Wander of the West

Living in remote outback QLD can have its challenges at the best of times. Drought, isolation, communication issues, difficulty of obtaining everyday services. However, for Chook and Lorraine Kath, sending their three kids to Boarding School, 1400km away is by far the toughest challenge they have faced. With their youngest leaving to go to school in Townsville this year at age 11, the reality is other than the times the kids will come home for school holidays, the children have technically left home. Missing them growing up is difficult but when the closest town is 180km away and at home schooling doesn’t offer as many opportunities as larger secondary schools do, boarding exists as the only option. It isn’t just the isolation of living on 1.9 million acres in the suburbs of the township of Betoota (Population 0), every day indulgences that city residents take for granted, are a non-event... except for this one time where Chook got Lorraine into an old Ford and made her pretend they were going in to town for a romantic night out! Although a “Dinner Date” actually meant Lorraine would be in the kitchen later cooking Corned Meat, in the bush, you make your own fun.

Arts Queensland

Inspired in Isolation: Find out how women living in remote and regional areas of Queensland are leveraging social arts and cultural opportunities, to improve mental health and well-being. http://bit.ly/2rXft6l