Woman_s Day Australia - 14 March 2016_

(lily) #1
secure and loved, and that really
makes me feel like I’ve achieved
something in life.”
However, being a single dad
has understandably thrown up
a few challenges as well.
“It’s just the whole balancing act
that gets a bit diffi cult,” says Julz.
“Trying to juggle parental and
business commitments and also
trying to have a social life becomes
a bit tricky, so you have to make
compromises as time goes on.
“I’ve had to sacrifi ce a few
things, but at the end of the day,
I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Even now that Julz is actively
looking for love by appearing on
the dating show, he has made a
conscious eff ort to include River
throughout the entire process.
“She has been really involved
with my time on Th e Farmer
Wants A Wife right from the
beginning,” he reveals.
“We sat down together and
looked through the girls’ profi les
with fl uro markers and worked
out which ones we liked.
Th en,
throughout
the comp,
River’s opinion
continued
to play an
important
role. If she
wasn’t gelling with one of the
girls, then that would guide
me in my decision-making.
“My future partner is going
to be heavily involved in River’s
life, so her approval is defi nitely
important. She’s my priority, and
if she’s happy, then I’m happy.”

s more important


han his little lady


rmerJulz


t the love


life!


If my daughter


wasn’t gelling with


one of the girls, that


would guide me’


88 WD

ENTERTAINMENT


Words: Jessica Grubb, Kietley Isrin.

THE FARMER
WANTS A WIFE
MONDAY,
MARCH 7,
8.45PM,
NINE

Julz and daughter
River are joined
at the hip.

S


igning up to
Th e Farmer
Wants A Wife
wasn’t an easy
decision for livestock
farmer Julz Bailey.
But regardless of how
things go in next week’s
fi nale, the single dad
already feels like a winner.
“I have a seven-year-old
daughter named River
and she’s without a doubt
the apple of my eye,” says
37-year-old Julz.
“We spend most of
our time together
and she has always
been my number-
one priority.”
For Julz, who
runs a farm in South
Australia’s Tumby
Bay, becoming a dad
is one of his biggest
accomplishments.
“Th e bond that River
and I share is indescribable


  • I think the world of her, as
    she does of
    me,” he says.
    “We love
    riding on
    motorbikes
    together
    and going
    to the beach.
    And as much as I’ve tried to
    encourage her to get her hands
    dirty on the farm, she really is a
    girlie girl at heart.
    “I don’t claim to be the perfect
    dad, but I do think I tick a few
    boxes. Th e one thing I know I can
    do is make her feel like she’s safe,

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