Lindsay's triumph from adversity

But in fact there are many more roles which occupy the Kondinin woman's time, which is why husband Grant says she has a never-ending supply of compassion.

It is this compassion which saw her named Australia's most outstanding woman, in the recent 2011 Casella Wines Rural Women's Award.

Lindsay and Grant plant 2700 hectares of crops throughout their five farms in Kondinin, and while they employ an extra person during seeding and harvesting, they otherwise run the farm themselves.

And while she is now completely at home on the farm, Lindsay's journey to this point was a long and often tragic one.

Lindsay was born in England but moved to WA's South West with her family when she was young.

It was here she met and married her first husband, and the couple had four children.

Tragically, Lindsay's first child, who suffered from disabilities, died at the age of just two.

In 1993 Lindsay's second-born son was killed in a car accident, and just two years later, her first husband died in a freak accident.

Despite suffering through such sadness, Lindsay has now become a source of inspiration and comfort for others in the small Kondinin community.

She moved to Kondinin in 1996 after meeting and marrying Grant, and it wasn't long before she became an intrinsic part of the community.

As well as being on the shire council, she is a member of rural groups including Roe Tourism, the Central Wheatbelt Visitor's Centre and the Wheatbelt Business Network.

She has also formed a strong bond with the local Nyoongar women and organises regular yarning circles, so they can share stories and seek counseling.

"Every one of those ladies shared some really deep things about their lives," Lindsay said of their first meeting.

"I was really honoured they felt they could do that.

"People shared the difficulties they faced and from then on I came to become friends with some of the ladies and started offering them support and help."

Lindsay received funding through the State Government's Bringing Them Home program to be able to support the local Aboriginal people, many of whom were from the Stolen Generation.

"I don't know how you couldn't have empathy for them," she said. "I just keep thinking if it was me in a similar situation.

"I find it so interesting and I've learnt so much about culture.

"I've got so much to learn and I feel lucky that I've been able to hear some of the stories."

Back on the farm, Lindsay and Grant are two weeks into harvest and while late rains affected the quality of their crop, this will be one of the biggest yields they have had in some years.

They described last season as the drought to end all droughts, which saw them only able to salvage 0.25ha/t.

This year, things are looking up and Grant said they expect to get 2.5t/ha from their wheat crops.

"This year has been amazing, yields have been great, we can't complain at all," Grant said.

"The rain has affected quality a little bit and we've had a bit of sprouting but we're getting through it."

Lindsay and Grant have five children and three grandchildren between them, but none of their children opted for a life on the land.

While they are disappointed they said they also understood.

Lindsay said while negative stories about life in the bush were common in the media, she loved her life on the land and wanted to portray the positive elements of farm life.

"Farming is great and we get to work together everyday."

"I was looking at the sky last night, all the stars were out and it was so clear and I thought how lucky we are."

Lindsay was awarded $10,000 from Casella Wines which she will use to continue her community work.

Grant nominated Lindsay for the award, and she said she was honoured.

"I do what I do because I don't think you can just sit back and wait for things to happen," she said. "It is up to all of us to try and change things that we see need changing, and I gain a real sense of achievement if I can play a role in enhancing and supporting my community."