Belinda Rasheed is no ordinary agricultural woman. From Jillaroo to head stockman to manager in the wilds of the NT while simultaneously owning and designing for online fashion house Longrass Style, she is a trailblazer for women on the land. Here’s her story.
Hi Belinda. Tell us a little bit about your work in the ag industry.
I grew up around Moree and Tamworth, before heading to boarding school in Sydney. I wasn’t sure what to do after high school, so I went to the Northern Territory for what was meant to be a year working on a cattle station north of Alice Springs. I stayed in that area for a few years, where I met my future husband. After that, it was time for a year travelling overseas. My future husband and I then took on a role at Brunette Downs Station in the NT and that began a nearly 10 year working relationship with AACo, from Headstockman to Manager roles. We then went off the edge of the Kimberly, where we stayed for 13 years.
How has having a career in the agricultural industry shaped your lifestyle - professionally and personally?
Working in the pastoral industry has shaped me as a woman, wife and mother. When I started at the station I was one of the few girls. Now there are many, and no one gives it a second thought.
I also started Longrass Style (alongside my sister Sophie) while I was managing Legune Station. I had four kids, 30 staff and plenty to do, however I was keen to do something other than cows and kids. We got to work sourcing Australian-made clothing and homewares that we loved and found hard to find. The focus was on linens and natural fibres. It took off, and was a lot of fun. We then found we couldn’t find the linen and silk we were after, so we decided to design and make our own - and this is Longrass Style as it is today.
What would you say to other women considering a career in agriculture?
There is no better life for a growing family and it is a heavenly world to grow up in for children. I have loved that the opportunities have really been there to work at a grassroots level. You can further your education and training in the industry as there are many facilities and scholarships to enable this. The network and community is also an enormously strong, supportive one and I have found that it encourages women to get involved and support each other. The fact that I have been able to work in a rewarding job and better my skills, raise a family and start and run Longrass Style and run our own livestock cartage/earthworks business is an example of what opportunities the rural industry offers.
Photo credit: The Rural Storyteller