Shows
The Jess Rowe Big Talk ShowSafe Space: What is it like to Be a Mum in the Bush, and Feel Completely Alone?In this SAFE SPACE episode, Jess sits down with Steph Trethewey to explore what it’s really like to be a rural mum, isolated, without support, and raising a newborn in the middle of nowhere. Former TV journalist Steph left her high-profile career behind to raise a family on a remote Tasmanian farm, but what followed was a brutal mental health spiral into postnatal depression. Cut off from her community, career, and sense of identity, she found herself deeply unravelling, an experience shared by many rural mothers across Australia. In this powerful conversation, Steph shares th...2025-07-2238 min
Motherland Australia262: 11 years since becoming a mum, Steph Wanless has finally faced the trauma she tried to forgetSteph Wanless is the founder of FOUND Regional, a magazine in the New England area of NSW, and digital platform REGGIE, that focuses on showcasing the best of regional NSW. While she’s committed to sharing stories from across her region, she has one of her own that deserves to be told. Steph’s birth experience and her motherhood journey didn't exactly go to plan. Both her children were born premature – they were rushed away in incubators before she got to hold them. The first time she saw her son was in a photograph, covered in tubes. She said she lost...2025-05-251h 03
CompanyStephanie Trethewey's had some *huge* life changes in the last 12 months.Stephanie Trethewey is the Founder and CEO of Motherland a non-for -profit organisation on a mission to reduce isolation for Mum's living in rural Australia.
I'm always a-gog at the pace in which Motherland has grown, from the outside looking in it seems they are always celebrating new and exciting big wins.
But in the last 12 months - life outside of Motherland - has changed dramatically for Steph and her family.
They've sold half the farm. Moved houses. She's scaled back the stress - and upped the happiness. 2025-05-0740 minMotherland Australia257: From drought, to depression & rage - a candid conversation with Steph SchmidtSteph is a farmer, psychologist, and mum of three little boys who lives on a property in Worlds End, in South Australia. And right now, it kind of looks like the Worlds End is near because the state is in the midst of a horrific drought. Two weeks ago we released a bonus episode about the floods in central Queensland - today, I’m sharing a story from the other end of the spectrum. Steph and her husband and their three little boys are feeding their sheep daily. They are in desperate need for rain across their properties and are...2025-04-2054 min
Married to the LandHitting the Motherload with Motherland's with Stephanie TretheweyStephanie Trethewey, the powerhouse behind Motherland, a national movement dedicated to supporting rural mothers across Australia. Named the 2024 Australian of the Year for Tasmania, Stephanie has transformed her own struggles with isolation and postnatal depression into a platform that connects and empowers rural women.A former television journalist, Stephanie made the leap from city life to rural Tasmania in 2019, an experience that was both beautiful and deeply challenging. Through her journey, she recognised the critical need for more support for rural mothers, leading to the creation of Motherland Village, Australia’s first online rural mothers’ group, and Moth...2025-03-0647 min
Tradie Wife LifeThe Surprising Link Between Farming and Mental Health You Need to KnowStephanie Trethewey’s journey is nothing short of inspiring. From her fast-paced career as a TV journalist in Sydney to settling on a beef farm in Tasmania, she’s faced the challenges of rural life and motherhood head-on. But it wasn’t all smooth sailing—Steph’s struggles with isolation and the realities of rural living sparked her mission to create Motherland. In this episode, she shares how these challenges led to the birth of a community designed to support rural mothers. Through virtual groups and initiatives like the national conference, Motherland offers a lifeline for mums who often feel unsee...2024-11-1929 minMotherland Australia241: Steph Cowper's daughter was 7 when she was diagnosed with anxietyThis month, Motherland celebrates the positive impact our charity partner, the Isolated Children’s Parents Association, continues to make for families just like yours everyday. Their wonderful volunteers together have created branches throughout rural Australia - and their ‘relentless and always on’ advocacy continues to build and grow better educational outcomes for our kids. To bring this incredible work to life, today’s episode features one of their own, Steph Cowper. Steph wears many hats but her commitment to education and dedication to continuous learning shines through. Today you’ll hear about Steph’s own motherhood jou...2024-11-1738 min
That Voice Podcast218. Raising rural voices with Steph TretheweyDo you live in a rural area?
