Meet the National Finalists for the 2024 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award

Rebecca Keeley

2024 New South Wales/Australian Capital Territory Winner

Rebecca Keeley, an allied health professional with an MBA from the University of Oxford, champions rural healthcare as the founder of Yarn, a digital platform bridging geographic barriers and waitlists in rural healthcare, offering evidence-based programs for children’s communication. Rebecca aims to use her Westpac grant to spread Yarn’s services across remote Australia, empowering both clinicians and families.

Kate Lamason

2024 Queensland State Winner 

Kate Lamason, co-founder of Little Tuna in Cairns, created Australia’s first 100% owned and made preserved tuna with her husband Rowan, after the shock of discovering that 99% of tuna consumption in Australia comes from imported sources. Lamason plans to utilize her Westpac grant to further develop her award-winning product, advocate for the Australian tuna industry and educate consumers on sustainable fishing practices.

Belle Binder

2024 Tasmania State Winner

Belle Binder is revolutionising farm labour with her unique project – the Farm Work Loop. This innovative approach integrates work, travel and camaraderie for backpackers and locals alike, providing Tasmanian producers with consistent, productive and high-quality farm workers. With support from her Westpac grant, Belle aims to expand the Farm Work Loop all over Australia.

Mandy Walker

2024 Western Australia State Winner

Although Mandy Walker, co-manager of Walkers Diesel Services, specialises in heavy-duty diesel repairs and engineering services, her focus is on helping others with her collaborative business model – mitigating agricultural seasonality risks by integrating into the lucrative defence industry supply chain. With her Westpac grant, Mandy plans to teach more Wheatbelt enterprises how to secure long-term economic diversity and resilience.

Tanya Egerton

2024 Northern Territory Winner

Tanya Egerton, CEO of Circulanation, pioneered the Remote Opshop Project, aiding First Nations communities in remote northern Australia. The initiative establishes community-owned opshops, offering affordable goods, business training and funding for cultural projects. Now, with her Westpac grant, Tanya plans to facilitate the formation of a First Nations Leadership Council, to craft decision-making frameworks that will prioritise community needs.

Nikki Atkinson

2024 South Australia State Winner

Nikki Atkinson, founder of Horrocks Vale Collections, blends innovation with tradition, as the creative machine behind her line of Merino wool wedding dresses and formal attire. Married to a Merino producer, she understands the craftsmanship and generations of hard work that goes into producing premium fibre. With her Westpac grant, Nikki plans to elevate Merino wool’s profile in the fashion and wedding industries.

Grace Larson

2024 Victoria State Winner

Grace Larson and her sister launched The Sisterhood Project to tackle rural children’s health disparities. With over 17 years of experience as a paediatric critical care nurse, the Sisterhood Project provides life-saving skills to rural Australian parents, offering free first aid, CPR and illness prevention education. Their mission aims to improve health outcomes for bush kids. Grace plans to use her Westpac grant to save more rural lives through education.