Special guest Judy Brewer AO delivering her speech.
Before Tim Fischer AC (former Federal Member for Murray, now Farrer and Deputy Prime Minister) lost his health battle, he and wife Judy Brewer AO discussed the future life without him.
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“Tim knew that the most important thing you can have in life is purpose, a reason to get up every day and to keep working and engaging with the world,” she said at the 2025 Federation Dinner – Rotary Club of Corowa’s 10th Tim Fischer Oration at Corowa Civic Bowls Club – on Friday, January 24.
“We were by then well ensconced back at my farm at Mudgegonga, a beautiful property nestled in the north east hills.”
Her happy state is being surrounded by nature and talking to animals. Son Harrison’s experience of autism led Judy to working in the disability area for 30 years, saying she “thought long and hard about how I could combine these passions together in this next phase of my life”.
At the milestone 10th anniversary of the Tim Fischer AC Oration, State Member for Albury Justin Clancy, Rotary Club of Corowa President Rosemary Ferguson, Guest speaker Judy Brewer AO, Federation Council Mayor Cheryl Cook and Master of Ceremonies Rotarian David Potts.
“From out of the universe came an idea that did exactly that. Carefarming,” Judy said.
“Carefarming or social farming is not a well understood concept in Australia where it seems to me that the urban rural divide gets larger each day.
“Generations ago everyone had a farm experience through friends or relatives or holidays, but now this is rarely the case.
“And this affects our understanding of what farmers do, how we look after our animals, protect the environment and grow healthy food.
“But more than this, we know that in what is a worldwide epidemic of mental health pressures, being in nature in one of the greatest healing powers.
Carefarming is not a new concept, it is simply combining agriculture with health.
“Two necessary parts of life that have existed alongside each other since the dawn of time but that in recent times have become very disconnected.”
Before Tim Fischer AC lost his health battle, he and wife Judy Brewer AO discussed future life without him; highlighting the most important thing to have in life is purpose, a reason to get up every day and to keep working and engaging with the world.
Photo by
Irene Dowdy
For the past five years Judy has purpose again. Her talk was about taking new directions in life, whatever age, and the joy of finding a different pathway to be passionate about.
It has been the transformation of her family farm into an accessible and inclusive social enterprise, sharing the joy of farming, animals and being in nature with those who have not as easily had that opportunity.
A detailed story resulting from Judy’s address covering wonderful memories of Corowa and life after Tim appears in this week’s edition of The Free Press.
Loud applause was given to Judy’s address. Corowa Shire Council’s 13-term record serving mayor Gary Poidevin OAM commented: “Judy’s such a beautiful lady and her compliments about her time spent in Corowa were absolutely fantastic.”
Federation Council Mayor Cheryl Cook described the address as “very insightful, emotional and a beautiful testimony to Tim and Judy’s shared life”.
“Beautiful and powerful”, State Member for Albury Justin Clancy added.
“Judy has a powerful story in her own right. The journey with Tim was deeply moving.”
