When she was growing up on her family's dairy and beef cattle property in south-eastern NSW, Rachelle Hergenhan wanted one thing - to become a farmer.
"I wanted to work with my hands as well as use my brain," said 35-year-old Rachelle.
"But people said I should do more than be a farmer. So I enrolled in a Veterinary Science degree straight from high school, and barely scraped through my first year."
Dropping out of university for a year gave Rachelle valuable breathing space.
"I needed time to think about my career some more and explore alternative pathways to working in agriculture,” she said. “I also realised that I needed to give myself a broader skills base."
So she worked for a year milking cows - a very hands-on experience that reaffirmed her desire to study and pursue a career in agriculture, despite the naysayers.
"The most valuable lesson I learned was that there is more than one way to go about things," Rachelle said.
"I also realised that you don't have to know what you want and where you're going to head before you start your journey. You can just start and follow your gut."
In the dairy, she developed a range of practical skills, a strong work ethic and discovered how to work with people.
Rachelle then enrolled in a Bachelor of Rural Science degree at UNE, did Honours and earned a coveted position in the then Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (now the Department of Agriculture) graduate program, working in Canberra.
"A lot of people had applied for the program and it was an enviable role, with guaranteed employment at the end of it, which was appealing," Rachelle said.
"I learnt a great deal; the training in government processes, communication, leadership and the like was fantastic, but it was all desk-based and I decided I wanted to do a PhD at UNE in animal behaviour and welfare instead."
After Rachelle submitted her PhD, she took on curriculum development and teaching roles, and "had babies" - first a son and then twin daughters.
She took 18 months off work after the birth of the twins, before taking on her current role with the UNE SMART Farms.
"Having children altered my career trajectory a fair bit but I had realised I wanted a rewarding career that enabled me to have a family, too, and for one not to be to the detriment of the other," Rachelle said.
"There were times when the girls were little that I didn't want to return to work at all. I just wanted to look after my family, and I certainly didn't think I could manage full-time work."
Rachelle also learned that work flexibility is vital.
"I didn't want my children to be in day-care a lot, so that meant being prepared to do random jobs in different areas and develop new skills," she said.
"Sometimes I thought I should apply for more senior positions, but I was always mindful of the sacrificing or balancing that would be required; I want to be able to attend my son's Easter hat parade and be free to look after the children if they are sick.
“The choices I made have given me that flexibility and a broad skill set."
It may have been an unorthodox career path, but Rachelle firmly believes in "trusting yourself and going with the flow".
"It wasn't always my intention and I don't have all the answers, but it's been a great approach for me and has actually brought me to where I always wanted to be.
"Everything you do informs you in some useful way. Whatever decision you make will be the right one, because you will make it the right one."
Today, as Industry Engagement Officer for the UNE SMART Farms, Rachelle has gone back to her roots in many ways.
And she and her husband manage their family farms spread across NSW, where they run sheep and cattle and do some cropping when the seasons permit.
“I now get to learn from and work with great people across agriculture and combine this with the practical side of things at home, while getting the kids involved in farming, too,” Rachelle says.
