Drought was crippling the family’s lucerne farm in 2020 when Russell Jenner brightened his wife Jenny’s day with a bunch of store-bought sunflowers. Unknowingly, he planted the seeds for Kalbar’s annual Sunflower Festival. When Russell passed away with cancer in 2023, Jenny pressed on, and today the three-day Kalbar Sunflower Festival is a sell-out, raising thousands of dollars to support those dealing with the effects of cancer.

Some key points:
The impact of drought on farming and water management
Managing festival logistics and visitor numbers
Supporting local community and tourism
Sunflowers: the cultivation process
The positive impact of sunflowers on well-being

Drought was crippling the family&rsquo;s lucerne farm in 2020 when Russell Jenner brightened his wife Jenny&rsquo;s day with a bunch of store-bought sunflowers. Unknowingly, he planted the seeds for Kalbar&rsquo;s annual Sunflower Festival. When Russell passed away with cancer in 2023, Jenny pressed on, and today the three-day Kalbar Sunflower Festival is a sell-out, raising thousands of dollars to support those dealing with the effects of cancer.
Some key points:
<ul>
<li>The impact of drought on farming and water management</li>
<li>Managing festival logistics and visitor numbers</li>
<li>Supporting local community and tourism</li>
<li>Sunflowers: the cultivation process</li>
<li>The positive impact of sunflowers on well-being</li>
</ul>

R.M.Williams OUTBACK reangles its authentic, experienced lens on rural and regional Australia into the audio space. The hugely successful OUTBACK magazine has been published for 25 years and knows the Australian bush like nobody else. This podcast is inspired by the informative writing and spectacular photography in the magazine but is not limited to this content. Explore Australian news, events, stations, nature, art, people, history, gear, tracks, travel, pubs, towns and much more.

R.M.Williams OUTBACK reangles its authentic, experienced lens on rural and regional Australia into the audio space. The hugely successful OUTBACK magazine has been published for 25 years and knows the Australian bush like nobody else. This podcast is inspired by the informative writing and spectacular photography in the magazine but is not limited to this content. Explore Australian news, events, stations, nature, art, people, history, gear, tracks, travel, pubs, towns and much more.

R.M.Williams OUTBACK

Jenny Jenner: Turning a sunflower festival into a legacy cancer project

Michelle Leonard shares her journey from growing up in Coonamble, NSW< to leading Moorambilla Voices, an organisation transforming regional Australia's arts scene. Discover how her work promotes equity, cultural connection, and artistic excellence across remote communities.

Some highlights:
Michelle Leonard's background and upbringing in western NSW
The mission and impact of Moorambilla Voices in regional Australia
Programs and initiatives for youth and Indigenous communities
The significance of the upcoming gala at Sydney Opera House
Challenges faced by regional arts organisations and resilience strategies
The role of arts in fostering social justice and cultural identity
Intergenerational impact and alumni success stories
Future plans for Moorambilla and expanding artistic practice

Michelle Leonard shares her journey from growing up in Coonamble, NSW&lt; to leading Moorambilla Voices, an organisation transforming regional Australia's arts scene. Discover how her work promotes equity, cultural connection, and artistic excellence across remote communities.
Some highlights:
<ul>
<li>Michelle Leonard's background and upbringing in western NSW</li>
<li>The mission and impact of Moorambilla Voices in regional Australia</li>
<li>Programs and initiatives for youth and Indigenous communities</li>
<li>The significance of the upcoming gala at Sydney Opera House</li>
<li>Challenges faced by regional arts organisations and resilience strategies</li>
<li>The role of arts in fostering social justice and cultural identity</li>
<li>Intergenerational impact and alumni success stories</li>
<li>Future plans for Moorambilla and expanding artistic practice</li>
</ul>

Bringing art experience to the bush for 21 years: Michelle Leonard, founder of Moorambilla Voices 

Ockert Le Roux's journey from a young boy with a camera to a renowned photographer and forestry expert is a testament to the power of passion and the beauty of the natural world. Ockert's love for photography sparked in 1976 during a school camp, where his father handed him a 1958 Pentax. His
Ockert's career path took him through forestry, ultimately leading him to Australia. His background in forestry has enriched his photography, allowing him to capture the landscapes and environments he loves.  

