Sunrise presenter Edwina Bartholomew has opened up about the “toughest time” her family has faced, revealing how a move from the city to regional New South Wales helped transform their lives.
In the July issue of The Australian Women’s Weekly, Bartholomew shared why she and her husband Neil decided to leave city life behind and settle in the small country town of Carcoar with their children, Molly, 6, and Tom, 4.
The decision came during a particularly difficult period, with both Bartholomew and her husband facing significant health challenges.
Bartholomew revealed her diagnosis of chronic myeloid leukaemia live on Sunrise in 2024. After treatment, she later announced she had reached molecular remission.
At the same time, her husband was struggling with chronic fatigue.
“We didn’t just come to the country to give our kids the best life possible, we wanted to do the same for ourselves,” Bartholomew said.
“The reality was that we were getting crushed in the city. Originally from Lithgow, Neil was done with the urban rat-race and wanted to return to the west.
“He was so sick with chronic fatigue that parenting wasn’t even possible.
“It was the toughest time we have ever faced as a family. Something had to shift.”
Bartholomew said the family’s future changed during a driving holiday when they stumbled across Carcoar.
“On a driving holiday, we happened upon the tiny town of Carcoar,” Bartholomew said.
“There was a Brigadoon quality to it, a figurative mist parting to reveal a quaint little town hidden in the hills.
“We had found our new home.”
Since relocating, the family has embraced country life while taking on the challenge of renovating a heritage guesthouse.
Bartholomew said the move had brought significant improvements to both her family’s health and wellbeing.
“With constant diligence, Neil’s chronic fatigue is all but cured,” Bartholomew said. “My own health battles are also behind us.”
“After revealing to The Weekly for Mother’s Day last year that my Chronic myeloid leukaemia was in molecular remission, I am now happy to report it is completely out of my system.”
While she continues to travel to Sydney for her role on Sunrise, Bartholomew said her family is now firmly settled in regional NSW.
“We no longer live in the city,” she said.
“Sure, I go back and forth for work at Sunrise on Channel Seven, but the kids always stay put in the country in the care of my husband, Neil.
“I relish that time to myself in the big smoke doing a job I absolutely adore while the kids are thriving in their new rural routine.
“After school, Neil takes them to feed our cows, collect firewood or dangle their feet in the river at the back of our house.
“It’s a Possum Magic childhood.”
Bartholomew guest-edited the magazine’s special edition celebrating rural and regional Australia, saying she wanted to highlight both the rewards and challenges of country living.
“We plan to give this country life a very good crack, and we are certainly not the only ones,” she said.
“I wanted these pages to be beautiful and vibrant but I didn’t want to ignore the challenges of living in the country.
“I travel back to my hometown of Whyalla in South Australia where the red sands of the outback meet the turquoise Spencer Gulf.
“I have relished this opportunity to showcase all the wonderful things I love about country life.”
Images: Instagram
