AS the dams dried up and the drought settled in, third-generation beef producers Jamie and Belinda Munsie made the difficult choice to sell their herd.
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Smart-thinking saw the pair diversify the business so their income wasn't just reliant on the weather.
And so, Faraway Domes was born.
Nestled among the bush land of the Willunga property, half an hour from Warialda is a unique stay that lies somewhere between a luxury igloo and glamping.
"At the moment the cattle trade business has closed down and my son's contract fencing was the only income," Mrs Munsie said.
"My husband has been taking rainfall records here for the weather bureau and his father did it before that.
"It's the worst it's been in more than 100 years."
A trip to Canada in 2016 inspired the clever idea, when on a train through the Rocky's Mrs Munsie and her husband noticed how "crazy" the tourists went over the wildlife.
The pair thought if they could just get people out to regional Australia in something a little more fabulous than camping, people would see how much the country has to offer.
In the last three months weekend occupancy has climbed to 95 per cent, and guests have come from as far as Canada, China, USA and Switzerland for the experience.
The geodesic dome is eco-friendly and took just a couple of hours to put up, after the couple's sons built the platform it stands on.
"I had no experience as all but whatever I put my hand to I always seem to be able to make it work, and having my family backing me going into this I felt confident it could work," Mrs Munsie said.
"As soon as I saw the dome I thought, that was it, it just worked - not often do things just work."
With plenty of personal touches, a four-poster king bed and a bath on the balcony, the retreat offers the kind of tranquility that's only ever found in remote and regional Australia.
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Selling their cattle was a devastating blow, but the new business has offered a chance for the pair to make an honest living and keep busy as well.
With DA applications in to expand, the couple hope to erect another two domes in the future, Mrs Munsie said.
"It's helping, it's not paying the wages or anything else but it's great for living expenses at the moment," she said.
"It helps because we need everything we can get.
"It really was a family project, the whole family was involved."