Alyce Sutton of Three Springs  |  100x70cm Giclée Fine Photographic Print by Martine Perret (2024)

"My name is Alyce Sutton. I was born in Geraldton and grew up with Mum and Dad, three brothers and one sister. I did all of my schooling in Geraldton. I was interested in sports, mostly athletics, and when I left school I played basketball, netball, and women's footy.

My Mum was born and grew up in Carnarvon. Her family, aunties, uncles and my Nan later moved down to Geraldton. My Dad was born in Geraldton, he is Yamatji. My parents instilled respect in us. Respect was the main thing and the biggest thing they taught us. Respect your elders and don't backchat or be disrespectful. Respect where you came from and who came before you. I had a nice childhood, growing up in a stable environment with Mum and Dad and always had very supportive aunties and uncles around.

My parents encouraged us to get a job and be able to pay our own way. I've always tried to be as independent as I could. Once I graduated school I started working. I've done a bit of retail and driving HR trucks. I drove dump trucks at a couple of different sites.

My husband and I met in 2016. We got engaged a few months later and married in 2019. My husband started a job on a farm in Three Springs. I stayed in Geraldton to continue working. In July 2020 I moved to Three Springs to be with him. We bought a house and I started working at RedMac, an agricultural machinery dealership in Three Springs. People didn't know who we were, they were asking us, what's your story? They were very welcoming. I'm now working at AFGRI Equipment in Carnamah, which is a John Deere dealership.

I get to meet a wide variety of people and many farmers who travel far to get parts. Being a woman in this work took some adjusting to. I knew what I was doing but it took a bit of convincing I was capable of doing what men could do. I still have a lot to learn, but I like to think the farmers trust me to supply them with the correct parts they need to get their machines up and running so they don't have downtime. I feel I've earned the badge, but there's always room for improvement. Women can be just as good in the agricultural field as men.

Moving to Three Springs was very daunting at first. I had lived in Geraldton for 27 years. Geraldton was my comfort place. It's my home where I had family and friends. Coming out here was a big step. I was coming from Geraldton, with its beaches and shopping centres, to Three Springs which only has a pub, a post office, a supermarket. It was a bit of a culture shock and took a bit of getting used to, but the Three Springs community was awesome. They welcomed us in. When my husband moved in 2020, Covid-19 was entering Australia during the time of social distancing. He didn't have to worry much, because it was already quite socially distanced here. At the time, I was still in Geraldton, using masks and social distancing. When I moved here, it was a breath of fresh air. There's less traffic and Three Springs is a small town where everyone knows everyone.

I do miss my parents a lot, and my siblings too. But the beauty is that Geraldton is only an hour and a half away. I have done many a day trip to Geraldton to visit family, not just mine, but also my husband's family. My Mum, nieces and nephews have come to visit me as well.

I always loved regional and rural WA because without farmers and industries, we wouldn't be as rich as we are in WA. It's not just farming, but mining too. It all ties together. I've always had an appreciation for that.

If the farmers have a good year and crop, they get a good return on all their hard work. Then the towns benefit from it as well. But if they don't have a good year, you feel it, because it's not just them, it's everyone in it together. I can see how it can bring you down mentally. The towns are all very social offering winter sports, for a big chunk of the year. You're often socialising two to three times a week. It's great to keep you distracted or keep your spirits up. When you've got family around, or you've got friends around, it definitely contributes to a much happier life.

There are lots of activities to do. The Shire of Three Spring organises silo movie nights, which is great for the community to go down and watch outdoors. The off-road racing during the long weekend in September is also good. Everyone in the community goes out and people travel to Three Springs for it. The Shire has done an excellent job with our gym. I love to keep motivated to stay fit and healthy.

I think it's great we have communities out here who help each other out – everyone is very social and always willing to lend a hand."