Sally Gare (Herzfeld) has been an educator since 1956. She was the principal of the Helena School in Darlington for many years and is still involved in education as part of the Alternative to Violence Project in Western Australia and the Northern Territory. Freda Marnie was taught by Sally and has worked as a rural journalist. She is the author of Love, Sweat & Tears (2013), Back of Beyond (2014) and The Amazing Mrs Livesey (2016).