Susie Riach and Ross Barber treasure their little girls more than anything else in the world.
Susie and Ross, both 38, are parents to Addy, 3, and Georgie, 1.
They’ve built a beautiful life in Beaudesert with their daughters and their pets Bella the kelpie, 7, Teddy the British shorthair cat, 3, and Mr Yabby the yabby.
Despite both being sceptical of online dating, the local couple first connected that way after friends pushed them into it.
They met face-to-face over a coffee at Browns Plains in 2014, bonded over a camping story and have been together ever since.
Ross moved to Beaudesert from the Sunshine Coast to be with Susie after having spent their courtship visiting each other on weekends and holidays, and they were engaged in 2016.
Ross discovered his grandfather’s parents, the Days, were actually from the district and are buried at Veresdale, making him feel even more connected to the place.
Susie, who is originally from Orange in NSW, had already called Beaudesert home for a few years before she met Ross, forging lasting friendships with women she met at the gym and spending time with her tight-knit extended family.
Now, the couple have put down their own roots as they raise their girls in the town they’ve come to know and love together.
The Beaudesert Bulletin caught up with Susie and Ross to hear their thoughts on family. Here’s what they had to say:
What does family mean to you?
Susie: It means love and comfort and safety. These two girls are the light of our life. Both of them are miracles. Family just means protection and home and the future.
We have a really close extended family as well, Ross’s family on the Sunshine Coast and my family in Beaudesert, who are very supportive. We’d be lost without my mum and sister.
Ross: We’re one big family. It’s pretty cool we’ve got Susie’s sister Aimee and our brother-in-law Josh as our best mates. Everyone’s got each other’s back. That’s what family means.
Susie: In the last 15 months, family has got us through. We’ve had so much sadness but also joy. I call Georgie the ‘little yellow sunshine’, because yellow is my favourite colour and it’s just like she was meant to be here.
If you’d like us to feature your family, or tip us off about a great Becoming Family story, please get in touch via news@beaudesertbulletin.com.au
