When Mathew Brockhurst became a paraplegic three years ago, he thought there was no chance of ever returning to work in agriculture.
The Kimberley cattleman was miserable and angry with life - until a weekend at his parent's farm in the Wheatbelt changed everything.
Now Mr Brockhurst is challenging his own beliefs and stereotypes about people who use wheelchairs.
The 26-year-old and his fiance Alice Purcell are cattle farmers at Gingin, run an aerial spraying business and hope to encourage others, who may face similar challenges in life, to keep following their dreams.
"I didn't want to change who I was or my identity just because I was in a wheelchair," Mr Brockhurst said.
"My goals and ambitions have stayed the same, it's just the way I do things that is different."
Life at Larrawa
Mr Brockhurst's roots trace back to the far-flung corners and outback red dirt of Larrawa station.
Growing up on the Kimberley, with a backyard covering 191,000 hectares, parents Kevin and Wendy and three older siblings Katherine, Stephen and John, he loved the station way of life.
"We were students at Kimberley School of the Air, which was great because we could leave the classroom whenever we wanted," Mr Brockhurst said.
"Our governesses, who taught us, were tortured.
"It wasn't easy for them, we didn't want to be in the classroom and our playground was out the front door.
"We would run rogue."
The Brockhursts moved to Broome when Mr Brockhurst was in year five and his older brother Stephen was in year eight.
Stephen didn't want to go to boarding school and Kevin and Wendy didn't want to force him.
Mr Brockhurst went on to attend WA College of Agriculture - Denmark, from year 10 and returned to Larrawa station after graduating - there he met Alice.
She was working as a stockwoman at the station and they have been inseparable since.
Mr Brockhurst always wanted to work in agriculture and his interest never swayed.
"When I studied at Denmark Ag I learned mainly about livestock production, but I didn't really care what trade I ended up working in," he said.
"I definitely fell more towards beef however, because I loved the Kimberley and that's what I grew up with."
After a stint at Larrawa, Mr Brockhurst and Alice moved to central Queensland in February 2021, where Mr Brockhurst took charge as head stockman on a station.
About eight months later, he broke his back and life changed forever.
Life changing accident
Mr Brockhurst still remembers the accident as if it were yesterday.
It was mid-afternoon in November 2021 - he and Alice were covered in red dirt and sweat, after a busy morning of cattle and yard work.
Temperatures had tipped over 40 degrees, and the couple needed to check water points and walk the last mob of cattle out before calling it a day.
They decided to chase an early knock off and split the jobs between them, with Mr Brockhurst tackling the bore run on his two-wheel motorbike.
The young cattleman was halfway through the journey and went around a corner, before realising there was a massive rock on the dirt road.
But it was too late.
"I hit the rock, went over the handlebars and crashed to the ground," Mr Brockhurst said.
"I tried to get up but couldn't move - I knew something wasn't right."
There was an unspoken rule at the station where if you weren't home by 5pm, someone would come looking for you.
Time ticked by and initial assumptions were that Mr Brockhurst was either bogged or had motorbike troubles.
He was found about two hours later, lying in the middle of the road, severely dehydrated and suffering from heatstroke.
"I straight off the bat told my manager I couldn't feel my legs," Mr Brockhurst said.
"He took my shoe off and pinched my toes to check to see if I could feel anything - but I couldn't."
Calls were immediately made to the Royal Flying Doctor Service (RFDS) and an ambulance arrived at 7.30pm.
Medical checks were done and Mr Brockhurst was put in a neck brace, before being driven to a private airfield and flown to Townsville.
Despite the medical emergency response, he did not think the injury was anything serious.
When scans revealed the extent was greater than initially anticipated, Mr Brockhurst was moved to Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane for major spinal fusion surgery.
"The main surgery was to fix my back because I had pulverised my T5 vertebrae - it had disappeared," he said.
"Surgeons had to fuse from T1 to T8, which is the upper part of my back to the inward slope.
"Tests were also done to find out where I had feeling too - I could not feel from my nipples down, everywhere was numb."
Mr Brockhurst was told it was unlikely he would ever walk again.
