When Amanda Ferrari left Sydney for the tiny town of Trangie, she was told there were two eligible bachelors she should stay away from. But the moment she walked into the local pub and saw farmer Ross across the bar, she knew she'd be ignoring that warning completely.
More than 30 years later, Amanda and Ross Ferrari sit down with Tiffany Dunk for The Australian Women’s Weekly Love Stories to talk about the real life behind a country romance: becoming parents to premature twins, learning how to belong in a tight-knit town, supporting each other through drought, running a farming family, building community, and buying the very pub where their love story began.
This is a warm, funny and deeply Australian conversation about love, marriage, rural life, friendship, resilience and what it means to make somewhere your home.
Moments you’ll hear:
- How Amanda first saw Ross across the bar at the local pub
- The surprise pregnancy that turned best friends into a family
- Why Ross is the steady “wood” to Amanda’s fire
- The emotional and financial pressure of farming through drought
- Amanda’s advice for anyone trying to find community later in life
- How they bought The Imperial Hotel in Trangie to keep the town alive
- Why regional life still has so much to offer people looking for home, connection and belonging
Thank you for listening ❤️
Before you leave...
🗣️ Get in touch
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Email us your love stories (and any feedback) at awwlovestories@aremedia.com.au
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If you loved hearing Amanda and Ross Ferrari’s story:
Farmer Wants a Wife https://www.womensweekly.com.au/news/farmer-wants-a-wife-2026-farmers/
Country heroes: https://www.womensweekly.com.au/news/real-life/rural-doctors/
Australian rural life: https://www.womensweekly.com.au/news/carol-mudford-sheep-shearer-agrifutures-rural-women-award/
The Boarding School Collective
Trangie, NSW
The Imperial Hotel, Trangie
🙏 Our special thanks for making 'Love Stories' our home:
Vixin real results, simple skincare that's a little bit fancy
Credits:
Host Tiffany Dunk
Edited by Phoebe Zukowski -Wallace
Production by Charlie Potter and Leah Porges
Our wonderful The Australian Women’s Weekly team
Our Head of Vodcasting is Rachel Fountain
Learn More: The Australian Women's Weekly Website
See omnystudio.com/listener for privacy information.
Information
- Show
- Channel
- FrequencyUpdated Weekly
- PublishedMay 31, 2026 at 6:00 PM UTC
- Length48 min
- Season1
- Episode17
- RatingClean
