Here we connect with one of our regional members, Zhiyuan (Faith) Yao. She and her partner leapt out of their comfort zone to take on a wholesale nursery in western Victoria. Faith tells us about her triumphs over staff shortages, juggling family responsibilities and the ‘tyranny of distance’!
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My name is Faith, and together with my partner Danny, we run Timboon Wholesale Nursery, a specialty nursery in southwest Victoria. We grow potted hydrangeas, cyclamen, and lisianthus for wholesalers and major retailers across the country. It’s a very different life from the one I imagined when I first landed in Australia as an international student back in 2008.
I was born and raised in Suzhou, China, a city famous for its traditional oriental gardens. My mother worked at a local agricultural/horticultural college, and I spent much of my childhood surrounded by greenhouses and landscaped displays.
I trained as an accountant and Danny as an IT professional, but both of us found ourselves drawn to a more hands-on life. During the Covid lockdown, I found online an unexpected opportunity in a rural nursery for sale in Timboon. It was a big leap, but one rooted in our shared dream of building something meaningful and sustainable.
We took over the business in 2021. It was daunting—just before the handover, two of the three full-time staff resigned, and we had to step in with little hands-on experience. Thankfully, the former owners Trevor and Cherolyn stayed on to guide us through the first season. Since then, we’ve leaned into the learning curve and slowly found our way.
Working in a regional area like Timboon brings many rewards—fresh air, tight-knit communities, and the chance to grow in a peaceful setting. But there are real challenges too. Labour shortage is a pain, and attracting staff is made more difficult by the limited accommodation options in small towns. For seasonal peaks, this becomes even more of a puzzle. Accessing resources—whether it’s logistics options, agronomic services, specific tools and facilities, or industry events—often requires long drives and careful planning.
One of our biggest personal challenges has been balancing work and family. We have a young toddler, and running a horticulture business is not a 9-to-5 job. We juggle tasks between daycare drop-offs, field customer calls during nap times, and often do office work after bedtime. Like many regional families, we make it work with flexibility, patience, and a lot of coffee! The business is growing, our child is thriving, and we’re grateful for what we’ve built here together.
At our nursery, Danny leads the technical side growing with care and precision—while I handle dispatches, admin, and finance. We’ve both taken on roles that stretch us daily, and though there’s still a lot to learn, we’re gradually finding our rhythm. I recently graduated with a Certificate III in Horticulture, which has deepened my understanding and allowed me to connect with like-minded people in the industry. For now, we’re focused on keeping things steady, growing good quality plants, and continuing to learn as we go.
📷 The regional girl power at Timboon Wholesale Nursery (from left to right): Jo, Faith, Ruth.
📷Danny working together with the tiny tough Ray (picture taken when Ray was about 1.5 years old in 2022).