclaim country and society, rethink norms and, replenish and redream life across the Worimi Estate. Whether nature will restore and continue to teach, whether land will share stories from before and lead us forward, and whether culture will sing to bring us all on this journey for change. While the drought and recent fires have bought out some of the best in community, I am hopeful for its longevity, hopeful it will rebuild and re ..read more

“There’s a lot you don’t know.” It’s a quote in which has swirled my mind during the week as I spend time watching kilometres tick over. Maybe, after the years of denial in fear, our Aboriginal blood has sang to the remainder of my Grandmother’s body. Maybe now the secrets and trauma can start to heal. Maybe the minds are changing, and the rest can flourish. The words of rap songs found comfort to the soul this afternoon, after feeling the pain and connecting over ground that sometimes feels left better forgotten. The realness and closeness of issues often bring out the fight, bring out the s ..read more

After being called in early for a flight back home, we boarded a little before schedule, headed out toward Mudgee, before Taree. In an attempt to connect and learn, I yarned on the first leg. Then the second was in awe of the fire that took the Mid North Coast. A firestorm week, full of radio mismatch and constantly updating social media feeds. All while our Worimi land burned. We received the keys to the new puzzle piece on Friday and it wasn’t long before we were ripping our old carpet and planning some new changes. We were surprised to find old timber floorboards hidden until now, flowing ..read more

Another piece of the jigsaw settled today, finding its place rightly in the Worimi Collective for future protection. This approach seems odd in a way, fighting for the small bits from ancient times. But along the initiation path, beneath the mighty Buccan Buccan, it’s back. All the pieces lay dormant along the landscape, but slowly they return to re-establish the long term hope. Back in Boorowa, this week started chasing drovers from out west with sheep switching homes. Cattle roaming from far away camped carefully in reserves, awoken by the sheep cartage. After a few trips with Nan, we had t ..read more

After a change of plans last Friday, I stopped as the clock ticked and settled. For a moment, things caught up with me and dissipated, to be met by the drive back home for rest. Saturday provided that opportunity, before joining the path back to city visits and consults. A moment spared for recuperation until another travel-driven week. The candle seemed to burn a little brighter and faster than the copious caffeine cringe, summoning sleep despite ill attention. The alarm clock woke Sunday early, and it was back off again. Native foods filled market stalls and hopes of cultural healing, as th ..read more

My mind turns to the soil under my feet. Our home is within moments of a traditional Bora Ring, the saleyards nearby marked by tree carvings to symbol sacred ground and the Buccan Buccan sings in the sun of men’s business. Reflected in shadows peacefully on the ground. Here, birds chirp with meaning and crows gossip on the handrail across country for understanding. Together, we search for modern relevance and understanding. We trekked north Friday night, winding through roads resembling home and in pursuit of tail lights. We arrived late, yet in time for a yarn and then sleep. After a checkli ..read more