DANI Bradtke's German family told her she was living in a dream world when she packed her bags for Australia in 2007 searching for a world she'd seen on TV's McLeod's Daughters.
They have now forgiven her for leaving Hamburg and understand why she had to stay in the country she fell in love with.
Mrs Bradtke's marriage to a Loxton boy is the obvious love story but she says that came second.
"I was working in a government job in Germany but I felt it wasn't going to take me anywhere and I was bored," she said.
"We had McLeod's Daughters on TV and I was quite into that story and thought I'd like to give that life a go.
"I've always loved animals too and I wanted time-out."
Mrs Bradtke came to Australia for a working holiday and travelled in NSW and did a bit of work with sheep. But she said meeting her husband, with whom she has two children, "shortened my holidays a bit".
Mrs Bradtke has worked for Westbrook Agriculture since 2008 and balances her work - as an administration assistant - with motherhood.
"Before coming into the office I did sheep work such as feeding, vaccinating, weighing, getting lambs ready for the feedlot or to send off, mustering and lambing," she said.
"There is so much to offer, so much variety and the people are great - it has been very easy to stay."
Mrs Bradtke said Hamburg was a very crowded, busy place in comparison to country SA.
"The winter temperatures here are a lot milder - it can be minus 20C degrees to -25C and the days can be very cold in Hamburg," she said.
"I'm still getting used to the heat here though.
"Australians are more laid-back, open and relaxed too."
