Prior to working in her role at RFCS, Bonnie spent the majority of the last 10 years floating around QLD, NSW and VIC in the agriculture industry, trying a variety of roles until she found one she was passionate about. During this time, she worked in mostly seasonal ag – a cotton gin, grain harvests as a chaser bin driver then a header driver, a pen-rider at a feedlot, vintage seasons on the weighbridge and the lab, a rousie in the shearing sheds, a ringer during mustering season in NW QLD and a general farm hand. Bonnie loved all these experiences, noting it taught her a little about a lot. Bonnie has spent the other portion of her working life in hospitality – mostly pubs/hotels and although she enjoyed the social aspect, ag was always where she wanted to be.

Bonnie grew up in Bega, NSW and left to adventure the country a few years after graduating high school. Bonnie also spent six months on an exchange program in California, USA when she was 15-16, to which she credits her independence and willingness to explore solo. She still loves travelling, Australia and the world, but she’s now returned home to Bega hoping her 10 years of exploring and gaining life/ag experience can help her local community.

Bonnie is a Justice of the Peace for NSW and has currently paused her finance degree at uni to complete her financial counselling degree for her RFCS role which she considers to be her dream job.

Bonnie’s passion for being a rural financial counsellor comes from her time on the ground in the ag industry and seeing the devastation farmers faced during the decade long drought. She was working in a shearing shed when she walked out to see a devastated farmer with about 1,000 less sheep in the yards than he expected, and she enrolled in university the following week with the intention of finding a way to help farmers prepare for the bad times and survive the worst.

Bonnie loves a chat, so give her a call with any questions or concerns and she’d be happy to help in any way she can!