Your story is even more important to share, with the focus often on your urban counterparts.
Australian of the Year for Tasmania 2024 Stephanie Trethewey is a huge advocate for raising rural voices, and in this episode shares -
- How she went from being a city-girl to living on a farm in Tassie.
- The story behind the national charity she founded - MOTHERLAND.
- Why raising rural voices is so important.
- A surprising lesson from being an Australian of...2024-10-0620 minMotherland Australia230: Steph March’s son was born with his heart on the wrong side of his bodyStephanie March was 17 she met her husband Cameron and they got married a few years later. Life was good. They went on what Steph describes as a ‘killer honeymoon’ and fell pregnant very easily. Not long after, their daughter Lexi was born, and then their son Bill. And that’s where everything changed for their family. Bill was born with his heart on the other side of his body. He was diagnosed with an incurable, rare and lifelong condition that affects the respiratory system as well as organ placement - meaning all his essential organs were on the wrong side o...2024-08-1146 min
Humans of Agriculture"Motherland saved me and allowed me to create my own identity" with Steph TretheweySteph joined us on episode 6 of the Humans of Agriculture podcast in April 2020. It's fair to say since then, quite a few things have changed! The last time we chatted, it was all things Tas Ag Co, what was back then a new venture and business opportunity for Steph and their husband Sam. What we didn't even mention once was 'Motherland Australia' the charity and organisation Steph has created that is having an extensive impact right across Rural Australia.Steph's now a household name, the 2024 Tasmanian Australian of the Year, 2022 AgriFutures Australia Rural Women's Award N...2024-07-2342 min
Life on the LandLife on the Land with Steph TretheweySteph Trethewey is no stranger to Graziher’s Life on the Land subscribers. The accomplished journalist was awarded the AgriFutures Rural Woman of the Year in 2022 and she was also crowned the 2024 Tasmanian of the Year. Her online community Motherland has been a tremendous support for hundreds of Australian women and she’s told countless stories through her popular podcast of the same name. Following her recent involvement on a panel discussion at Graziher’s Up Early event at Beef 2024, Steph talks to host Sammie O’Brien about how life has changed following her successes. 2024-05-2642 min
Postpartum like a boss56 | Motherhood on the land - With Steph Trethewy @motherlandaustraliaIn this episode we are lucky to hear from Steph Trethewey. Steph is a mother of two, journalist, author, podcast host and the founder of @motherlandaustralia, a national charity supporting and connecting rural mothers. In this episode Steph and I chat about her: Journalism career pre-children Very challenging first postpartum experience Feelings of isolation that deepened upon moving to rural Tasmania as a new mother Creation of the Motherland podcast and online mother's groups for her own mental health and to help others Journey as Motherland has grown, writing her first book and soon to be hosting the first...2023-10-2359 minMotherland Australia192: Steph Wurst had three young children when they lost everything in the Black Summer FiresStephanie Wurst was born and raised in the city, and unexpectedly met a farmer on the dancefloor, and soon found herself moving to Kangaroo Island! Steph and her husband Tom went on to have three kids where she had to adapt quickly to the realities of living remotely with limited services. She was flown off the island to have her first baby, and nearly lost her second child during labour. But after all that, as a mum of three, Steph thrived- she loved motherhood, and she grew to adore life on the land. But on January 3rd 2020, Steph and...2023-09-1756 minMotherland Australia190: Josh Borowski stepped up, manned up, & became the partner and father he needed to be (Part 2)Last week, we heard Steph Borowski's story, and today, you'll hear my very candid interview with her husband Josh. Josh is the first bloke I've had on this show, and this is one of the most important interviews I've ever done, because while my focus is on supporting rural mothers through Motherland, I felt it was time to hear a father's perspective to help close the loop. Josh