Article by Ali Smith, courtesy of Wee Waa News.
Goosebumps. Admiration. Jubila-tion. Exhilaration. Relief. Pure joy.
It’s hard to choose just one word to describe all the feelings in the air at Rowena on the weekend, but it sure was something special. Extraordinarily special.
The Rowena Pub might be one of the most popular watering holes in the bush but it’s not every day more than 100 people line the village’s main drag cheering to warmly welcome home a courageous 27- year-old farmer, riding into her hometown on horseback.
After nine-months on the road, 5500 kilometres of highs and lows, countless visits to rural communities across Queensland and NSW, and bucket loads of money and awareness raised for charity; local legend Sarah Wheeler returned to Rowena on Saturday.
A small but mighty village on the North West’s black soil plains.
Sporting a big, bright smile and wearing her late father Gavin’s hat, Sarah crossed The Outback Long Ride’s finish line at the Rowie Pub, conquering an epic challenge, experience, and fundraising feat.
Sarah was saddled up on her trusty horse Shifty and leading her equally loved companion Sally as she headed down the familiar and well-worn road to the iconic Rowena Village Inn, kicking off a memorable ‘welcome home’ bash with a well-deserved beer.
The adoring crowd celebrated, old and new friends gathered out the front of the pub, applauding and holding up signs, ‘We love you Sarah’ Young cowgirls and boys looked up from beneath their brims in absolute awe as they snapped a selfie with their new hero. And friends of Sarah’s much-loved parents – Terri and Gavin Wheeler – watched on with sheer pride and happiness.
It was a beautiful bush scene. Sarah was home.
And she was quickly embraced by two of the Wheeler sisters – Jessie and Millie.
“My parents would have really loved to have been here. The ride was for them, in their memory and honour,” Sarah said during the official speeches and auction.
“I hope they’d be really proud of me and looking down on me and smiling.
“And just having all these people here, together – all these old faces that I haven’t seen for a long time, for years. Thank you so much for coming and have a good night.”
In May last year, Sarah embarked on what was described as “the adventure of her lifetime to help others and heal”.
Determined to turn the double tragedy of losing both her parents into motivation and inspiration, Sarah set out on The Outback Long Ride to raise awareness and funds for the Pancare Foundation as well as her own charity- A Daughter’s Way.
The Pancare Foundation supports families and funding research for upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers.
Pancare Foundation chief executive officer Doug Hawkins and project manager Maryanne Coffey were in Rowena to welcome Sarah home from The Outback Long Ride and show their gratitude for her amazing advocacy.
They said the foundation provides funding for research for the five upper gastrointestinal (GI) cancers – pancreatic, liver, biliary, oesophageal, and stomach cancers.
Explaining how each year more than 8,000 Australians will die of an UpperGastrointestinal (GI) Cancer. This accounts to one in five cancer deaths.
The five-year survival rates for Upper GI Cancers in Australia today remain worse than outcomes for all cancers observed in 1975.
The other important cause close to Sarah’s heart, her own charity – A Daughter’s Way – aims to provide benevolent relief through outdoor experiences to people impacted by tragic loss, grief, bereavement, illness or trauma.
“This is not a race – this is about a journey of healing and hope with my beloved horses, whose welfare will be my priority,” said Sarah before she set-off on The Outback Long Rid last year.
“It’s about a trek and a destination while raising awareness and funds for cancer research into the rare upper gastrointestinal cancer I lost my Mum, Terri, to.
“It’s about honouring both my parents and drawing on the grief and loss I’ve experienced to move forward and hopefully do something worthwhile at the same time.”
Sarah’s father Gavin sadly died several years ago suddenly and unexpectedly from an enlarged heart.
Feeling broken and lost in the wake of losing her parents in such a short time, Sarah said she wanted to do
‘something meaningful and something that would help her to find focus’ while helping others.
After months of planning,
soul-searching and dreaming. Sarah decided The Outback Long Ride was the best way she could make a difference.