He was completely shocked, but at the same time swamped by medical information, tests and scans, so didn't have time to properly process the news.
Reality sank in about a month later, when Mr Brockhurst was moved to Fiona Stanley Hospital in Perth.
There he started rehabilitation, which involved muscle and weights work, and learning how to get dressed, cook, get in and out of the wheelchair, sit up straight and balance without abdominal feeling.
Very quickly he realised that being paralysed was more than losing function of the legs, it also affected the bladder, bowel and breathing.
Medical appointments were constant and are expected to increase or decrease over time, as Mr Brockhurst's body changes.
"They say you won't ever walk again, but you don't believe them," he said.
"It was not until a month in that I was like, 'Oh shit.. How am I actually going to get around the pastoral stations now?'.
"I never imagined doing anything other than work in agriculture, yet there I was.
"I remember thinking 'this is it, I will probably be stuck in Perth doing some desk job'."
Making agriculture work
Losing purpose was just as tough on Mr Brockhurst's body mentally, as the accident was physically.
It hit particularly hard, when he moved to the Spinal Rehab unit at Fiona Stanley Hospital and was overcome with feelings of isolation, sadness and anger.
At the same time, Mr Brockhurst suffered with immense guilt because his accident happened at work, whereas other patients were injured while swimming or bike riding.
"I struggled - I was still receiving an income and they weren't," he said.
"There were also a lot of people there who were quadriplegic and without use of their hands.
"For those reasons, I had a lot of guilt and needed to get out of there as quickly as possible for my own mental health."
Admittedly, Mr Brockhurst checked out of Fiona Stanley earlier than he should have and while he was in a better headspace, it was short-lived.
He hated being in Perth and felt like he had no purpose or drive to get out of bed each morning.
"I didn't know what my future looked like, I didn't know what to do, there were so many unknowns," Mr Brockhurst said.
"Physically I was getting better, but mentally I was struggling."
His mindset changed over a year ago, after spending a long weekend at his parents Kevin and Wendy's farm at Gingin.
His mum headed back up north and left Mr Brockhurst and Alice in charge to look after the property.
"I realised, with the support of Alice, I could make it work and fell in love with the idea of doing so," Mr Brockhurst said.
"It was like a gate had opened - that weekend changed everything for me."
Unlike in Perth, Mr Brockhurst was motivated to get up at 6am each morning, check on cattle and visit the orchard.
Even if nothing major was achieved for the day, he still felt important and relied on.
Independence, freedom and mobility
Mr Brockhurst and Alice moved to the family farm at Gingin in February 2023.
At the time, Kevin and Wendy were renovating the bathroom in the farmhouse, so it was wheelchair accessible, and were also looking to purchase a nearby property.
"I egged them on and the ducks all lined up in a row - because that happened we were able to move out here," Mr Brockhurst said.
"We kicked mum and dad out of their house and they purchased a new one."
The couple wasted no time in buying their own cattle and modifying the car and a buggy to support his needs.
Usually relying on Alice, the modifications gave Mr Brockhurst a sense of independence, freedom and mobility, as he was able to move around by himself.
From there, he realised he could actually do a lot more than initially thought.
"I got a taste for it and kept at it," Mr Brockhurst said.
Now there are about 240-head cattle at the property including a mix of Droughtmaster and Angus-Murray Grey cows.
Kevin and Wendy also truck Brahman cattle down from Larrawa station to be fattened up and sold, according to their weights.
Despite the country being in stark contrast to that of the Kimberley, Mr Brockhurst said cattle performed quite well at Gingin.
He said cattle were kept on the farm not for breeding, but to be sold.
"Although the paddocks don't look green from a distance, when you look down there are a lot of green shots hanging on.
"We rotational graze by running cattle in big mobs, before moving them quickly through paddocks every second or third day.
"Normally they would be sent on live export, feedlot and abattoir."
At the beginning, Mr Brockhurst and Alice were receiving income from WorkCover and separately from Kevin and Wendy for helping out on the farm, however, the payments were drawing to an end and the couple wasn't working enough hours.
They needed something else to rely on financially and, after some research, realised there was opportunity in agricultural drones.
