the launch of ‘bush journal’ - brought to you by beauty in the bush collective

words and images provided by jessica howard, editor of the ‘bush journal’

“EXTRA! EXTRA! READ ALL ABOUT IT - BUSH JOURNAL IS ON STANDS NOW SO YOU BETTER GET AROUND IT!!” As newspapers disappear from the shelves of rural and regional Australia, a group of photographers is fighting back with a new publication that shares soulful stories and stunning images from beyond the city limits.

Printed on newsprint, BUSH JOURNAL is a vibrant reflection of the characters and landscapes of country Australia.

Volume 01 includes a feature on aerial photography, a day in the life of a young cattlewoman who manages a 400 square-km station alone, and a top secret bush wedding in Far Western Queensland.

BUSH JOURNAL is published by Beauty in the Bush Collective who are 11 creatives based all over Australia from WA’s Wheatbelt and Western Victoria; to North Queensland and Central New South Wales. They're all from an agricultural background, as well as being professional photographers and writers. Editor Jessica Howard says they’re not trying to replace local papers, but create something equally accessible. “Newspapers are a lifeline for country people and I know plenty of kitchen tables are missing reading material. Our mission is to shine a light on the beautiful creative work happening in the bush and to arm our readers with the skills and inspiration to tell their own stories.”

Photographer Georgie Mann is based on a sheep and cattle property in western Victoria and says the community has been a creative lifeline during recent lockdowns. "We've been unable to work or travel on and off for 18 months, so it's been wonderful to explore all of these beautiful landscapes and characters through the work of other rural creatives. In a time of Covid lockdowns and border closures, storytelling has taken on more importance, both as a means of connecting people to places they can’t visit and to each other.”

Howard says she's so excited by the quality of work emerging out of rural Australia. "What started out as a way of showcasing our own work to a broader audience has quickly become a growing community of truly talented rural photographers. BUSH JOURNAL just expands and deepens the way our community tells its stories."

We are extremely excited about this announcement and can’t wait to get our hands on a copy of the first edition, head here to purchase the BUSH JOURNAL today!