Highlights
- Gurjit Sondhu is the owner-operator of 5,500-acre Jullundur Farms in western Victoria.
- Ms Sondhu came to Australia as a young bride from Punjab, India in 1976.
- She tells us how she fell in love with the ‘great’ Australian outback.
This is the story of a woman’s courage, dedication and hard work after she came to Australia as a young bride still in her teens.
The expectations and ambitions of this migrant had many bitter-sweet twists in life that is filled with surprises and challenges.
66-year-old Gurjit Sondhu is a passionate farmer who has been involved in different types of agribusiness at Wombelano, in the Wimmera region of western Victoria.
She is the owner-operator of the 5500-acre Jullundur Farms [after the name of Jalandhar – a city in Punjab] where she manages various crops including canola, wheat and barley, in addition to trading in sheep and cattle.
Ms Sondhu moved to Australia from Punjab, India in 1976 after getting married to Avtar Singh ‘Tari’, whose family had been farming in rural Victoria since 1938.
A view of sheep grazing near canola fields at Jullundur Farms in western Victoria. Source: Photo by Ms Sondhu
Ms Sondhu said the family’s history of farming dates back to 1938 when they purchased the 5000-acre Mullagh Station in Harrow.
“There were no Indian migrants in this area who could buy farmlands during the White Australia policy. At auctions, Indar Singh Sondhu had to face people who would look at him differently or even with a bit of jealousy sometimes,” she said.
“But he was a very skilled and resourceful businessman. After a brief encounter, he developed a friendship with ex-prime minister Malcolm Fraser’s father, who was a known figure in the community at that time.”
Mr and Mrs Sondhu got married in 1976 in Punjab, India Source: Photo by Ms Sandhu
"My husband was seven years old when he came to Australia. He was a typical Aussie, but his family wanted him to marry a girl from Punjab,” she said.
“Our families knew each other, which helped us to connect through an arranged marriage."
Ms Sondhu said she still remembers the night in 1976 when she first arrived at her in-law’s house with her husband from Melbourne Airport.
"It was night-time when we drove to our place from the airport. There was complete silence with almost nothing in the surroundings, and occasionally, I would see some lights somewhere in the barren land,” she recalls.
Ms Sondhu said that after spending the first night at her new house, she woke up to a totally new world that was full of surprises and challenges.
“I had no idea where I was, and I did not have a clear vision of the type of social life which people had in this part of the world,” she said.
But she said she didn't have any major issues with her English skills, which eventually helped her to adjust to the new ‘Aussie’ environment.
Ms Sondhu migrated to Australia from India in 1976. Source: Photo Ms Sondhu
“We were in the complete outback. The farm station was about four hours’ drive from Melbourne and wasn’t very well-connected to any other big city,” she said.
I was a bit anxious and afraid while thinking of adjusting to this new farm-style rural life.
Referring to her early days in Australia, she said her first outing was to a football game which her husband used to play.
“I had never seen this game before. It was full of fun. The players would often kick football towards me only to see how Tari’s bride looked like. 'She’s a beauty mate' they would say.”
“Sports was the only exciting thing in my social life. At most other times, it was filled with loneliness, and I missed my own family who was now living thousands of miles away in India,” she said.
Ms Sondhu while selling weaner calves raised at Jullundur Farms. Source: Photo by Ms Sondhu
She specifically talked about an ‘interesting day’ when she first became part of the sheep shearing process.
Even before she could get involved, her husband asked her to clean the ‘sheep-shit’.
"I had never done anything like this in my life. As a newly-wed, my hands were decorated with henna, and I was wearing new nail polish at that time. It was very difficult to get them dirty like that and no doubt, I was furious with my husband,” she said.
“Well, at least I didn't go down without explaining myself first, rather I decided to go for the tea-towel from the food basket to cover the clump and removed it. This is how I spent my first day picking dags up, and now I don’t even think twice about it.”
Ms Sandhu at her 60th birthday celebrations Source: Supplied
She now urges new migrants to join sports for the sake of social cohesion and integration with the mainstream Australian way of life.
"It is your opportunity to mingle with the local communities. By doing this you not only can expand your social circle but also become a part of the local life to learn new things and new cultures."
The Sondhu family – Mr and Ms Sondhu (sitting); Jason, Belinda and Phillip. Source: Supplied
"I was never alienated. They never let me feel like a stranger. Their cordial behaviour made me realise they were my people. They were the best as they gave me hope and courage to adjust to this new world."
Ms Sondhu said her life has always been full of challenges, the toughest phase being when her husband died about four years ago.
After her husband’s demise, she is now looking after their family’s agribusiness legacy.
She has two sons, Jason and Phillip, and a daughter Belinda, who are living a prosperous life after completing their higher education.
Her eldest son Jason has recently joined her to run their farm business that she believes is now dependent upon a lot of technological advances and automation.
"Jason has helped me run this farm with a totally new dimension. His arrival has given me a lot of courage and inspiration to keep going with this new but challenging way of farm life."
Jason Sondhu harvesting wheat at Jullundur Farms in western Victoria Source: Photo by Ms Sondhu
"You meet all kinds of people. Sometimes you also need to deal with a few taunts," she said.
"A farmworker once questioned me saying ‘you are a woman and what you know about this farming job?’ But no, I don’t take this to heart. I now feel farming is in my blood. I've been working alongside my husband all my life.”
I am not afraid of challenges. I am proud of what I’ve accomplished as a woman farmer.
In her message to the community, she emphasised the need for awareness about mental health issues.
Wool bales at Jullundur Farms in western Victoria Source: Photo by Ms Sondhu
“People should overcome the stigma associated with it and should never hesitate to ask for help or feel ashamed for speaking up.”
“We are lucky enough to live in this beautiful community. They are absolutely amazing people. All my friends and neighbours have been very supportive throughout my life,” she said.
The Sondhu family Source: Supplied by Ms Sondhu