is ready to talk. He's ready to share how initially becoming a father scared the hell of him, how he struggled with farm life and the pressures of drought, all while...2023-09-0351 minMotherland Australia189: Why I interviewed Steph Borowski AND her husband (Part 1)This is the two-part episode I'd argue every mum and dad needs to listen to. In Part 1 today, I speak to Steph Borowski, and next week, you'll hear my chat with her husband Josh- the first man to be on Motherland. Steph met her husband in L.A, fresh out of school, they were both young actors chasing a dream. Fast forward a few years, and they settled on Josh's family farm in North West NSW, where life got pretty tricky once they had children. Josh, like so many farmers, was working around the clock, rarely home for that...2023-08-2747 min
brunch.brunch with Stephanie TretheweyIn this episode, I speak with Stephanie an Australian who lives on a farm in rural Tasmania. Steph is a seasoned television journalist who has reported and produced for some of Australia’s biggest news and current affairs programs. In 2019, soon after having her first child, Steph swapped the city for the country and launched headfirst into farm life with her husband Sam. The transition to life on the land was a baptism of fire, and the isolation she felt was crippling. Steph talks about her experiences, the highs and lows as well as how her challenges created opportunity with the...2023-04-0327 minMotherland Australia159: Olympia Yarger on maggots, motherhood, & marrying a marineThis is the chat that got Olympia Yarger all fired up! Olympia is the CEO of Goterra, a waste management company that manages food waste with robotic maggot farms. She's a farmer who calls herself the 'maggot lady', and boy is she kicking goals after being named the ACT's Australian of the Year 2023. Olympia's backstory is fascinating. After losing her first child in a tragic accident on her farm, she moved to the US to escape, but ended up staying there for 14 years after she married a marine. Her husband did six combat tours in 12 years, and being a...2023-01-2952 min
The DediKate PodcastSteph Trethewey, From City News Reporter To Rural Mum And AdvocateSteph Threthewey is a born and bred city girl from Sydney, she met her now husband while working for Channel 7 - she interviewed him about agriculture and the rest is history!
She moved to rural Tasmania, but had no idea how challenging it would be and how lonely she would become, especially as a new mum, this inspired her to start Motherland Australia, Australia's first ever online rural mother group programme. Today she chats all about her journey. It's a story many will be able to relate to and it's really similar to what...2022-10-011h 02
AgriFutures On Air2022 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Finalists: Stephanie TretheweyStephanie is on a mission to eliminate the crippling isolation that can accompany rural motherhood.The Motherland podcast was born out of Steph’s move from Melbourne to a small farming community in Tasmania’s northwest, which saw her confront firsthand the isolation that rural mums can feel. Sharing authentic stories of mums on the land, Motherland struck a nerve with women for its raw, unfiltered representation of motherhood.Featuring:2022 TAS AgriFutures Rural Women's Award Winner Stephanie Trethewey2022-08-3027 min
Motherland Australia122: Amanda Gilpin's daughter was diagnosed with childhood dementiaWhen Amanda Gilpin first noticed some signs that her little girl Hollie was lagging a bit at school, she wasn't too concerned. But when she developed more sinister symptoms she sought medical help, and the truth was terrifying. Two years ago, Hollie was diagnosed with an extremely rare and incurable form of childhood dementia, known as Batten Disease - she's one of just two children in Australia who have it. Now, her family is hoping for a miracle, travelling far away from their home in Western Australia's Pilbara over to the US , hoping Hollie will one of only three children...2022-04-0345 min
