A leap of faith and a big move years ago changed Christine Plant’s life forever.
Christine (or Chris as she is most often known as) grew up in Bentleigh East in Melbourne.
Her parents were both immigrants; her mother was from Switzerland and her late father was from Poland. They came to Australia in 1949 after they were forced to leave Switzerland.
“It would have been really hard for them to move to a foreign country with nothing,” Chris said.
After she studied for a Bachelor of Science with Honours at Monash University, Chris went on to complete a Diploma of Education in the hope of becoming a teacher.
Her first posting as a teacher saw her move from Melbourne to Manangatang in 1979.
“It was a bit of a shock at first,” she said.
“If anyone had asked me when I was at university where would I be in 30 years time, living on a farm at Manangatang, four-and-half hours’ drive from Melbourne would have been furthest from my mind, but this is where I am!”
It was in Manangatang where Chris met future husband Keith, a grain grower.
“It took a while to adjust to living on a farm in a reasonably isolated part of the state,” she said.
“During our first year of marriage, the Mallee had one of the worst mouse plagues in history.
“A couple of years later, we had the worst drought our farm has ever had. What a way for a city girl to start married life!”
Chris and Keith have two adult children, Brad and Ellyse.
Brad is an electrical engineer and works in partnership with Chris and Keith on the family farm. He is married to Donna and the couple have a new baby named Harrison.
Ellyse is a physiotherapist who works in the emergency department at Austin Hospital in Melbourne.
For most of her 30 year-long teaching career, Chris taught VCE maths at the Manangatang Consolidated School (now Manangatang P-12 College).
“I found teaching very rewarding,” she said.
“Especially at VCE level, you’re helping young adults achieve their goals.”
To read more about this story, grab a copy of Wednesday’s Guardian (February 8).
