A Mother's Day reflection on the women behind Australia's farming families — and the quiet role they play in farm succession planning.
She's going to read this and cringe. Probably ring me and tell me off for making a fuss. That's just who she is.
But sometimes things just need to be said out loud.
For as long as I can remember I've been a bit of a restless bloke. Always searching. Dreaming Big. Always wanting more. Wired differently to most people that were around me and never quite sure what to do with that. There were times I was lost. Times I was shooting for the starts. Times I couldn't back myself to save my life. Times that as my mum put it “when my ambitions seemed to be outstripping my capabilities”.
Through every single one of those moments, my mum was there,… quietly in the background.
Not with all the answers. She didn't have a roadmap for the kid I was or the man I was trying to become. But she saw my potential. And she never stopped believing in what she saw — even when I couldn't see it myself.
She was my biggest champion. My biggest fan. But also my biggest critic when I got too big for my boots. “Benjamin, I didn’t raise you this way”.
In the moments I was too scared to back myself, she backed me instead. She pushed me — go get an education, go get some experience, go and find what you're looking for — even when neither of us knew exactly what that was.
She didn’t ask for credit. She just showed up, again and again, in the moments that matter most.
Today I get to do something I could never have imagined back in those early years. I get to walk alongside some of the most awesome farming families in Australia— helping them build legacies, strengthen their relationships, and prepare the next generation to carry it all forward. Except for being a father, it is the privilege of my life.
And I would not be here without her.
Which brings me to the mums on the land.
I see you. I see what you do. I see your value, every single one of you.
You are the backbone of your families. The ones who hold it together when everything is uncertain. The ones who are the rock for your kids and your husbands in the good and bad times. The ones who champion quietly, love fiercely, and ask for nothing in return. The ones who think ahead and make sure we do what needs to be done to protect family relationships.
Your families would not be what they are without you. And the legacies being built — across the decades, across the generations — are built on foundations you will never be given enough credit for.
So to every mum on the land — thank you.
And to my Mum, love you,
Ben
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Disclaimer: The information contained in this article is general in nature and for education purposes only. It is not financial advice. No one should act on the information without appropriate specific advice for your particular circumstances. Ben Law is a former financial advisor but is no longer licensed and cannot and will not give you specific or personal advice in this article. The Financial Bloke Group Pty Ltd accepts no responsibility for any loss or damage occasioned by any person acting or refraining from action as a result of reliance on the information in this article.