Marie Scott is a well-known and respected woman in the Balranald district.

She recently spoke at the Hatfield Happening, sharing her story with other women.

“Nothing from my previous 20 years of living in town at Balranald could have prepared me for my new married life in the back country,” Marie chuckled.

Marie’s father, who was a shearing contractor in the area, predicted Marie would not last more than 12 months. How wrong he was.

After 56 years on the land, Marie is going strong. She vastly enjoys life on the land, but conceded it has not been without challenges over time.

Some of the hardest times of life on the land were the many droughts and horrific dust storms, especially the 1992 drought, which dragged on for many years.

There were many bushfires in the district, and a particularly devastating fire in 1974 which burnt 750,000 acres, thousands of sheep, many kilometres of property fencing, and telephone lines, causing mass evacuations.

Marie and her family suffered flood events where sheep were marooned and were only able to be reached by horseback and dragged through water to be saved.

“One of my saddest memories was watching my husband having to dispose of sheep during the drought as we could not sell them. They had no commercial value, as the price had fallen both out of the sheep and wool market,” Marie recalled.

“All the starving people in the world and this happened; it was very hard to comprehend.”

Marie became an unqualified nurse; she had no other choice. Over time, she was the one who dealt with many cuts, bruises and medical dramas. Medical services were what felt like a world away.

Over time, living conditions became much easier.

Sealed main roads were constructed all the way to Ivanhoe, which was highly valued as Marie and her family got bogged many times in the mud after the rain.

There was a mail delivery service implemented and carried out twice a week.

The family had mains electricity installed in the house in the mid-80s.

“We went from 32-volt generator with very few appliances available,” Marie recalled. “It cost us $30,000 to get power connected, which was a huge amount of money in those times.”

Refrigeration progressed from kerosene, to gas and then electric.

Other roles Marie filled over time were shearer’s cook, animal caretaker, ICPA Branch member and President, involvement in the school’s Country Area Program, involvement in the Rural Counselling Service, Clare Sports Club Secretary, part of the Clare Christmas Tree Committee, Hatfield Ladies Committee, Volunteer to Balranald Arts and Crafts and St Vincent de Paul, President of Ivanhoe CWA and current Secretary of Ivanhoe CWA.

She credits her husband as being very patient, except for when in the sheep yards.

One quite difficult time to get through for Marie was motherhood. While a proud and devoted mother, she told the crowd at Hatfield Happening after raising her first child, the other four seemed a breeze, although a blur.

“I suffered what I now understand was undiagnosed Post Natal Depression after the birth of my third child,” Marie said.

“Support services were not available at the time, so I had to suck it up and get on with life. I thank my lucky stars for a very supportive husband and Sister Dawn Greenham, who was a child healthcare nurse and conducted home visits.”

Marie giggles when she looks back on the antics of her sons.

“I think we all sighed with relief when automatic phones replaced party lines.

“My children would love to pick up the party line, have a talk and then leave the phone dangling off the hook, which made us quite popular,” Marie laughed. “Nobody could make a call.”

If she didn’t already have enough to do with running a farm, her many roles and raising five children, Marie was an instrumental force in getting the Hatfield and Clare School established.

She battled tirelessly for this important cause, lobbying with politicians and NSW Education hierarchy to get the needed school for the education of increasing numbers.

Forty years later Marie’s grandchild attends the school, like his father before him. Prior to establishment of the school, two families operated a subsidised school at their properties with governesses.

After primary school Marie’s sons attended Assumption College for most of their secondary education.

“We spent most likely the cost of another property with school fees and the thousands of kilometres travelled over the years,” Marie said. “We still keep in touch with some of the teachers they had over time.”

Declining community population was also a great loss, causing the closure of Hatfield School, and the loss of community events. Improvements in technology have changed life on the farm and the way they do business.

Internet from satellite to homestead allows their business to run instantly, resulting in being able to keep connected to business contacts, buy and sell stock, book keep, monitor bores, checking watering points, all without travelling great distances.

“We can now sit in our lounge room and watch our grandsons playing football in Adelaide,” Marie said happily. “Television via dish as well. Mobile phones work at the homestead but there are many black spots out in the paddocks.”

Her five sons have always been considered by Marie as her greatest asset, although they were rather mischievous.

“They are Scott fifth generation farmers, and have enabled us in various ways in continuing to build up our farming enterprise, Merino sheep,” she said.

“The ‘boss man’ wouldn’t have it any other way, but the descendants are working on him to change breeds.

“They have also produced 13 grandchildren, some of whom we hope will continue their grandfather’s dream to continue life like this on the land where we have made so many special memories.

“It has been so hard to put all these years into a condensed writing, not being able to tell all the wonderful, weird and amazing things I have seen and enjoyed in my time in the back country.

“I implore people to put up their hand and fight for their community; nothing is too hard to accomplish, don’t let anyone say something can’t be done.”