WA Rural Women's Award winner Mandy Walker (centre) with AgriFutures staff Matthew Macfarlane and Sheridan Ingold. (AAP Image)
The AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award recognises leaders and innovators from each state and territory, honouring the critical role women play in rural and regional businesses, industries and communities.
Western Australia recipient Mandy Walker is an example of how women are shaping traditionally male-dominated domains.
Hold tight - we’re checking permissions before loading more content
Once an environmental scientist who managed emergency responses to major marine oil spills, Mandy oversees a family diesel repairs business.
She is expanding Walkers Diesel Services into the defence industry, overcoming agriculture's seasonal highs and lows.
Mandy says family businesses give rural Australia its character.
"Vibrant communities exist when there's a great eco-system of small businesses," she said.
"You'll drive down the main street in a small town and think 'this looks busy, this is great'.
"That's my passion."
Tasmanian Women in Agriculture chair Deb Morice; Tasmanian Primary Industries and Water Minister Jo Palmer; Belle Binder; Westpac’s Jim Cuming and AgriFutures Australia’s Sheridan Ingold.
Tasmanian winner Belle Binder has an innovative approach to farm work, providing continuous employment for locals and backpackers as they traverse the agricultural landscapes of Tasmania.
Based in Devenport, Belle established the Farm Work Loop, a first-of-its-kind proactive approach that blends work, travel and community by providing continued employment across diverse farms.
“The Farm Work Loop ensures seamless operations, consistent quality and optimal efficiency, with our centralised management allowing us to maintain strict standards across all participating farms, facilitating ethical and sustainable practices, while enabling real-time adjustments to meet the demands and challenges of rural labour supply,” she said.
“Our innovative approach has already changed the game for the more than 6000 positions we’ve filled across more than 113 farms in Tasmania.
“This award will help our community grow so that even more people can experience the beauty of our Tasmanian agricultural industry, while helping address the labour shortage.”
Victorian recipient Grace Larson won her award for her extensive work to address the unfair health disadvantages faced by rural children.
Grace, a dedicated children’s nurse with more than 17 years’ experience, is empowering local parents and caregivers across rural Australia to identify preventable illness and decrease the need for rural children to seek specialised services in urban areas.
“I’ve teamed up with my sister to deliver The Sisterhood Project, a non-profit initiative that addresses the unfair disadvantages faced by rural children, which aims to break down barriers hindering parents and caregivers from accessing vital training when it comes to illness recognition, accident prevention and basic first aid,” she said.
“I’m so thrilled to receive this award, so that I can continue to deliver on my vision that everyone should have access to the best healthcare no matter where they live.”
Kate Lamason has been named the Queensland winner for her extensive work across the seafood industry, including co-founding Australia’s first canned tuna company, producing an award-winning product and boosting the profile and sustainability of the local tuna industry.
Kate, whose career spans the seafood industry, not-for-profit organisations and local government, is also a graduate of the National Seafood Industry Leadership Program and serves as a board director for Tuna Australia.
“As co-founder and director of Little Tuna, I am passionate about delivering a sustainable Australian product, as well as fostering inclusivity and diversity in the industry, particularly advocating for women’s support and recognition in the field,” she said.
State and territory winners each receive a $15,000 grant from Westpac to further support their projects, as well as the opportunity to undertake a professional development course of their choice.
To be announced at the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award Gala Dinner in Canberra later in the year, the national winner will be awarded an additional $20,000 grant and the national runner-up, an additional $15,000.