Ducks on the PondOvercoming the Dark Days of Early MotherhoodMotherhood is wonderful, but it's also hard. And for some, especially new mums, it becomes overwhelming. Living in a rural area, especially if you're away from family and friends can compound these feelings. But, there is plenty of hope!In this episode hear two rural women speak candidly about how they experienced post-natal depression, overcame it, and now want to change the unhelpful (and frankly harmful!) myth of the perfect mum:Steph Trethewey - Mum, founder of the Motherland Australia podcast and farmer in Tasmania.Jess Skermer - Mum and farmer near Hamilton, in south-west Victoria.Both...2022-02-0243 min
This Rural Life with Katrina MyersMotherhood Unlocked with Steph TretheweyOn today’s episode of The Rural Rockstar I am speaking with Steph Trethewy from Motherland- a podcast that shares the stories of Rural Mum from across Australia. If the name Steph Trethewy rings a bell, it’s likely from her time as a reporter on A Current Affair which took her to Brisbane, Melbourne and in the most romantic of ways, led her to her husband, Sam.In this podcast, I chat to Steph about falling in love with a farmer, leaving her life in the city for a farm in Ta...2021-06-2135 min
Life on the LandStephanie Trethewey created a podcast to overcome the isolation of rural livingIf you haven't grown up on the land the foray into rural life is often closely followed by a the feeling of isolation, being separated from your people and different from your normal environment where everything you knew was familiar and ordered. Isolation is definitely not unique to the bush it’s a challenge that so many mothers in rural Australia have experienced. Stephanie Trethewey is one of them and she’s making much of it. Her podcast, Motherland, interviewing ordinary and extraordinary rural Mum’s has had over 110,000 downloads. Her new vo...2021-03-1434 min
Seasons of Matrescence - The PodcastMatrescence Tale - Steph Trethewey | Identity Change, Career Changes, Rural Living, RelationshipsFull show notes: www.nikkimccahon.com/podcastepisodes/42Find Steph here: the motherland podcast.Discover Cocooned here: https://courses.nikkimccahon.com/cocooned--You can connect with me on Instagram @nikkimccahon and the Seasons of Matrescence Instagram account @seasonsofmatrescence.Website:https://www.nikkimccahon.comhttps://www.seasonsofmatrescence.comFree Discover Matrescence e-bookhttps://courses.nikkimccahon.com/discovermatrescenceFree Seasons of Matrescence quizhttps://www.seasonsofmatrescence.com/quiz2020-11-2247 min
Agtech - So What?Regen Ag Series #2: Sam Trethewey on applying startup business model insights to produce carbon positive beefSam Trethewey believes ‘regenerative agriculture’ is not a dirty word - but simply the future of farming. Astonishingly, he produces wagyu beef in Tasmania without actually owning any cows. He does this by combining insights about business models from startups such as Uber and Airbnb with the farming practices of regenerative agriculture.Sam grew up on the family farm in Tasmania before working in corporate agribusiness and marketing. In 2016, he co-founded SproutX, the first agtech accelerator in Australia.But in the last few years, he has returned to his first passion - the land itself. Sam runs the...2020-07-2935 min
Humans of Agriculture6: Humans of Agriculture - Sam & Steph TretheweyWelcome to Episode 6 – Today I'm chatting with Sam and Steph Trethewey of the Tasmanian Agricultural company.
Sam has been a strong advocate for the agriculture industry and the need for continual improvement, and has achieved this with various agribusiness roles & startups – he now has turned his hand to production Agriculture and with his partner Steph with a background of journalism and communications - they are a formidable force. They are building a business that relies on symbiotic relationship between nature, their animals and their management, this model of farming known as 'regen ag' is gaining traction. So is it the late...2020-04-2140 min
Motherland AustraliaEpisode 20: Stephanie SchmidtIn this week's bonus episode, I catch up with clinical psychologist, farmer and rural mum Stephanie Schmidt.We are facing unprecedented times at the moment due to the corona virus pandemic. And unfortunately, mental health is already declining for some families across the country.To assist mums that may be struggling, Steph has shared her own journey managing post natal depression, and discusses some tips and strategies to help rural mums through this difficult time.RESOURCES RECOMMENDED BY STEPH:Apps:Smiling Mind - daily mindfulness practices. The newly released Thrive Inside program is great.Mind The Bump...2020-04-0743 min