Grace, you’re a writer, stylist, photographer, farmer... Can you tell us how your career began?
When I met my husband and eventually moved out to our farm, Domang, I started writing freelance articles with the hope someone would publish them. Styling and photography is something that came along with Graziher magazine, editor Claire saw the potential for me to not only write stories but to style and photograph fashion editorials. That has I guess become my niche. We run a busy rotation on the farm with sorghum, mungbeans, wheat, barley and chickpeas so I am lucky to have a creative career, and considerate clients that allow me to fit my work around the farm.
You’re passionate about Regional Australia, what do you love about the Goondiwindi Region…
I am passionate about the changing landscape of rural Australia and the potential it holds for people to have happy, successful lives and careers. The Goondiwindi region epitomises this, there is a reason when people retire from farms out here that they buy a house in town rather than the coast. Goondiwindi has its own culture; a beautiful river, great coffee shops, great people, a great sense of tradition in race days and polo events while embracing the future with state of the art agriculture and a bevy of entrepreneurial businesses and startups that are thriving.
" I used to find inspiration travelling both rurally and into the city and people watching, seeing what people are gravitating towards in their style, how are they layering and accessorising, what's in shop windows? Now I find a lot of inspiration in old magazines and coffee table books. "
When you turn to books, blogs and podcasts for inspiration, what are your favourites right now….
At busy times on the farm, my life can be quite isolated so I look to podcasts for a sense of connection. I love the Graziher, Life On The Land Podcast, Lady Startup Stories by Mamamia and All The Dirt is a gardening podcast I love to listen to. I buy a lot of coffee table books, my latest are The New Rural by Ingrid Weir and Curate by Lynda Gardner and Ali Heath.
If you could give one piece of advice to young women building their career in Regional Australia, what would it be ….
If you are looking to build a career in rural Australia your target market has the potential to be nationwide, and the possibilities are endless. That being said, you are on a level playing field with city counterparts now, you need to be able to prove that you're the best at what you do.
Muck in with any task you can, if you are in the office, onsite or on a shoot location make sure you are helping. When you are helping you are learning, and you are also building a reputation as someone with a work ethic who doesn't need to be micromanaged. Your reputation is everything. There will never be a time when I believe I am above a task, I will always be learning.
You recently photographed the Autumn / Winter 22 Campaign for Goondiwindi Cotton, what should every woman have in their wardrobe this season ….
Photography By Grace Quast