And she was right.
At Sarah’s welcome home party, it was announced close to $500,000 had been raised for Pancare through Sarah’s ride.
And while, Saturday signalled the end of The Outback Long Ride kilometres, it was the beginning of an exciting new chapter with an auction held at the Rowie Pub to kick-start Sarah’s new charity, A Daughter’s Way, with a generous boost of $33,000.
Not only has Sarah raised bucketloads of money for charity but the local legend has become a national inspiration, attracting the attention of mainstream media outlets, thousands of social media followers, and meeting countless characters and community members along the way. Sarah has used her profile to spread positive messages and raise awareness from Julia Creek to Mount Isa, Hay to Bourke and beyond.
She’s witnessed spectacular sunsets in towns like Tambo, rode her horses straight to the bar for a beer at the famous Collie Hotel, and made friends for life as people opened their homes and hearts to help and support her quest.
For Sarah, The Long Outback Ride did become a journey of hope and healing too.
“During my time on the road, 1 discovered that talking about my grief was truly healing” Sarah said during her speech on Saturday.
“Being on the horses made me reminisce about the times I would ride with my dad in the paddocks at home.
“And how we would go to shows with my mum.
“Being on the road, with nothing around and only myself and my thoughts made me think about my mum and all the times she would go to shows – do the braids in my horse’s manes and tails and put makeup on them.
“Thinking about those memories would make me so emotional, but over time, the more I thought about her, the more I felt happy that 1 had those memories.
“The Outback Long Ride has taught me a lot about myself and a lot about other people.
“It has taught me to tell my story and other people will open up and tell me theirs.”
Sarah spoke about overcoming challenges with the unwavering support of others, including close to the start line when she wondered if she’d make it.
“Two to three days before I set off it rained…. And I took that as a sign that maybe I just wasn’t ready, said Sarah.
“I’m so glad I waited, and when I did set off, it was the 8th of May 2024.
“My horses wouldn’t walk, and I had to walk seven kilometres on foot after the first 10ks.
“They wanted to turn back and go home.
“I thought that’s what it was going to look like for the whole ride. And that’s when I realised how tough it was really going to be.
“Day one, I felt excited. It was a new adventure.
“But by day three, when I had to slog it out in black soil, rain and over the bridge at Walgett, I broke down in tears and actually filmed myself saying that 1 wanted to quit,” Sarah recalled.
“I had so much weight from the rain and so much weight on my brain from my hat.
I was fortunate enough to have my sister Emily with me for the first week.
“There are so many people that I need to thank because without these people, the ride wouldn’t have happened at all, said Sarah.
“Thank you, Pancare. Thank you Maryanne and Doug
“Thank you Nicole from Rabobank, Nutrien and CRT for the hay and the mix.
“Thank you John Lordan saddles for donating this saddle to me that I’m going to auction off tonight.
“Thank you to Horseland for providing me with so much stuff from Horseland – weather beater rugs.
“Thank you, Brown Davis, for installing a long range fuel tank in my car.
“I can tell you now, I wouldn’t have made it to some places if I didn’t have that.
“Driza-bone and Rossi boots, they kept me warm.
“And when I was walking on foot for 18 kilometres a day, when 1 wanted to give my one horse a rest, I walked on foot 18 kilometres a day, every day from Julia Creek to Narrabri, and that was in Rossi boots for a fair chunk.
“For today, I’d like to thank the Lions Club Wee Ware, the volunteers who have helped to cook the barbecue, for everyone who has put their hand up to cook, sell raffle tickets, and be part of the setup – thank you.
“To all the small businesses and individuals who have contributed to the fundraising, auctions and raffles, we wouldn’t have made the money that we did without these items and services provided by you.
“Support drivers, without the support drivers, I wouldn’t have been able to keep riding.
“There were times where I had to stay in a town for one week to two weeks because I couldn’t find a support driver.
