Loving the land
Gary Walker
The photograph of an abandoned cattle station in the Kimberleys, Western Australia on the cover conveys a sense of desolation to me.
A woman in Brisbane had the same feeling as she watched her husband on their property when they lived in the country, scanning the sky for rain. They eventually had to leave the land, as their hopes were gradually strangled by drought and overdrafts from the bank.
People in Australia are now aware of the drought gripping the country as higher meat and vegetable prices and water restrictions make their strong impact on suburban living. Fortunately we do not suffer drought first-hand like farmers. ‘There’s no drought or starving stock on a sewered suburban block’… sings Eric Bogle, the balladeer.
Suicides among farmers show the depth of their despair. They don’t want to end their lives but don’t know how to continue living with the slow death of a property that may have been in their family for generations.
We know that aboriginal peoples have a profound connection with the land. In ignorance some people believe that farmers have only a commercial interest in their land. We don’t often hear how much country people love the land. They love it - passionately. Loving God’s creation is a natural instinct for people in touch with the earth.
