When Marika Hill graduated from university in 2014 her first two teaching contracts were based in Brisbane and the idea of teaching outside the city was the last thing she was considering.
It wasn’t until a recruiter from the North Coast region made a visit to her school and discussed the benefits of working in rural and remote communities that Marika received a dream job offer. A permanent teaching position, in her specialist subjects of visual arts and drama at Barcaldine State School, in the state’s north-west.
Taking the leap of faith
Making the move to a new town was a big decision to make, so Marika along with her partner and 2 young children made the 13-hour drive north to visit their potential new home.
Marika and her family were worried about leaving everything behind and feeling isolated in a town where they didn’t know anybody, but they decided to take a leap and Marika accepted the role at Barcaldine State School.
Advantages of living in Barcaldine
Coming from the convenience of living in a big city, Marika said the biggest advantage about living in Barcaldine was the change in lifestyle for her family.
In the city, Marika and her husband barely saw their kids and they were dropping them off at day-care every day at 6 am and picking them up at 5pm. But in Barcaldine their children went to school with Marika and left when she finished each day.
Marika’s two children were able to engage with their local community and get involved in sports on the weekends with local towns.
'The travel we experienced while there was amazing; weekends were an opportunity for exploring the region, and we became a lot more adventurous,' Marika said.
Teaching in a rural community also meant Marika was eligible for a range of financial benefits that would help support her and her family relocate from Brisbane. Even on a single income, the financial benefits helped Marika and her family afford to go on an overseas holiday and also save for a house deposit.
Barcaldine’s Tree of Knowledge Memorial
Lara Wetlands
Heritage railway, Aramac
Final advice
Marika’s advice to teachers is 'Be open to new opportunities and don't be afraid to say yes, because you never know where your next leap of faith will take you.'