Building a business
It took six months for Mr Brockhurst and Alice to get their business idea, Elite Ag Solutions, off the ground.
Initially, the pair wanted to draw on experiences in northern Australia by using drones for mustering cattle.
However, they couldn't find a model that was big enough or had enough battery life for the hours required.
Given the large number of horticulture and cropping properties in and around Gingin, Mr Brockhurst and Alice chose to tap into aerial spraying, fertilising and seeding instead.
"We do multispectral drone imaging to create a detailed picture of the health and condition of crops," he said.
"This can help farmers to make informed decisions depending on how their crops are performing.
"The drone can identify what a crop is yielding and where there are problems like mice, waterlogging or weeds.
"We can fly to areas where there are mice and drop poisoned bait to deal with it."
With flexibility to move above the ground, the drone can access hard to reach areas including hilly or rocky country.
All Mr Brockhurst does is put the seed or fertiliser in the drone, maps out where it needs to go and how much needs to be dispersed per hectare.
"The idea is the farmer supplies us with the seed or fertiliser and we provide the drone service," he said.
"Instead of driving a tractor out over an entire paddock, the technology will hit the spots it has been designated to.
"Mustering is still something we want to get into, and it has also been suggested that we look at carbon footprint mapping."
While he is new to cropping, the business has helped Mr Brockhurst stay involved in agriculture, despite his injury.
For him, the people and community lifestyle has played a massive part in why he loves the industry.
"When you talk to people who have similar interests the conversation is easy and flows," he said.
"You talk about what you are doing and how you can be better.
"We came into this not knowing anything about farming in southern WA, so we have been picking people's brains and learning as we go."
Better access for rural areas
Since his injury, Mr Brockhurst realised just how difficult it is for wheelchair users to access certain facilities in rural areas.
This is something he wants to see improvement in, not only for himself but for others.
"It makes life hard - you avoid going anywhere you think might not be set-up for you," Mr Brockhurst said.
"A lot of buildings I try to access in town have lips at the door or only have stairs.
"I think people who design footpaths and entry and exit points into buildings need to spend the day wheeling around in a wheelchair, so they have a better understanding.
"Just because they put a ramp in place, doesn't mean it is easy to access, it could be too steep."
Mr Brockhurst believes improving wheelchair accessibility and inclusivity could attract more people to country towns.
In his own experience, the lack of such is something that has stopped him from going out and meeting new people.
"I find it hard to make friends in agriculture because I don't go to social events," he said.
"That's because I have certain needs, like a wheelchair ramp, and end up talking myself out of going because I don't think places will be appropriately equipped.
"I also feel like when you are catching up with young people there is normally alcohol involved.
"But my ongoing joke is I can't drink too much anymore because I am already legless."
When Mr Brockhurst goes out in public, he feels like a lot of people speak to Alice directly instead of him.
He can see they want to ask him a question, but don't know how or whether or not they should.
"I would prefer people to be straight up," he said.
"I'm confident and comfortable in talking about my injury.
"I could wallow in pity, but it has happened and I can't do anything about it, so I may as well spread awareness for others."
Make farming easier
It is understood about one in six Australians now live with a disability.
However, a lack of awareness, exposure and understanding can cause those to be overlooked for employment opportunities.
Mr Brockhurst said while the agricultural industry was mostly inclusive, it was not appropriately set-up for people in wheelchairs.
That is because, unless you are a wheelchair user, it does not need to be.
He said there were massive costs involved in purchasing equipment or modifying machinery to use onfarm.
And while a Federal government program, known as JobAccess, helps with this and aims to drive disability employment in Australia, Mr Brockhurst does not think it is well-known.
"I am currently pursuing JobAccess," he said.
"They are looking at modifying my buggy and loader, and cementing the yards so I can better access them.
"However, the only reason I know about JobAccess is because I researched and pursued it.
"I think most people rely on the National Disability Insurance Scheme, which is very much focused on helping you be independent, but not necessarily workplace independent."
JobAccess also offers support on training and employing people with a disability, and offers funding to help with modifications in the workplace.
Mr Brockhurst believes that with greater awareness employers may be willing to hire others living with disability and mental health conditions.
