2026 RWA Finalist Narelle Zanker reconnecting consumers with the dairy story

It’s just before 4am when 2026 Rural Women’s Award National Finalist Narelle Zanker’s alarm pierces the dark. Pulling on a pair of wool lined trousers, jumper, vest, jacket, beanie, gloves and two pairs of socks, the dairy farmer slips into the pre-dawn freeze of a South Australian winter morning.

Whistling her kelpie, Rocky, she kicks the quad bike into gear and heads to the paddock. The headlights show the misting exhales of the 300 Holstein Friesian cows Narelle will milk that morning, all before 9am when her first group of visitors are scheduled to visit for a farm tour, learning how milk gets from cow to cup.

The 30 year old has found her perfect niche, designing a job that encompasses everything she is passionate about – agriculture and education, cows and conscious consumption. The daughter of veteran farmers, dairy runs in Narelle’s blood.

“I always loved feeding the calves, milking the cows, doing all the farm jobs before and after school, almost always missing the school bus,” she laughs. “Dad’s been a dairy farmer for 50 odd years. I just love cows. They’re beautiful animals.”

Even while studying to be a primary school teacher in Adelaide, Narelle would commute the hour home every day for her cow fix. The family’s 1000-hectare mixed property lies nestled on the banks of the mighty Murray River, 5-kilometres southeast of the historic town of Mannum.

It was while teaching full time in nearby Murray Bridge in 2020 that the farmer had the idea for what would become her life’s passion.

“I ended up bringing students to the farm on excursions and absolutely loved it. I realised I really love teaching and farming. I thought, ‘is there any way that I could merge the two together?’ And that’s when I had this light bulb moment. Let’s run tours on the farm.”

Narelle resigned from her permanent teaching position at the end of 2021. After an unexpected whirlwind romance with sheep and cropping farmer Joel Zanker, it became a two-for-the-price-of-one deal, with a wedding among the cows in 2023. It was Joel who insisted she bring her dream to life.

“We came up with the name, Dairy Adventures. I started an Instagram and Facebook page in May 2024, opening up for tours in September. Family groups, school groups, aged care, kids’ birthday parties, you name it. We’ve had some people come back seven times.”

Within 12 months, more than a thousand visitors flocked through the farm gates to learn about the complexities of producing 6,000 litres of milk a day.

“People are disconnected. They think that milk comes from the shop. It’s about reconnecting people with the land and giving them that hands-on experience.”

The tours include the morning ‘feeding frenzy’ where visitors bottle feed calves, learn about milking technology and meet the famous 700-kilogram pet cow, ‘Elvis’. Narelle credits social media with a rising interest in provenance and emerging appetite for traceability from paddock to plate.

“I feel like there is slowly a shift – people want to know where their food comes from. They’re going to the shop intentionally going, ‘what can I buy that’s local, even if it’s going to cost more money?’. That’s encouraging to see.”

This diversity into agritourism and passion for advocacy is crucial in an industry known for its fickle peaks and troughs. Australia’s dairy farmer numbers have dropped dramatically since the 2016 milk crisis which saw dairy prices slashed, with milk costing at times less than bottled water. Narelle credits the dairy community for its determination to stick together.

“People in this community support each other and give each other ideas. If you’re starting something new on your farm, you can freely ask a dairy farmer neighbour, ‘how do you guys do this?’ They’re more than happy to share.”

Winning the Young Dairy Farmer of the Year in 2025, the young producer has recently taken out the state gong for the South Australia AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award. Armed with a $15,000 grant to further her vital work, Narelle aims to run virtual classrooms for school children around Australia in conjunction with Dairy Australia, offering powerful lessons about food safety, animal care and where food comes from – all from the calf pen of her family’s milking shed.

“We had a lunch the day of the award ceremony, and some of the women had won it up to 20 years ago – they’re still part of the group. They’re very supportive and connected and want to do anything they can to make you feel welcome.”

At the end of the morning’s milking, Narelle herds the cows out to another paddock where they’ll graze the green river flats in the sunshine. She opens Instagram for her morning ‘live’, offering thought-provoking glimpses into her day. Using her phone as a portal, she invites strangers in, offering a bridge for them to cross from uneducated to conscious consumer.

“My favourite part is getting to know people on the tours. You can see the light bulb moments in their head. I love it when they ask questions, and I can see them get excited.”

This is article is a feature from the Australian Country Style Magazine.