Mary Killeen and Andrew Pegler can’t remember when they first heard about Frontier Services. Perhaps, Mary thinks, it was when their oldest child who is now 28, was attending Remote Area Families Service (RAFS) playgroups as a young child.

“Frontier Services has just always been there,” said Mary.

Today, a cheerful blue Frontier Services sign graces their post box announcing to passersby that Andrew and Mary are some of the thousands of friends of Frontier Services around the country.

Mary and Andrew live on a remote sheep and cattle farm in Yaraka, Queensland, which is six hours north east of Birdsville and approximately three and a half hours out of Longreach on the western side of the Barcoo River. Like many families living in the outback, sometimes they need a helping hand. This hand was provided by Frontier Service’s Outback Links, a program which links volunteers with families in remote Australia who need some extra help for a short time.

“We have had four Outback Links couples come and stay with us, and we still stay in touch with them,” said Mary.

“We think Frontier Services is pretty marvelous.”

Her husband Andrew, President of the Queensland Isolated Children’s Parents’ Association, a body of likeminded people who advocate for isolated school children, agrees with Mary wholeheartedly.

“To an outsider Frontier Services is extremely good at selecting wonderful people for the right time and place and job.”

“There is often a call from people in the meetings of the ICPA to donate to Frontier Services and assist them to extend or maintain the services that they are providing in the communities.”

A thousand signs were delivered to homes across the east of Australia allowing people to announce that they are part of the Frontier Services family. Keep your eyes peeled when passing by homesteads in the outback and you might see one. If you would like to support Frontier Services with a sign on your letter box, please email Kate Higginbotham at kateh@frontierservices.org or phone her on 02 8270 1361.