Dr Rebecca West grew up in England—far from red dirt, heatwaves, and the howls of wild animals echoing through desert nights. She never imagined that by 40, she’d be raising three young children on one of the most remote properties in New South Wales, 450 kilometres from the nearest supermarket and hospital. But since 2017, Rebecca and her husband Reece—both ecologists—have called the edge of the Strzelecki Desert home. Together, they manage an ambitious conservation project on 86,000 acres in Sturt National Park, rewilding a former sheep station and reintroducing native species like bilbies, pushing back against Australia’s extinction crisis. It’s ground breaking work. But it’s also life lived at the edge—where parenting and working without childcare centres, isolation, and the wild beauty of the land all collide. So what is it like being the most remote family in New South Wales whilst raising kids in the desert and trying to bring our endangered animals back from the brink? This is Rebecca West’s story.

Our Autumn sponsor Telstra proudly partners with the ICPA to advocate for education equity by continually working on improved connectivity and communication for students and their families in rural and remote areas, particularly focusing on those relying on fixed land lines. To learn more about Telstra’s work with the ICPA and ‘RRed day’ CLICK HERE

The Country Women’s Association (CWA) of NSW is the largest women’s organisation in Australia, supporting NSW and ACT rural, remote and regional communities for more than 100 years – and they'd love you to JOIN THEM! Contact your local branch for more information, CLICK HERE to become a member today.

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