Arabic version: سبع متأهلات نهائيات يبرزن الابتكار الريفي

According to ABC News, seven state and territory finalists will gather in Canberra for the 2026 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award gala on Tuesday night, September 8. The national winner will receive an additional $20,000, while each finalist has received a $15,000 grant for a project, business or program.

New South Wales and ACT finalist Kristie Ivone founded the Boas Language Academy in Albury–Wodonga in September 2024. The academy trains migrants to teach their own languages and share their cultures, and has delivered more than 29 language courses in two years. Victoria’s Becky Dickinson founded Veterinary Support Services in 2022, providing mentoring, training and networking pathways for early-career rural veterinarians.

Queensland finalist Angie Nisbet co-founded FarmHer Hands, which produces colourful sun-safe gloves for farmers, and is leading the national AgriSkin Project. In South Australia, dairy farmer and former teacher Narelle Zanker co-founded Dairy Adventures in September 2024 on her family’s 4,000-acre property near Mannum. The agritourism venture attracted more than 1,000 visitors in its first year and won a Silver Medal at the 2025 South Australian Tourism Awards.

Western Australia’s Angela Teale co-founded Starsite Australia, whose Mullewa site is part of a commercial lunar communications network with KSAT that is to be operational by the end of 2026. Northern Territory finalist Kelly Shotton developed BoreWatch, an app for remote cattle stations to monitor water infrastructure. Tasmania’s Amy Vickers founded Well Beyond Service, a rural retreat program for people who have served in defence and emergency services.