THROUGH the breakdown of her marriage, writer, country girl and entrepreneur Rachael Treasure lost her family farm in Tasmania’s rugged wilderness and lost her way in life.
By going down the dirt road she discovered another set of stories about country life in Australia.
Nourishing and sustaining, her new memoir presents a practical and positive vision of what life on our land could become.
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READ NOWTreasure will appear at Kalamunda Library for a free author talk Down the Dirt Road later this month.
Treasure lives in southern rural Tasmania with her two young children and is passionate about encouraging non-readers to read, inspiring farmers to consider regenerative agricultural practices and animal handlers to better understand their dogs and livestock.
Her first novel Jillaroo, published in 2002, has grown to become one of Australia’s iconic works of fiction, inspiring other country women to contribute to the genre of contemporary rural literature.
She has several bestselling books to her name, and was the brainchild behind the $1-a-week rental campaign for houses in her rural area – attracting international attention, saving her local school and sparking similar programs in other struggling rural towns across Australia.
All her experiences are woven into her latest novel to inspire other farmers to care more for soil health while delivering healthy food to Australian families.
“I deliberately focus my attention on joy in everything I do … But it hasn’t always been this way,” she said.
“My sensitivity as a creative being has also led me to great pain, anxiety, chronic depression and illness.
“But this too has been a gift. Divorce and losing everything material, including a place on my family farm has also been one of my greatest lessons and a gift, hard though that journey has been.
“I can’t ‘show’ you how I got through those events, but I can outline a small portion of the people, places, books that helped me and continue to help me along my wonderful path.
“The rest is up to you to find your inner cowgirl or inner cowboy so you can lead the magnificent life you were sent here to lead.”
Down the Dirt Road will be held on Monday November 14, from 10:15am to 11.45am.
Light refreshments will be provided and bookings are essential. Copies of Down the Dirt Road will also be available for purchase and author signing.
Book online at www.trybooking.com/NCQY, email kala.shire@kalamunda.wa.gov.au or contact the Kalamunda Library on 9257 9976, 7 Williams Street, Kalamunda.
For further information visit www.kalamunda.wa.gov.au/libraries.