General News
19 July, 2024
New rural counsellor
Sophie Ray (left) is taking over from Victoria Boag as the Nyngan based Rural Financial Counsellor.
For 16 years as farm businesses in the Bogan and Warren shires have ridden tidal waves of drought, flood, mice plagues, and ricocheting interest rates, there has been a steady hand to help navigate their way.
Victoria Boag has been the Rural Financial Counsellor based in the Nyngan office since 2007, providing valuable assistance to farm business so they can access federal and state government assistance and develop strategies for resilience.
However, as the new financial year rolled over, Victoria took her own advice that “renewal is good for everyone” and handed the office keys to Sophie Ray.
Stepping away from the job, and the many clients with whom she forged a strong working relationship with, was not a decision Victoria took lightly.
"I'm going home to work on the family property with my husband James. I really enjoy being outside and especially working with stock,” she said. “I feel that I've done the best that I could in the 16 years that I'm here, and renewal's good for everyone. It's good for me. It's good for my clients. So, I think it's time for me to go and do something else.”
Victoria, who has lived in the Nyngan district all of her life, has also served two terms on Bogan Shire Council and is currently deputy mayor. She is planning on standing again at the upcoming September election and is keen to encourage other rural women to consider being a councillor.
Following her own advice to farm business, Victoria was careful to make sure there was a satisfactory succession plan in place for her Rural Financial Counselling position. She admits she “dug her toes” in, insisting she be replaced by someone who was invested in the local area. “I wanted whoever took over to be based out here, and to have a good understanding of how rural business operates,” she said.
Sophie is no stranger to the district. She and her husband Andrew have worked on and managed several properties in the Bogan and Warren shires over the past 20 years and are currently at the H.E. Kater property ‘Colane’, north of Nyngan.
With their three children Archie, Harry, and Scarlett almost grown up, Sophie was ready to take on full time work and was looking to use her skillset which includes a diploma of farm management and years of practical assistance working alongside Andrew to manage properties.
Before moving to Colane, Sophie and Andrew were at ‘Chatswood’, Nevertire, and Sophie had been working as a teacher’s aide for the Warren High School for three years. “I’m now ready to get back to working in the agricultural industry because that it what I’m really passionate about,” Sophie said. “There’s no doubt I have very big shoes to fill because Victoria did such an incredible job for 16 years. She has spent two weeks with me going through everything and I’ve filled a notebook with her tips which will be extremely valuable. I will probably do things slightly differently but hopefully I can continue to provide that level of assistance. I’m now going through everything to bring myself up to speed with each client and letting them know I’ll be here from now on.”
Sophie will be working full-time in the role, as well as studying for a diploma in financial consulting. The Rural Financial Counselling Service program was created in 1986 in response to the financial difficulties facing the rural sector at the time – high interest rates, the deregulation of the financial sector, drought, and depressed commodity prices. It was initially intended as a short-term assistance measure but due to the program’s success, it continues to service rural communities across NSW. The organisation is fully government funded to provide free, unbiased, confidential, and professional advice to support primary producers.
Victoria acknowledged the generosity of both state and federal governments to assist primary producers recover from natural disasters. “There have been very generous initiatives, with grant funding and low interest loans that have been available,” she said. “There’s also been transport rebates, and the recent flood repair grants were an opportunity for people to improve their infrastructure.”
In farewelling her clients, Victoria said the benefits had worked both ways. “For all the assistance I gave them over the years, I gained plenty of inspiration and knowledge from them as well,” Victoria said. “Some of the people I worked with were very dynamic and very good at thinking outside the square and I’ve learned a lot from them.”
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