The Widow of Walcha

A true story of love, lies and murder in a small country town

By: Emma Partridge

Narrated by: Jo Van Es

The Widow of Walcha is a shocking true story about death, love and lies in the small NSW town of Walcha.

Shortlisted, 2023 Danger Awards, Nonfiction category

All farmer Mathew Dunbar ever wanted was to find love and have a family of his own. That’s why, just months after meeting Natasha Darcy, the much-loved grazier didn’t hesitate to sign over his multi-million-dollar estate to her.

When Mathew died in an apparent suicide soon afterwards, in a stranger-than-fiction twist, Natasha's estranged husband – who she was once charged with trying to kill – was the first paramedic on the scene.

Journalist and author Emma Partridge travelled to the cool and misty town of Walcha in the NSW Northern Tablelands shortly after Mathew Dunbar's death, drawn by the town's collective worry that Natasha was going to get away with murder. Partridge spent months researching the case, interviewing Mathew’s friends, family and Natasha herself in an attempt to uncover her sickening web of lies and crimes.

The Widow of Walcha is about one of the most extraordinary criminal trials in Australia’s history and reveals Natasha’s sickening crimes against those she claimed to love, fuelled by her obsession with money.

Critic reviews

'Emma Partridge's account of the trial of the Widow of Walcha is as gripping as a novel ... an Australian true crime story containing many of the elements of a fictional crime novel: bizarre murder, suicide, theft, bribery, blackmail, love, hate, drugs, co-incidence, change of a will and lies.'

'This was wild ... [Emma Partridge] has done an amazing job here, travelling to Walcha and speaking to so many people, fleshing out history, trying to track down people from Natasha’s past and sort the truth from the lies ... Highly, highly recommended.'

'5 stars ... one of the best Australian true crime accounts I've ever read!'