“I’d go around to caravan park and people would say, ‘yep, I can do it:
“I had a couple in their 70s come out and they stayed with me for two whole weeks, and I had to teach the lady how to drive a manual the day before we left around Julia Creek.
“Jen and Sid Brummell at the Rowena Pub, thank you for holding this event and for helping me organise a welcome home.
“And to all the rural communities and pubs in the bush for holding fundraisers who rallied together to make a massive contribution, to get to my goal of $250,000 for the Pancare Foundation.
“I actually, I can’t believe that (amount).
“Before I set off, my goal was $100,000, that is what I wanted to raise, and I raised that before I even set off.
“And then I made the goal $250,000, we raised it just as we got to Collie, and then literally last night, the beautiful Logan Family Foundation, they transferred $200,000 nearly getting us to $500,000.
“T’d really love to thank my family and the people who are closest to me for supporting me throughout the whole journey.
“Thank you for all of the pickups from the post office, letting me stay with you when I’ve needed it, for the late-night phone calls, the tears, and the times that 1 just needed to hear your voices. Thank you.
“Thank you so much guys, I really hope that you have a great night and all proceeds from this auction will be going to A Daughter’s Way.
“We are going to take out anyone who has lost a loved one, a family member, a friend on a hiking trip or a kayak, a horse ride.
“We’re going to have mental health professionals, psychologists, and counsellors out on the road with us.
“It’s just going to be a place where they can learn the tools to navigate and channel their grief.
“I think that that’s really important, I think getting outside is really important and surrounding yourself with other people who have lost a loved one in their life.
“So that is A Daughter’s Way, and anything that is made tonight will really help me to set off on the first expedition next year in 2026 – thanks everyone.”
One of the most touching moments on Saturday happened during the auction for A Daughter’s Way charity.
The major auction item was Sarah’s saddle, made by John Lordan who she described as ‘one of the most incredible saddlers of all time’ and ‘one of my father’s great mates?
It was auctioned off but then quickly gifted back to Sarah by the generous bidder.
Kindness and community spirit at it’s best. Saturday’s gathering was reminder that when tragedy strikes a rural community, country people sure do know how to rally. And one of those kind people leading the charge was Kaitie Nash.
Kaitie Nash is known to many as a rural superstar on social media, where the former ‘city chick’ posts hilarious and relatable ‘First Time Farmer’ videos of her transition to country life working alongside her husband Will as the raise their young family on their property.
The positive power of connection saw Kaitie and Sarah strike up a friendship on social media and resulted in Kaitie stepping up to support crew duties for part of The Outback Long Ride.
On Saturday, Kaitie shared a special poem about her friend Sarah and how she’s ‘paving a daughter’s way:
I didn’t have a daughter, but if I did, she’d be like you.
Golden like the sun, resilient and humble too.
She’d be strong in the heart and steady in her mind, brave beyond her measure.
She would be the life of the party and the gentle soul that you will treasure.
Her smile would be warm, and her eyes would softly glimmer, Shed move with the wind and settle where it takes her.
She would be just like you, a different kind of breed.
Something rare, something beautiful, unfortunately, not often seen.
She’d be born into the world of golden acres, black soil, green pastures.
And a work ethic from the ages.
She would welcome you, no matter the clothes on your back:
Her house would be your home with laughter by the stack.
If you shake her hand with a smile and your word – she will sow or cut or bale, shed even muster your wandering herd.
She would live her life knowing there isn’t another chance.
And then she’ll grow to be a woman, learning heartache and romance.
She’ll wear many hats, someofwhich she will not choose.
She’ll still wear them with pride and honour herself, no matter what, win or lose.
She’ll stare darkness in the eye and carry the weight of grief.
The loneliness will linger, and like you, she’ll carry on, rising through defeat.
She would pick herself up, dust herself off.
She’d find the pieces she thought were last.
And slowly but surely, she would ride again.
She’d cover some country and her heart would mend.
I didn’t have a daughter, but if I did, I must say – I would want her to be just like you, paving a daughter’s way.
