The road to Betoota- Kate McDonald
Betoota, population:
0.
Betoota is Lorraine
Kath’s closest town. All that remains in Betoota is a boarded up pub and a race
track which is still used a couple of times a year.Lorraine lives at Mt Leonard Station which is located in the Channel Country, 220 kilometres west of Windorah. She lives here with her husband and 3 children. At Mt Leonard Lorraine is the station cook, domestic help, gardener, and of course, wife to Chook and mother to Cassandra, Leah and Jacob. Lorraine has also been the home tutor at Mt Leonard when her children were a bit younger.
Cassandra, Leah and Jacob- Lorraine Kath
Lorraine and Chook- Emily McCullagh
In her community,
Lorraine is the secretary of the Betoota Race Club and secretary/treasurer of
the Betoota Gymkhana Club. She is also a board member of Vast Arts.
Lorraine has lived in
the outback for 19 years and can’t think of a better place to live. She loves
the people, the events and the landscapes. She feels that her family live in an
amazing part of Australia. Lorraine couldn’t think of a
better place to raise a family than in the outback. The wide open spaces and
the freedom to roam is a wonderful experience for her children.
The hardest part of living in the outback is sending your
children off to boarding school. This year, Lorraine and Chook have sent their
2 daughters to boarding school in Townsville. The opportunities for them at
school are endless and they will continue to grow from the experience.
Each time they drop them off, their heart breaks but deep down they know it is
the best place for them.
Cassandra, Leah and Jacob- Lorraine Kath
Lorraine is a keen
photographer and has published books and calendars with her works. She is a
regular at all rodeos, campdrafts and gymkhanas capturing all the action and
the thrills and spills. Her landscape photography is impressive as well.
Lorraine loves photographing the country she lives in. The changing scenery and
colours never cease to amaze her.
Lake Nappanerica- Lorraine Kath
Lorraine’s role model is her grandmother Nellie. From a
young age Lorraine spent a lot of time with Nanna; she lived in her back
pocket. She loved spending time with her grandmother on weekends or helping her
cook Lorraine’s favourite dessert. Whether it was holiday visits to Yeppoon or fortnightly
grocery trips to the Sunshine Coast, Lorraine was with her grandparents. Nanna
is loving person who always has a smile on her face! If Lorraine can live a wonderful life and still be happy
at 91 like my grandmother then she knows she will be content.
If Lorraine has the chance to invite a special guest to
dinner at Mt Leonard it would be her grandmother Nellie and her grandfather
Bill. Unfortunately, Bill passed away when Lorraine was a child and her grandmother,
due to her age, is unable to visit. However she desperately wishes she could
make the trip. Lorraine would love to share with her grandparents the outback,
the place she calls home and where she is raising her 3 children.
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