Cathy Simmons, mum of 10 children already, happily admits to loving every minute of her time with her large family – one of the Manning’s largest, in fact.

Cathy and husband Mark have just welcomed 10th child, tiny Lilly Ell Grace to their hectic Oxley Island household, where things go like clockwork from dawn till late at night.

So organised they are, in fact, that Cathy finds time for weekly pampering rituals at both a beautician’s and a hairdresser’s – and gives up part of her summer weekends as a volunteer lifesaver at Crowdy Head.

Even with a new baby in the house, Cathy says she is managing four-and-a-half to five hours sleep a night, and still sitting down every night to read books and help solve homework problems with the others in their brood.

It’s all about time management, says the 44-year-old super-mum who’s been “happily changing nappies for 25 years”.

Just 19 when she had had her first son, Matthew, she also had daughter Sarah by the time she met and married Mark, a contractor in the building industry. Mark has raised Matthew and Sarah since they were very young, and both regard him as ‘Dad’.

“I always told Mark I wanted a big family,” says Cathy. “He thought ‘big’ meant four or five!”

Matthew has become a tradesman, and now owns his own house at Old Bar, while Sarah now has three children of her own, and also lives at Old Bar.

Then comes Brooke, 18, who is living at home and studying for her HSC, Cloey, 16, studying agriculture as a weekday boarder at Tocal College (she’s home at weekends), Blake, 13, (Year 8 at St Clare’s High School), Maddison, 10, Billy, eight and Molly, five (all at St Joseph’s in Taree), Elly, three-and-a-half (at pre-school two days a week), and the latest arrival, Lilly.

“Elly, naturally, has been a bit of a pet with everyone… but no, she’s not upset by the attention now being given to her little sister Lilly,” says Cathy.

“It does take a while, however, for everyone to take turns in having a nurse of the baby.”

Mark and Cathy live on their 60 acre Oxley Island property, and also own a property at Gloucester where they raise steers.

At Oxley Island, they milk cows for their own use, and look after an array of other animals including sheep, pigs and dogs. Cathy even finds time to make cheese from the milk they produce.

With six bedrooms in the house (and a huge toyroom), the younger children are all close to mum and dad.

The older teenagers still at home have their own rooms with a huge games room.

Everyone in the family has their responsibilities and chores, resulting in a clockwork operation.

Mark is often away with his building work (he’s currently working on a shopping centre in Coffs Harbour).

“It is a bit harder when Mark’s away,” Cathy admits. “If something happens to the cattle, I rely on Blake to take care of it. His job is caring for the animals. The other children have jobs inside.

“I have to shop every day, and we spend $600 or more each week on food. That’s on top of the meat and milk and vegies, all of which we grow.

“We go through three loaves of bread a day, on average. I virtually live in the kitchen… luckily it’s a very big kitchen!”

Naturally, the chores start early each day, and by 8am Cathy is ready to start the cleaning, Maddison vacuuming, Brooke mopping. All the lunches have been made the day before, and the school-age children are on their way.

During the day it’s the special time for the two littlest, or when Elly is at pre-school it’s time for Cathy to have her bit of pampering.

“We all eat early at night, 4.30 or five, and we sit down with them. Then it’s homework for the older ones and reading with the younger ones.”

Before she goes to bed at night, Cathy has done the washing and the drying, and a session at the ironing board.

Naturally, all the children have outside interests as well, including a range of sport. Some have Kip McGrath tutoring after school.

“When you give your kids the best opportunities of education, you’ve a good chance of them all succeeding in life,” Cathy says. Already 18-year-old Brooke is studying real estate (apart from her HSC) and is planning to begin her real estate career in Sydney next year.

Cloey and Blake have their own horses and enjoy competing in gymkhanas.

“We’re about to start the little ones in pony club, because they love it too. We’re also about to start Scouts, and we do Nippers at Crowdy Head.”

Mark and Cathy have a weekender at Crowdy Head, right near the surf club. Cathy helps supervise the Nippers in their weekly activities while also doing voluntary surf patrols at weekends.

Eldest daughter Sarah is a hairdresser, so Cathy’s trips to Old Bar have a two-fold purpose. Not only does she have her hair done, but she gets to have quality time with her three grandchildren. “The eldest is eight weeks to the day younger than Elly, then there’s one 18 months and one six months.”

And while most grandparents relish the thought of “giving them back” when visits are over, Cathy has an entirely different reaction.

“It’s not the same as playing with your own children… you have to give these ones back!”