Motherland Australia

Weeks before Sonja Chrystal was born, her father was in a farming accident and became a paraplegic. Months after she was born, her mother packed her bags and left her paralysed husband and two little girls, and never returned. Her dad and her grandparents raised Sonja and her sister on a cropping and grazing property in the central west of NSW before Sonja found herself living and working in Sydney as a graphic designer. It was there that she met her fiance Jeremy, and the father of her son, Herbie, who just turned one. After her dad passed away, Sonja and her non-farmer husband decided to trade their life in Sydney’s Paddington and moved an hour from Dubbo so Sonja could run the family property. While running the property, Sonja and Jeremey decided to start trying for a baby. Things weren’t as simple as they hoped and after an operation, Sonja was diagnosed with stage 4 endometriosis. After booking in for a round of IVF, she then found out she was pregnant. Herbie was born in February 2024, but Sonja had never felt more alone. Sonja is a truly remarkable person and her story is unlike anything I’ve ever heard. From her incredibly unique upbringing, what it was like growing up without a mum, through to isolation, grief, a traumatic birth, a radiant sense of positivity, all while managing a property -  we discuss everything including the depths of her postpartum depression and anxiety that she’s been through and survived….. and how telehealth saved her life. This is Sonja Chrystal’s story.A quick warning today’s episode discusses mental health including birth trauma and PNDA if you or anyone you know needs help, please contact Lifeline on 13 11 14https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

When I say the name Liz Ellis, you probably think one of three things:One of the greatest Netballers our country has ever seen A very funny media commentatorThe winner of I’m A Celebrity Get Me out of here a few years ago.What you probably don’t think of is Liz Ellis the farmer. Liz, her husband of 25 years, Matthew, and their two children live on a farm in between Lismore, Ballina and Byron Bay growing beef cattle. Liz and Matthew bought the land 14 years ago when their professional sporting careers came to an end, Matthew as a former Waratahs rugby union player, and Liz as the captain of the Australian Netball team the Diamonds. Liz’s road to motherhood wasn’t as simple as she had initially thought. After falling pregnant easily with her daughter, Liz thought she’d be able to fall pregnant again with her second child. But after 3 miscarriages and IVF treatment, Liz and Matthew were ready to give up. But then, along came her son, in his own time. On this episode, Liz and I chat about it all - including farming, fertility, motherhood, and menopause. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

Phoebe White has had a lot of titles and lived in a lot of places in her 35 years. She’s been a PE Teacher in Sydney. A Fashion stylist in London. A High-profile real estate agent in Miami. But it’s the two she’s been given in the past eight years that light up her life, and have brought her home. The first is being a mum to her two daughters Camilla and Olympia, and the second, is being the custodian of a Mountain near her family’s property outside of Scone, NSW. Phoebe’s family have been farmers for 7 generations on “Belletrees” - one of Australia’s most famous rural properties. And she is the third generation to inherit Mount Woolooma, a piece of land with an architect-designed residence her grandparents commissioned as their own private retreat in the 70s. Now, the house on Mount Woolooma, the Woolooma Glass House, offers luxury accommodation on the side of the Mountain, and Phoebe and her husband Jonathan, Elle McPherson’s former wellness coach, run it. So how do you adjust from living the high life in Miami with supermodels as friends to running a family business in rural Australia? And what’s it like inheriting a mountain while raising your two young daughters? This is Phoebe White’s story.https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

At 56, Louise Taheny has lived a very big life. The twists and turns and setbacks have truly made her who she is today; a very remarkable woman, as you’re about to hear. Louise was born and raised in regional South Australia, and met her husband John, a farmer, in her early 20s. They knew they wanted a big family. First came Edwina, then Tom, Lucy, Will and then, their youngest, Hugo. After five children in six years, when Hugo was born, Louise knew instantly that things weren’t the same as her other babies. A few days after his birth, Hugo was diagnosed with Down syndrome, and that came with its own kind of challenges. More than a decade on, Louise’s husband had a stroke, and then unbelievably in 2022, their son Will was a passenger in a car accident that left him a quadriplegic. But just wait until you hear what both Hugo and Will have been up to despite their challenges. Over the years, again and again, everything Louise knew, particularly as a mother, was tested, but her positivity and love for her family has shone through all the hardships. So, after everything that has been thrown her way, what has she learned? This is Louise Taheny’s story. https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia

Whitney Spicer always dreamed of becoming a mum. What she didn’t expect was that a few sample pots of Bunnings paint would change the course of her life. While raising her babies, Whitney picked up a paintbrush again — and it grew into a thriving art career that now helps support her family. But behind the success is a huge identity shift: going from stay-at-home to the primary breadwinner, navigating guilt, grief, pressure and the constant juggle between creating and mothering. In this episode, Whitney opens up about her why, the lessons she wants to show her kids, and the courage it takes to back yourself when everything is changing. This is her story. Join Motherland Village in 2026. Limited spots available: motherlandaustralia.com.au/motherland-village/https://www.instagram.com/motherlandaustralia