My Countrytown: Josie Laver – Boorowa NSW

As a little girl, rising alt-country star Josie Laver she loved two things: music and horses. She grew up on the music of Kasey Chambers, Gillian Welch and Bonnie Raitt. Throughout her teens she poured her time and energy into her horses, and music increasingly took a backseat as she started down the path of becoming a professional showjumper.

A few years down the track, burnt out from the long hours, hard work and injuries that come with the equestrian lifestyle, she moved back to her family farm, sold her horses and saddles to buy a guitar, and began working on ideas that would later become the songs on her forthcoming debut album - which features her current single Mustang and previous banger Tangled.

The album is produced and co-written by Melbourne-based artist Matt Joe Gow, a staple of the Australian country scene for more than a decade, and winner of the Music Victoria Award for 'Best Country Album'. For Josie, meeting Matt was the spark she needed to finally grab the reins of her music career with both hands, and he encouraged her to embrace and be proud of her country roots.

We caught up with Josie to find out what she loves about Boorowa, NSW.

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1. Growing up 

I grew up on our family farm out near Boorowa NSW. Hilly country, I’ve grown used to. Though an experience for a someone who’s never seen giant granite rocks or sharp facing hills that really should be called mountains. As I’m writing this, I’m taking 1000 Merino ewes back to their paddock so they can lamb down in the shelter of the Riverview Valley for winter. I grew up with horses, music, singing, dogs, drought, two very hard-working parents and two older sisters.

2. Return to home 

I went from never finishing a week of school due to horse competitions on the weekend to leaving school and home at 17 then living in Canberra. My profession was a full-time horse educator and showjumper. A very competitive young girl burnt out by the horse world, I returned home continued to work two properties alongside mum and dad. Sold all my horse gear and bought my Gibson with it along with many other musical items and started my adventure into the music scene. 

3. Reid’s Flat

Sometimes living out here feels like you’re living in bush ranger country, which it was at some stage. Most people are trying to hide or runaway from something. The good country folk can be friendly but they can be hostile too - a little bit like yellow stone minus the guns and the train station. Aside all that, there are some nice family farms of young generations coming through heavily into sheep, cattle wool and meat production. 

4. The skies and Hills 

The country is different out here to no other. People often get lost out here when driving - Google almost takes them back to Sydney. It’s very beautiful. It gets under your skin if you spend too long out here like I have! The stars at night are amazing - bright and as far as the eye can see! Sunsets can be anywhere from pink to orange to golden. The hills talk back at you when the rocks echo to your voice. Summers can be harsh but so can winter. It’s as green as green when a good season hits equally we can get dust storms like you’re in the desert when the drought creeps back in.

5. Farming 

Mainly sheep and cattle out here. It’s a very diverse place in NSW. Lots of wool production, with merino sheep, meat sheep, Angus cattle and crops closer to town, and some winery’s not too far away either. We also have some Dairy cattle that come from the coast, that we have on the farm from time to time. Lots of big farms out here mostly family owned. 

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Keep up to date with Josie Laver and follow her on Facebook here.

For more of our My CountryTown series, check out here.