Territory women strengthening our rural communities vie for NT Rural Women’s Award

Meet the three Territory women strengthening our rural communities, who are vying to be the NT Rural Women of the Year.Find out more.

Barbara Clifford and Nicole Walsh in Alice Springs, March 31, 2025. Picture: Gera Kazakov

A $15,000 prize pool will be put to supporting people to go from “s**t to shine”, one of three finalists in the running for a top Territory women’s award says.

Barbara Clifford and Nicole Walsh from Alice Springs are two of three finalists of the 2025 NT Agrifutures Rural Women’s Award, with the winner being announced next week.

Alongside Kristy Hollis a naturopath from Palmerston, the trio are in the running to get a $15,000 bursary from Westpac, which will go towards a project the trio have been recognised for.

Ms Clifford said her project is focusing on what she’s passionate on: “supporting people to go from chaos to calm, from stress to strength, and from s**t to shine”.

Alice Springs business owner Barbara Clifford. Picture: Gera Kazakov

“My program is called S.H. E. R. O. E. S, which is an acronym for Supporting her Empowerment in Outback and Regional Environments,” she said.

“My program is about supporting women to feel more confident in their skills and capabilities … raise awareness around skills and capabilities that they may not be aware of that they already have.

“But also the flow and effect of contributing their knowledge and local expertise into their community and connecting with other women in similar situations around Australia.”

Ms Clifford is the director if the Hindwood Institute.

Ms Walsh, who is the former NT Chamber of Commerce chief executive, said her NEAT project is about assisting small businesses with exporting.

Council of Small Business Organisations Australia head of programs Nicole Walsh. Picture: Gera Kazakov

“Mine’s called the Northern Enterprises Accelerating Trade – the NEAT project,” she said.

“Export from regional areas has many, many benefits, including social, economic and can have long term impact on generational wealth and activity, economic activity.

Kristy Hollis. Picture: Georgia Politis Photography

“So mine is about supporting small business in exporting; one-on-one support for some businesses so that they can expand their domestic and international platform or footprint with their product.”

Ms Walsh is now the Council of Small Business Organisations Australia head of progress.

Ms Hollis’ project is aiming to empower rural women through health education collaboration and community building, fostering whole-person, whole-community and whole-country healing in regional Australia.

Agriculture and Fisheries Minister Gerard Maley said each of the finalists demonstrate “outstanding vision and commitment to strengthening rural communities”.

“This is about celebrating women who are creating new opportunities and delivering lasting benefits to their industries and local communities,” he said.

The winner of the award will be announced April 16 at Parliament House.

Originally published as Territory women strengthening our rural communities vie for NT Rural Women’s Award