Alison McLean on Community Resilience and Shaping Hay’s Future

Heather Parry: Growing the Great Yorkshire Show into a Year-Round Rural Destination

Heather Parry: Building Yorkshire’s Great Showground, Fodder Farm Shop, and Rural Community Support Charlotte Prouse hosts Regional Trailblazers and interviews Heather Parry in Yorkshire about her path from an urban childhood in South Manchester to farming in Lancashire, travel to Australia, and a career shift from London events at Earls Court to joining the Yorkshire Agricultural Society in 1993 as its first marketing lead. Heather describes growing membership from about 1,000 to 12,000, commercialising the Great Yorkshire Showground beyond the three-day show, and investing proceeds—seeded by a £15m land sale to Sainsbury’s—into year-round events, function rooms, an £11m pillar-free exhibition hall, and the sustainable Yorkshire-focused farm shop Fodder. She also outlines initiatives funded through surpluses, including farmer mental health outreach, grants for diversification and Nuffield scholarships, and Countryside Days for children. During COVID, Fodder pivoted to online ordering and deliveries. Heather now runs Expect Events and supports farm attractions and diversification learning trips. 00:00 Podcast Welcome 00:41 Meet Heather in Yorkshire 01:58 From City to Farm Life 02:59 Australia Trip and Early Jobs 05:31 London Events Career 07:23 Big Shows and Agriculture 09:27 Back North and New Role 11:50 Yorkshire Showground Growth 16:14 Commercial Expansion Wins 19:58 Go For It Mindset 21:53 Supporting Farmer Wellbeing 23:38 Farmer Grant Schemes 25:06 Education and Countryside Days 26:18 Fodder Idea After Crisis 28:49 Sustainable Farm Shop Build 29:35 Product Testing and Range 30:57 PR Through Food Competitions 31:48 Running Fodder Day to Day 33:48 Showground Ecosystem Growth 34:31 Building the Exhibition Hall 37:33 COVID Pivot to Deliveries 39:26 Leadership and Team Strengths 41:06 Next Chapter Expect Events 41:29 Holland Trip and Diversification 43:33 Final Thanks and Wrap Up

Alison McLean on Community Resilience and Shaping Hay’s Future

ALISON MCLEAN ON COMMUNITY RESILIENCE AND SHAPING HAY’S FUTURE In this episode of Regional Trailblazers, host Charlotte Prouse from The Destination Store sits down with Alison McLean  Executive Manager of Economic Development, Tourism and Energy at Hay Shire Council, property owner, and passionate regional advocate. Alison shares her journey from growing up in Orange to spending years in Sydney before returning to regional NSW, where she found a deep sense of belonging, resilience, and connection to community life. The conversation explores the realities of living in regional Australia, from navigating the Millennium Drought to the ongoing challenge of advocating for services, infrastructure and long-term opportunities for country communities. The episode also dives into Alison’s work in tourism and regional development, including the success of the Long Paddock touring route and the important role collaboration plays in building local pride and economic outcomes. A major focus of the conversation centres around Hay’s involvement in the Southwest Renewable Energy Zone and the opportunities and challenges that come with large-scale regional change. Alison speaks thoughtfully about the importance of community consultation, respectful conversations, education and ensuring local communities remain connected and informed throughout periods of transition. The discussion highlights the importance of balancing growth, agriculture, housing, infrastructure, and long-term legacy outcomes in a way that supports the future of regional communities. EPISODE CHAPTERS 00:00 – Welcome to Regional Trailblazers 00:41 – Meet Alison McLean 01:52 – From Orange to Sydney 03:23 – Why the Country Calls 06:19 – Living Through the Millennium Drought 08:05 – Fighting for Regional Services 11:41 – A Career Built Around Community 14:28 – The Long Paddock Tourism Route 16:55 – Alison’s Role at Hay Shire Council 18:36 – Understanding Renewable Energy Zones 21:16 – Supporting Community Connection During Change 26:35 – Creating Positive Local Outcomes 27:39 – Building Long-Term Legacy Opportunities 29:52 – Diversifying Regional Economies Beyond Agriculture 32:23 – Navigating Different Community Perspectives 35:14 – Farmers and Regional Conversations 38:15 – The Ripple Effects of Growth 39:45 – Lessons for Other Regional Communities 42:00 – Why Genuine Consultation Matters 45:02 – Building Trust Through Clear Planning 46:47 – Industry and Community Collaboration 48:45 – Advocating for Regional Australia 52:00 – Trailblazing Women Closing Listen now and discover a thoughtful conversation about leadership, resilience, regional identity and the future of country communities.

Jacinda Barry - Building Carinya Station (Extending the Table)

Episode Title: Extending the Table: Jacinda Barry on Building Carinya Station in Lightning Ridge Episode Description: In this episode of Regional Trailblazers, host Charlotte Prouse from The Destination Store sits down with Jacinda Barry of Carinya Station, just outside Lightning Ridge, NSW. Jacinda’s journey into agritourism began towards the end of the Millennium drought, on her family’s remote property 20 kilometres out of town. While still working off-farm, she slowly started building something new — a tourism offering grounded in real outback experiences. What began as a simple, barter-style camping setup has grown into a thriving farm stay and glamping business that now welcomes visitors from across Australia and beyond. This conversation explores what it really takes to start and grow a tourism business in regional Australia — especially in challenging conditions. Jacinda shares the early days of cleaning up the property with the help of visitors, navigating drought, refining her offering, and building a business model centred on connection, authenticity and what she calls “making the table longer.” Charlotte and Jacinda also dive into the importance of knowing your audience, backing your pricing, and leaning into networks and mentoring programs to build confidence and capability as a regional operator. One of the most powerful parts of this episode is Jacinda’s commitment to her community. Over the years, she has employed and mentored local high school students, helping guide them into their next chapters. From supporting a young woman into nursing to encouraging another to pursue agritourism studies overseas, Jacinda’s impact extends far beyond her business. This is a thoughtful and inspiring conversation about resilience, leadership, and the opportunities that can grow when you decide to give something a go even in the most remote parts of the country. Whether you’re interested in agritourism, small business, regional life or simply love hearing stories of people making a difference in their communities, this episode is not to be missed. ---------------------------------------- Key Topics: * Building an agritourism business in regional NSW * Starting during drought and overcoming early challenges * From barter camping to a successful farm stay * The importance of customer personas and pricing confidence * Mentoring young people and supporting the next generation * Creating meaningful, connection-led visitor experiences TIME STAMPS 00:00 Welcome to the Podcast 00:37 Meet Jacinda Barry 01:32 Buying Carinya Station 03:02 Barter Camping Beginnings 04:49 From Free Camp to Farmstay 06:05 Launching on Hipcamp 07:39 Make the Table Longer 11:43 Drought and Early Hardships 13:41 Networks and Coaching Support 15:15 Know Your Persona 17:41 Pricing and Value Mindset 20:05 Joyful Connection Experience 21:07 Loving the Work 22:22 Hiring Local Youth 23:02 Opal’s Growth Story 24:44 Izzy and Succession 27:21 Let Them Leave Return 28:52 Support Programs Reality 30:08 Buggy Tours Next 31:56 Designing Tour Offerings 33:55 Tourism Outlook Identity 37:54 Empathy on Farm Life 38:41 Advice Use Support 40:43 Community Network Thanks 41:47 Website Long Table Dreams 43:02 Final Thanks Wrap

Clare Lee - Windy Sation

What does it take to turn a 120-year-old wool shed into a thriving agritourism destination? In this episode of Regional Trailblazers, Clare Lee of Windy Station shares how rural heritage, community and courage came together on the Liverpool Plains