WE'RE AUSTRALIA'S REMOTEST FAMILY!
New Idea|May 23, 2022
THEIR NEXT-DOOR NEIGHBOURS LIVE 30KM AWAY
Astha Gupta
WE'RE AUSTRALIA'S REMOTEST FAMILY!

A family that has stationed themselves in one of the remotest corners of Australia are in a race against time to save critically endangered animals from extinction.

Dr Rebecca West and her husband, Dr Reece Pedler, live with their children, Isla, 3, and Zac, nearly 1, in remote NSW homestead Fort Grey, a 450km drive from Broken Hill.

They are working as part of the Wild Deserts project, a 10-year partnership between NSW National Parks and Wildlife, Ecological Horizons and UNSW Sydney.

Their mission is to repopulate the beautiful Sturt Desert with native animals that have not been seen in the area for over a century, such as the greater bilby, western barred bandicoot and golden bandicoot.

The couple, who both grew up among wildlife, met nearly a decade ago at a conference in Port Augusta, SA. Within a month, Rebecca had moved in with Reece and, five years later, they tied the knot.

“I was completely in love with Reece, his love for the wild, his sense of adventure, but also with the beautiful Aussie landscape,” the 37- year-old mum says.

This story is from the May 23, 2022 edition of New Idea.

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This story is from the May 23, 2022 edition of New Idea.

Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 8,500+ magazines and newspapers.