Professional photographer Alice Mabin is a woman not afraid to have a go in life.
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When she stopped in Cootamundra on Tuesday, two coffee-table books in hand announcing they would be for sale in the Cootamundra Newsagency, no-one could have imagined her back story.
Ms Mabin, 29, grew up in New Zealand and always knew she wanted a career on the land.
She spent her early working life traipsing around high country stations in New Zealand mustering sheep, cattle, and deer, before packing up her life, including her dogs, in 2007 and moving to the vast, flat, drought-stricken planes of Hay, to experience farming the Australian way.
In mid-2013, Ms Mabin was part of the historic 2000km Brinkworth cattle drive, walking 18,000 head of cattle from central Queensland to Hay.
One of the biggest cattle drives in Australia's recent history, Ms Mabin went along for a day to take photographs and ended up joining the crew for the entire five-month trip.
She finished with beautiful, scenic images capturing a side of Australian life few have the opportunity to experience.
After being encouraged to compile her photographs into a book, she set about selling the idea to publishers.
When no-one picked the concept up, Ms Mabin decided to self-publish her first book The Drover printing just 1000 copies.
It was not long before she had to print a further 5000 copies to keep up with demand, then more again.
To date, 21,000 copies of the book have been sold with another reprint on the horizon.
The hardcover book features almost 200 pages of stunning photographs capturing weather-beaten faces, scarred hands, working dogs, thirsty cattle and dusty paddocks; a slice of outback life.
The book is now a four times Australian best seller and two times international best seller.
Ms Mabin has followed this up with another self-published book, turning away an interested publishing house this time to do it her way.
The Driver: Australia and New Zealand on the back of a truck was released in June this year.
Over 18 months Ms Mabin set out on a 130,000km road trip to discover the people and vehicles that make the nation's trucking industry and the contribution they play in our daily lives.
Not leaving a stone un-turned, Ms Mabin knew she wanted Andrew ‘Twiggy’ Forrest’s autonomous (driverless) trucks featured in her book and when she couldn’t get through she simply drove down his driveway, knocking on his front door and handing his wife Nicola a copy of The Drover.
Someone with this nouce could not be turned away and the trucks feature in her second book.
Ms Mabin’s story is captivating, travelling the country, trailer in tow which is first and foremost her home but also converts to a travelling gallery of her work.
Her work speaks for itself and her enthusiasm for country life is endless; this is a woman who while working on the land and increasing her photography knowledge also holds down a pilot’s licence and has studied journalism.
She is the BEFA 2015 Asia Pacific Female Entrepreneur of The Year.