Local woman, Ellie Russell, said the creation of her magazine, Far West Living (FWL), has been her dream for some time and she was thrilled when the first edition hit the streets last week.
“This magazine is not just a project to satisfy my desire to work for something in which I am truly passionate about, this is a magazine dedicated to the hundreds and thousands of people who call this beautiful region home,” Ellie wrote in her magazine.
Ellie comes from a family with a long history in Far Western NSW with three generations of her family having grown up on the family property on the Darling River at Tilpa.
Ellie has always been interested in print media, especially magazines and her passion led her away from Cobar temporarily to Charles Sturt University in Wagga Wagga where she completed a degree in graphic design.
“I’ve had experience working with Cosmopolitan magazine, Fairfax Media (The Land newspaper) and Graziher magazine which all helped cement my love for the industry,” Ellie said.
For the last three years Ellie has been working as a freelance designer in her own business, The Darling Design Co., and also in the family real estate business Landmark Russell.
The inspiration for FWL came about after Ellie noticed other regional publications popping up across NSW that she felt weren’t adequately covering the far western region, the people, places or the attractions that the area has to offer.
“FWL is different to other publications in the fact that it is specific to the wider western region of NSW.
“I like to have a bit of variety when it comes to content so I have segmented the magazine to convey this,” Ellie said.
The editorials cover stories on farming families, small businesses, tourism destinations, rural love and local weddings, food, local events and outback style.
“Our readers may recognise some of the faces in the magazine as their neighbours or family and friends and can enjoy the stories and yarns these people share and I think that makes this magazine special,” Ellie said.
