“My mum and dad moved to Norfolk island in 2006 for three years,” she said. “It was weird at first: cattle roamed free and had the right of way. Having come from Sydney, this was exciting.”

In only a year, she began volunteering at the vet clinic on the island, “I fell in love with it, so when I moved back to Australia I felt like there was something missing.”  

Montana’s mum Christine suggested an agricultural high school. Knowing they couldn’t afford private schooling, she soon found Yanco Agricultural High School.

“Mum initially said I wouldn’t get in because I was from the city and it was for kids that had a rural background; kids that were isolated,” Montana said. “…That felt wrong, because I felt isolated by the city and the world I wanted desperately to be a part of.”

Montana spent the next five years studying all the various aspects of agriculture. She moved to Yass with her mother and mother’s partner, Bert Barrass. She now shows cattle, a part of the Equine Show Stock and the Cattle Team. 

While there has been criticism over gender equality in the industry, Montana says she’s never felt it.

“I don’t think of the industry as focused on gender, or on age for that matter,” she said. “I’ve always felt included.”

President of Australian Women in Agriculture, Sandra Parker, says there are many young women in the industry like Montana who have helped to shift the persona of gender in the industry.

“Women have always been involved in agriculture, but now they are just getting the recognition,” she said. “Women have previously been the farmer's wife; the majority of the time doing the same amount of work or taking on other roles. Women are now just recognised as doing the job they have always done.”

The 18-year-old Montana will be a part of the industry regardless, and dreams of becoming a veterinary technician or nurse.

“I came from being a city girl, to a rural one. Once upon a time I couldn’t imagine my life without surfing; now I couldn’t imagine my life without my cows.”