One of my favourite memories is visiting family friends as a kid on their 3,000 acre farm near Coonabarabran, NSW. There was something special about their farm shed – a rustic hark back to a bygone era that had stood the test of time. I remember the ‘rules of the shed’ sign that had been hand-painted on a timber board, common-sense advice that had been developed over many years.

The last two rules struck me for their wisdom and candour: ‘If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it!’ and ‘If you don’t know how to operate it, leave the bloody thing alone…’...