Learning the land

Actor and filmmaker Rachel Ward didn’t set out to become a regenerative farmer.  
In 1983 she moved to Australia and married fellow actor Bryan Brown, and three years later the couple bought a cattle farm with sweeping views and a charming weatherboard house, surrounded by rolling hills and eucalyptus forests on the NSW Mid-North Coast, on Gumbaynggirr Country.  
Over time, Rachel turned the surrounds into a loose, abundant garden with a relaxed feel. A park-like lawn stretches out beneath shady trees and palms: geese graze on the grass while the rambling garden overflows with hydrangeas and bougainvillea. She loves the visual contrast between the tropical-style plants and the surrounding bush. While Rachel created and tends the garden, she didn’t initially embrace farming. “It seemed very male-dominated,” she says.  
For decades, she remained largely disengaged, until a series of events prompted her to reconsider not only her role on the farm, but her self-imposed responsibilities as its steward.  
Devastating bushfires in 2019-20 were a turning point. The property was spared but the forest surrounding it burned, and the fires sharpened Rachel’s awareness of the fragility of the landscape. At one point she even considered selling the cattle altogether, troubled by the environmental cost of livestock production. But, rather than stepping away, she chose to rethink how the land was managed and explore whether farming it the right way could become part of the solution.  

Read more about Rachel’s journey and regenerative farming in the May issue of ABC Gardening Australia magazine – on sale now! 

Image: Gavin Moroney