’Entrepreneurial drive and groundbreaking innovation’: Six rural women up for Shine Awards

Beef farmer and mental health advocate Katie O’Brien is one of six NSW women up for Shine Awards, recognising the drive and groundbreaking efforts of those living in rural and regional communities.

NSW Shine Awards finalist Katie O’Brien is nominated in the courage category for her blog and mental health resource, Check Your Mates, Open The Gates. Picture: Clancy Paine.

Six NSW women are in the running for Australia’s most prestigious awards that recognise the efforts of those living in rural and regional communities.

Rowena cancer research fundraiser Sarah Wheeler, Moss Vale chocolate company founder Fiona Harrison, Nymagee mental health advocate Katie O’Brien, Barrack Point investigator and e-safety expert Kylee Dennis, Inverell veterinary mental health mentor Sarah Golding, and Orange agri-tech founder Tegan Nock have all been short-listed for the eighth annual Shine Awards.

Presented by The Weekly Times and Harvey Norman, the awards cast a light on the often unsung efforts of women across regional Australia.

A beef farmer, Katie O’Brien has been recognised as a finalist in the courage category for her blog and mental health resource, Check Your Mates, Open The Gates, which has seen her use her personal experiences to support and connect with a network of farmers and regional people facing adversity.

Shine Awards finalist Nymagee mental health advocate Katie O’Brien encourages rural people to connect with each other and to “ask how they’re doing”. Picture: Clancy Paine.

“Particularly farmers, we’re really good at deflecting issues off ourselves, and we want to take control of the situation,” Kate said.

“We see a gate shut, and we think we’ll just catch up with that person next time. But even if it’s five minutes, go and check on your mate. Or if you see them in the tractor you flag them down and ask how they’re doing. It’s not much to help connect.”

Herald and Weekly Times chairman Penny Fowler said: “The Shine Awards have given a voice to more than 1000 women nationally, each one making a difference to their communities throughout rural and regional Australia.”

Harvey Norman chief executive Katie Page said “entrepreneurial drive and groundbreaking innovation” were the constants for this year’s Shine finalists.

“The stories are of women solving contemporary challenges, often with answers of national and international relevance,” Ms Page said.

Winners will be announced on Wednesday.

For more, visit shineawards.com.au

Originally published as ’Entrepreneurial drive and groundbreaking innovation’: Six rural women up for Shine Awards