Nine years ago, I gave up my amazing job in television in Sydney and traded in my harbour-view office for a view of the Fowey River in Cornwall. Fortunately, my now husband Matt (and Border Collies Gemma and Toby) came with me, and we literally sold up and shipped our lives to a small town in South East Cornwall. We began a journey that has challenged us – and rewarded us – more than we could ever imagine.
Part of the reason I was so drawn to Cornwall was that I have a lot of Cornish ancestry. My ancestors were miners from West Penwith, the sparse, rocky, most westerly part of the Cornish peninsula. They were tough people who, forced by economic depravation, sought a better life in Australia and, having barely travelled further than Penzance before, travelled to Plymouth, and then sailed for Adelaide, where they followed the mass-migration of their countrymen and women to the copper fields of South Australia. When gold was discovered in country Victoria they headed east, eventually to settle in what is now the celebrated spa town of Daylesford, but what then must have been a much tougher place to live.
Inspired by their journey, but also feeling the need to connect deeply to the land of my ancestors, I made several trips to Cornwall before finally deciding to move in 2006. Since then, Matt and I have married and had three children – the first, Daisy, proudly claims she is Cornish (as she was born in Truro), the second and third, our twins Freddie and Clemmie, have to put up with being labelled “Janners” (a colloquial name for Plymouthians) as they were born in Plymouth. Which is where we now live, as it’s easier for Matt with work. But I still dream of a day when I’ll be able to call Cornwall home again, it’s the place where I truly feel at home.
In the meantime, I get to Cornwall as often as I can. Lucky it’s only 10 minutes away! There’s nothing like the feeling of crossing the Tamar, and I’m hoping to bring to you as many of the wonderful things I love about the Duchy in this blog. But I’ll also be writing about other things that I love and that inspire me – gardening, cooking, events, family, and whatever else piques my interest. Thank you for joining me on this journey, I look forward to having your company.
Sally x
thisissallybell 
I heard what might have been your first interview on Radio Cornwall back in 2006 and was certainly interested as I and my first wife lived in Perth for just short of 5 years. Australia is a great place and a prosperous one.
In the end though we returned to Cornwall and have enjoyed the place as much as possible and not just settled into an everyday routine.
You and your husband have reversed the normal flow between the two Countries, the Winters are long as well as very often wet and grey so putting up with that takes some forbearance.
You have certainly undertaken a great deal of research which is much more than many of us and entered into the social fabric of the place so congratulations to you and Matt.
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Hi John, thanks so much for your lovely message. We have at times wondered why we have followed the path we have but have never regretted it! In fact my passion to fully engage in all that Cornwall has to offer just seems to grow stronger… I’m at Penzance at the moment and loving every minute. I really appreciate you taking time to write, and am grateful for your encouragement. All the best, Sally.
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