Ockert Le Roux's journey from a young boy with a camera to a renowned photographer and forestry expert is a testament to the power of passion and the beauty of the natural world.&nbsp;Ockert's love for photography sparked in 1976 during a school camp, where his father handed him a 1958 Pentax. His Ockert's career path took him through forestry, ultimately leading him to Australia. His background in forestry has enriched his photography, allowing him to capture the landscapes and environments he loves. &nbsp;

Seeing the wood and the trees: the remarkable Ockert La Roux on forestry and photography

Terri Cowley speaks with Felicity Richards about her path from Flinders Island to law, government work and eventually back to farming. They cover her leadership roles at FarmSafe and Tasmania’s Biosecurity Advisory Committee, plus the practical realities of running three cattle properties with her husband Mark and raising three children. Felicity shares how volunteering helped her reconnect with rural life, why she believes safety on farms needs to be treated as a choice rather than an inevitability, and what she’s learning about sustainable land management across different environments. The conversation also touches on women’s growing visibility in agriculture and the next generation of farmers. Highlights include:
Felicity’s upbringing on Flinders Island and why she assumed she would not become a farmer
Studying law in Canberra and how administrative law led her toward government accountability work
Calling the ombudsman’s office directly to ask for a job and landing in freedom of information work
Returning to Tasmania, rediscovering farming through her parents’ property near Carrick, and seeing farm business from an administrative perspective
Volunteering at the Launceston harvest market and learning how paddock-to-plate producers connect with consumers
Meeting her future husband while mustering cattle and fixing a fence on the neighbouring property
Running an all-beef enterprise across three properties with roughly 6,000 to 7,000 head of mostly Angus cattle
Managing different land types on Flinders Island, near Launceston and in northwest Tasmania, and learning how each country behaves
Why FarmSafe exists, what it does, and the national focus on reducing fatalities and injuries on Australian farms
The biggest safety risks she sees on farms, especially side-by-side vehicles, tractors, speed and seatbelts
How a near-drowning incident with her daughter Esme changed her understanding of active supervision around water
Tasmania’s biosecurity priorities, including preparation for bird flu
Why she’s stepping back from some commitments while still staying involved with FarmSafe
Her interest in farm waste, silage wrap, hay wrap and the push for better compostable alternatives
The growing visibility of women in agriculture and the importance of acknowledging the admin side of farm businesses

Terri Cowley speaks with Felicity Richards about her path from Flinders Island to law, government work and eventually back to farming. They cover her leadership roles at FarmSafe and Tasmania&rsquo;s Biosecurity Advisory Committee, plus the practical realities of running three cattle properties with her husband Mark and raising three children. Felicity shares how volunteering helped her reconnect with rural life, why she believes safety on farms needs to be treated as a choice rather than an inevitability, and what she&rsquo;s learning about sustainable land management across different environments. The conversation also touches on women&rsquo;s growing visibility in agriculture and the next generation of farmers. Highlights include:
<ul>
<li>Felicity&rsquo;s upbringing on Flinders Island and why she assumed she would not become a farmer</li>
<li>Studying law in Canberra and how administrative law led her toward government accountability work</li>
<li>Calling the ombudsman&rsquo;s office directly to ask for a job and landing in freedom of information work</li>
<li>Returning to Tasmania, rediscovering farming through her parents&rsquo; property near Carrick, and seeing farm business from an administrative perspective</li>
<li>Volunteering at the Launceston harvest market and learning how paddock-to-plate producers connect with consumers</li>
<li>Meeting her future husband while mustering cattle and fixing a fence on the neighbouring property</li>
<li>Running an all-beef enterprise across three properties with roughly 6,000 to 7,000 head of mostly Angus cattle</li>
<li>Managing different land types on Flinders Island, near Launceston and in northwest Tasmania, and learning how each country behaves</li>
<li>Why FarmSafe exists, what it does, and the national focus on reducing fatalities and injuries on Australian farms</li>
<li>The biggest safety risks she sees on farms, especially side-by-side vehicles, tractors, speed and seatbelts</li>
<li>How a near-drowning incident with her daughter Esme changed her understanding of active supervision around water</li>
<li>Tasmania&rsquo;s biosecurity priorities, including preparation for bird flu</li>
<li>Why she&rsquo;s stepping back from some commitments while still staying involved with FarmSafe</li>
<li>Her interest in farm waste, silage wrap, hay wrap and the push for better compostable alternatives</li>
<li>The growing visibility of women in agriculture and the importance of acknowledging the admin side of farm businesses</li>
</ul>

Jenny Jenner: Turning a sunflower festival into a legacy cancer project

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