Why Bush Chaplaincy? 

Bush Chaplaincy is an opportunity and privilege to travel to rural and remote properties and communities offering pastoral care, practical support, and the love of Christ in word and deed. Because people want to someone to sit with them in the moment, someone who can bring comfort and hope through Christ into dark places. Frontier Services has a long tradition of being a living testimony to our calling as a church: to be present where hope is needed most, and to walk alongside people facing isolation, hardship and limited access to essential services, in every season of life.

Introducing Bush Chaplain Rev Tanya Richards

I was born in Bundaberg and grew up in Redcliffe, and as a young adult during my training I moved around the northern suburbs of Brisbane. I have family in Hervey Bay and Caboolture, along with many more around Queensland - my mum is one of 14 children.

I was ordained as a Deacon of the Uniting Church in 2008. During my training, in 2004, I had an opportunity to do a field placement in Bali Indonesia where I worked with and supported the mission of the local English-speaking congregation who is one of our partner churches through UnitingWorld. During this time, I volunteered with the Young Adults and as a Chaplain in the prison. This is where I was introduced to Chaplaincy and found the role I believe I have always been called to; it was also the start of 10 years of visiting Bali and volunteering with the local church.

My first placement after my training was with Qld Churches Together in the ACT for Peace program (Christmas Bowl). As a I travelled around Qld in this role I was privileged to meet many communities, faith communities and Uniting Churches. I was also able to see a bit more of the world as I led trips to Sri Lanka and Timor Leste.

After 3 years of this, I moved into Public Hospital Chaplaincy working at both The Prince Charles Hospital and Sunshine Coast University Hospital for over 13 years. In these spaces I worked with Senior Leadership to see change and recognition of Chaplaincy in the Public Hospital space, creating statewide Framework of how Chaplains work, and I also worked on new programs and expressions of Chaplaincy.

Two years ago, I started a role with Connect 100+ UnitingCare in partnership with Lifeworks Uniting Church in Toowoomba. In this role I was Chaplain to about 200 staff of UnitingCare, Family and Disability Services, Disability Employment Services and Early Childhood Approach. This role introduced me to the world beyond Brisbane, and I’m falling in love with this new world. In 2024 I went on a month-long road trip to the Big Red Bash (Birdsville) visiting most towns between Birdsville and Karumba.

Now I am looking forward to discovering more places and people in my new role as Bush Chaplain.  I can’t wait to try out my new Akubra and boots, as I explore the Bottle Tree Maranoa region in the Bottle Tree patrol.