![Stephanie Trethewey (right) with Tresillian nurse unit manager, Kerry Ennis (second left) , Upper Lachlan Shire councillor Jo Marshall (right) and Tresillian staff, Julie Wigmore and Trish Rodriguez. Picture by Louise Thrower. Stephanie Trethewey (right) with Tresillian nurse unit manager, Kerry Ennis (second left) , Upper Lachlan Shire councillor Jo Marshall (right) and Tresillian staff, Julie Wigmore and Trish Rodriguez. Picture by Louise Thrower.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/FkT3ZusFw5YrTvZCipmLUF/553ffcf9-870e-4ff1-9cd4-1b00146ee62c.JPG/r0_48_4288_2792_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
Stephanie Trethewey openly acknowledges she was unprepared for the isolation of rural life and its challenges for a new mum.
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But the former television journalist, from Tasmania, turned her experience into an Australia-wide program that has helped others.
On Wednesday, The 2022 AgriFutures Tasmanian Rural Women's Award winner shared her story at Goulburn's newly opened early parenting service, Tresillian. She spoke there and in Crookwell as part of International Women's Day.
Ms Trethewey, a former Channel 7 and 9 reporter, started Motherland, a charity that provided postnatal care for mothers. It started with podcasts about her own experience and grew to an online network of mothers' groups (Motherland Village) and a resource centre.
As she told a small gathering on Wednesday, Farmer Wants a Wife episodes were no preparation for her move to Tasmania in 2019 and rural isolation. Her new husband, Sam, had decided to move from Rockhampton back to the land.
"When my son was six months old, I started struggling with my mental health, I lost contact with people...and went to a dark place," she said.
"There's a lot of stigma attached to rural life. I felt the pressure to be tough (but) the myth that you have to be resilient is BS."
It spurred her to start weekly podcasts about her own and others' experience. So far, they've been downloaded 500,000 times.
After daughter, Evie, was born, Ms Trethewey said her mental health deteriorated again. It prompted her to survey mothers and found that 50 per cent of rural women had no access to a mothers' group. More than 90 per cent suffered anxiety and depression.
Motherland, an online mums' support group was born in September, 2021.
"I was building the bike while riding it," Ms Trethewey said.
Today it has 15 'virtual villages' and connects more than 100 mothers. Motherland offers a six-week online rural mothers group program, live zoom sessions, advice and support, and referral to other agencies.
The program caters for parents of children aged 0 to 3, four to 10 and 11 to eighteen.
The initiative is now a registered charity, with a board. Currently, it is rolling out more videos.
![Tresillian nurse unit manager Kerry Ennis is spreading the word about the new family support service in Bradley Street. Picture by Louise Thrower. Tresillian nurse unit manager Kerry Ennis is spreading the word about the new family support service in Bradley Street. Picture by Louise Thrower.](/images/transform/v1/crop/frm/FkT3ZusFw5YrTvZCipmLUF/fea2c8c9-8c57-4b9b-89b3-10df252b123c.JPG/r0_0_4288_2716_w1200_h678_fmax.jpg)
"We are now sending women back to properties knowing there is a community there for them. It is about social connection and support," Ms Tretheway said.
Today, she directs Motherland and sits on the Australian Advisory Council of Thankful4Farmers. She is also the co-founder and director of brand and marketing for the Tasmanian Agricultural Company, which she runs with her husband.
Tresillian's nurse unit manager, Kerry Ennis, said Ms Tretheway's initiative very much aligned with the organisation's goal and they would explore ways to work together.
The service, at 92 Bradley Street was launched by Goulburn MP, Wendy Tuckerman, on February 24, and opened on March 1. It provides families with access to specialist support on early parenting issues, including breastfeeding and bottle-feeding, infant settling, toddler behaviour and peri-natal anxiety and depression.
Gidget House perinatal mental health counselling services will be co-located in the building, along with an educator.
Mrs Ennis, a former child and family health and paediatric nurse, said Tresillian could do virtual consults with parents.
"You might be in the middle of nowhere with a baby not sleeping but you can make a call and receive advice," she said.
People can also book appointments for consultations.
For more information, contact Tresillian on 4826 9940 or visit the website at https://www.tresillian.org.au/locations/tresillian-in-southern-goulburn/
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