"I want to share my story with others, who may not think they will ever be able to return to the family farm," he said.
"Hopefully it changes their opinion on what they can and can't do.
"I didn't think I'd ever be able to get back into agriculture and I didn't think there was anyone that could help me do so."
Mr Brockhurst also found it challenging to find an occupational therapist (OT) with a rural background.
He said most people who were seriously injured in an accident lived in the city and there were few cases where those wanted to work in farming.
"Finding an OT rurally or that is farming specific is very difficult - the one I do have is great though and willing to look into anything I ask of her.
"A lot of what I have found out has not been through word of mouth, but at the same time finding likeminded people has been one of the hardest things.
"Obviously there's only a small percentage of wheelchair users in the country towns."
New wheelchair, new beginnings
Given the property at Gingin is on sandier country, Mr Brockhurst is limited in what he can do onfarm.
While in hospital he met someone who spoke to him about the ActionTrack chair, which has off-road capability and can access rugged terrains and narrow pathways.
Through funding, Mr Brockhurst is set to receive an ActionTrack chair in coming weeks.
"The biggest thing I struggle with at the moment is there are so many things I rely on Alice for," he said.
"That will probably be the case until I die.
"However, this chair could help me do things like cattle and yard work, and I won't have to worry about getting bogged or stuck."
At the moment there is no cement floor in the yards which means Mr Brockhurst is pushed down in his wheelchair and sat in one spot, without the ability to move, while punching data into the computer.
With the ActionTrack chair he will be able to independently access the yard and open the slide gates.
"I think there are more opportunities with the new chair I have found - I can go anywhere in it," he said.
Mr Brockhurst said if there were others in WA, who were in a similar situation, and wanted to try the ActionTrack chair he would be more than willing to help them out.
He said it was sad that in a lot of cases wheelchair users chose not to talk to each other because they didn't want to be grouped together.
"I don't really care, I will talk to anyone.
"If you don't talk about it then I feel like you don't talk through it and you get stuck in that mental headspace.
"I've relied on the support network in my life to get out of that headspace.
"If you ask my mum, she would probably still say I am still grumpy, but I find talking to people helps and that could be anyone."
Happy to be alive
When Mr Brockhurst was in Princess Alexandra Hospital in Brisbane a woman said to him:
"Don't let this accident be for nothing, your life has changed, help people."
Those words have stuck with the 26-year-old and motivate him everyday, whether that be in helping trainee doctors or others living with a disability.
"I probably didn't revisit that woman's comment until later on," he said.
"But I've realised that if someone wants to do something for you, let them, because it helps them as much as it does you.
"One thing I've noticed is a lot of people in wheelchairs struggle to accept help because they strive so hard for independence.
"Whereas I'm like, life is already too hard, why make it harder?
"If someone asks me if I need help I almost always say yes and that generally makes them feel better too."
As well as staying positive, Mr Brockhurst has learned to embrace the tough days.
He said they were there for whatever reason and it was important to let those thoughts out of his mind.
"Don't get caught up in it too much, let yourself be present.
"When you have a bad day the next day you normally feel better, but if you suppress how you are feeling it can make things worse."
Mr Brockhurst has found that if he bottles up his feelings, he usually takes it out on loved ones.
It could be for a simple reason like cattle work, memories of the accident and the what ifs, and not being able to do as much as he could before.
"I get angry at myself and then someone else cops it like my brother or Alice," he said.
"Usually the next day is spent apologising.
"I think it is very important to appreciate that the accident did happen, life sucks, but I am alive."
Acknowledging that life can change in a split second, Mathew is taking each day as it comes.
But in the future he would like to see Elite Ag Solutions grow and for he and Alice to get married, buy a house and have children.
"I think a lot of people who end up in a wheelchair give up on their dreams and do what is expected of them," he said.
"I didn't want to live life like that and with support from my loved ones, like Alice, I haven't had too.
"Even now, farming just brings a smile to my face.
"I couldn't imagine doing anything else."
For more information on Elite Ag Solutions email
eliteagsolutions@outlook.com or phone Mathew 0487 418 074 or Alice 0499 502 029.
