Resilience

Looking out over the dry red dirt, you can understand why the harshness of farming can make or break you. It is this love of the land and the struggle which comes with the embedded adversity of agriculture that fosters the resilience of those who work on this land. With Graeme as their patriarch and his wife Robyn supporting him, the Rogan family has maintained and prospered through a long history of droughts and floods.

As three generations of Rogan and Lancaster men farm ‘Benelong’, ‘Harlequin’ and ‘Willandra’, Graeme prepares to sign his portion of the farm over to his son Glenn. Supporting Glenn through the unpredictable rollercoaster ride of farming is his wife, Julieanne, and alongside them are their two young, sassy, and energetic children, Edward and Annabelle. The family centres their lives on Benelong and its future. Miscellaneous activities such as feeding the chickens, riding horses and practising archery are not only games to be enjoyed but also skills to master the farm.

Resilience is not an inherited trait, but it is the spiritual essence that ensures the continuation of this family’s legacy, a legacy that can be considered an integral part of St. George.

Part of a Griffith Univeristy collaborated project with Samantha Manchee.

Many thanks to the Rogan family for their hospitality, time, and efforts in helping us out with this photo-documentary project.

For more information on their cotton farm, visit their website.