Community Highlight – Splitters Farm
Get to know your community
This week we sat down with Carly Clark, she shared the story of Splitters Farm in Bundaberg. The history of the farm, the animals and what she enjoys most about her work. Community Highlight - Splitters Farm.
Tell us how you came to be in business in Bundaberg? Are you a local? If not, how did you decide to live here? Hubby and I purchased a farm following an offer we couldn’t refuse when someone wanted to buy our house at a garage sale. We’d flipped a few rental properties and we though “why not flip a farm”? We purchased 160 acre dump in Sharon 5 years ago and with a lot of blood, sweat and tears the rest is history. Ashley is born and bred Bundaberg, I (Farmer Carly) grew up on acreage in South West Sydney in a place called Cobbitty.
What do you enjoy the most about your work in Bundaberg? Hands down working with animals. How do you feel you are contributing to your area/industry in the region? Each week we conduct practical training with TAFE & University students who are studying Animal studies or to become vets. With a lack of large animal vets in the region we hope that a few more come out of this. We give back to Mum and Dad business owners in the region through our ‘Pay it Forward’ initiative giving hardworking families a complimentary farm stay with us for the weekend free of charge. Then there are the obvious benefits of being an advocate for our region and the economic impacts to all businesses and the community by attracting visitors to our region.
What are your hobbies or interests? Music, Sport, Craft? You’ll probably laugh at this but I recently took up knitting again. It relaxes me and allows me to switch my brain off however I also studied visual art at University and love to paint & draw our animals in my spare time.
Where is your favourite place in the Wide Bay region? Why? I love the natural wonders and diversity of K’gari (Fraser Island). Farmer Ash and I were married on the beach and I just love being amongst the big tress in that rainforest equally as much as relaxing in the majestic waters of Lake Mackenzie.
What is something we may not know about you? Any hidden talents? I love to sing. As a teenager I even sang at the opera House in Sydney but I’m petrified now of being on a stage unless I’ve had a few bevvies. I’m more of a karaoke singer now and my go to karaoke song is Bon Jovi favourite ‘Living on a prayer’
What would you like to see change in Bundaberg in the future? More housing availability given the current climate and so many homelessness. Maybe to start a taskforce likeminded individuals that can share ideas and who have influence to mobilse these ideas to help the current housing crisis facing our community.
If you could have one wish for the region what would it be? The environmentalist in me wishes for more sustainable business practices while the farmer in me just wishes for more predicable weather patterns….regular rain, more consistent temperature for our farmers. We are seeing profound weather events at irregular times of the year and we are breaking weather records all over the place. Mother nature needs us all to stop, take stock and consider what can do prevent further climate change. We don’t get a second change at this.
You can visit Splitters Farm in Bundaberg 7 days a week. Learn more about Splitters here.
