WHEN Mara Proietti left her home in Italy in October 2013 to embark on an Australian backpacking adventure, she never expected it would last years.
The young lady had finished her three year degree in nursing overseas when she decided not to pursue her chosen profession and instead flew to Australia because “it has got better opportunities”.
She spent three to four months on the Gold Coast and the same in Sydney before moving to North Talwood, south east of St George, to take up a job working at the local pub.
Not only did she come to fall in love with the small rural community but a local farmer and as they say, the rest is history.
In typical country style, it was across the bar that love blossomed between Ms Proietti and the son of a local cattle and crop farmer, Brendan Oliver.
Now almost four years after starting her backpacking adventure, Ms Proietti has found her new home.
“I was just travelling, just going with the flow but sometimes things get more serious than you think,” she said.
Ms Proietti was part of the team of volunteers serving meals and collecting dishes at the Weengallon Pink Ladies Day yesterday attended by hundreds of women and she now works on local properties completing seasonal jobs.
While she has been back home a few times, and even taken her partner with her to meet family, Ms Proietti said she had no intentions of leaving Australia or her new country community.
“The people are just great,” she said.
“They are so welcoming. Everybody has got their own businesses but they make you feel welcome and it’s like a big family.”
She said not only was the community different to back home but so too was the landscape.
“It’s different countryside in Italy, it’s so small,” she said.
“I didn’t even know such a big thing (like the land here).”