Women on the land refuse to just ‘let the boys do it’

Later, while working as a school teacher for four years, Ms Zanker loved bringing her students back to the property to show them exactly how their dinner gets on their tables.

So, mixing her agriculture and education experience, she and her husband Joel founded Dairy Adventures, an agritourism business that hosts on-farm experiences.

Her work to better connect Australians with farming has earned her the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, a prestigious gong that recognises the unique role of women in the regions.

“We opened our farm gates to give people the opportunity to experience a real working dairy farm and learn about where their food comes from in a fun, interactive, and educational way,” Ms Zanker said during the award ceremony at Parliament House in Canberra on Tuesday night.

“Since then, I’ve watched children feed a calf for the first time (and) have those light bulb moments, when they begin to understand the connection between the food they consume and the farmers that produce it.”

Connecting consumers with food and farmers is broadly seen as a way to improve understanding of regional Australia and bridge the gap between the country and the cities.

Education is also key to building the $100 billion sector’s next generation, particularly amid a national dearth of agriculture teachers.

Remote station hand and pilot Kelly Shotton from the Northern Territory was named runner-up for founding Stationly, which helps remote cattle stations monitor and manage their water across vast properties.

Ms Shotton developed the idea while doing laborious bore checks and realising how much information can be lost, even though “water is everything” in the outback.

Originally an electrician from Victoria, Ms Shotton said she fought to overcome sexism in her career.

“I was once told by a student in my trade school class that maybe if I didn’t get it, I should just quit, get an office job, and let the boys do it,” she told the crowd.

“There was silence in the room, and no one said a thing.

“I wish I knew his name, because I would have invited him along here tonight.”

Other state finalists included a former veteran using equine therapy to help those leaving the military, the founder of a migrant language school, an aerospace engineer, a regional vet educator and a farmer who makes sun-safe farm gloves.

The award is in its 26th year and has given a platform to agricultural leaders, Indigenous innovators, social enterprise leaders, scientists and entrepreneurs.

Applications for the 2027 award open on Wednesday.