International Women’s Day 2025: Meet some of Australia’s most inspirational women

These nine women are extraordinary in their own right. From stopping child marriages to finding the cure for cancer, helping others with grief and fitness, these are their stories.

They are nine women from vastly different backgrounds; none is a household name, few have ever made the news, yet they are all in their own right extraordinary.

One is tackling child marriage. Another is revolutionising the fitness industry. A further two are helping support women who have lost their mothers.

They are not looking for fanfare or kudos.

But these unsung heroes’ remarkable tales are everything this year’s International Women’s Day should embrace and celebrate.

TACKLING CHILD MARRIAGES

Rana Flowers, UNICEF Representative

Government forces were shooting people dead in the street when Rana Flowers arrived in Bangladesh last year to start her new job as the ambassador for UNICEF.

However, that brutal confrontation didn’t stop her from going ahead with her mission.

“Bangladesh faces poverty, child malnutrition, and child marriage,” Ms Flowers, from Newcastle, NSW, said.

“One in 10 kids sleeps on the streets, and 40 children drown every day. My job is to oversee long-term change.”

UNICEF representative Bangladesh Rana Flowers originally from Newcastle NSW pictured on the street of Dhaka. Picture: Jason Edwards

Ms Flowers has seen remarkable progress in her work with UNICEF. Last year, their programs helped over 20 million children in Bangladesh. She has worked for UNICEF in multiple countries, including Cambodia, Mongolia, and Vietnam, always focused on improving children’s rights.

And although she may miss the clean air and blue skies of Australia, Ms Flowers said her job is her passion.

“It’s a blessing to see real change,” she said. “I’m just the luckiest person in the world.”

MOTHERLESS DAUGHTERS AUSTRALIA

Eloise Baker and Danielle Snelling

Losing her mother was a devastating for Danielle Snelling — but the loneliness cut even deeper.

“When my mum, Rosa, died in 2012, it changed everything,” Ms Snelling, from Victoria, said. “I was 23, juggling my teaching degree while caring for her through chemotherapy. When she died, I lost my role as a carer, and my whole life changed.”

Eloise Baker’s experience was equally isolating. Her mum, Janet, died suddenly from a heart attack when she was just 13.

“In 2002, grief wasn’t talked about … I suppressed it for 10 years before finally facing it.”

Eloise Baker-Hughes and Danielle Snelling co founded Motherless Daughters, which offers support to women whose mothers have passed away. Picture: Mark Stewart

The two women met in an online grief group and decided to build Motherless Daughters Australia (MDA), a national support network for women in Australia who have lost their mothers.

“When we started, we did so as two women who were navigating the unique challenges of growing up or stepping into adulthood without a mother’s guidance,” Ms Snelling said. “There are things that, as women, we just wanted our mums around for.”

MDA – now a community of over 40,000 women – provides online support, hosts in-person grief events, and advocates for those in need, serving as a lifeline for many.

“We won’t stop until every motherless daughter knows we exist,” Ms Snelling said. “No woman should grieve alone.”

FITNESS REVOLUTION

Tiarne Bova, The Yard Gym

Tiarne Bova is on a mission to revolutionise the fitness industry, particularly for women.

The co-founder of The Yard Gym — in Sydney — saw a gap in the market five years ago and set about creating a gym that focused not just on fitness, but also on lifestyle and aesthetics.

There are now 60 franchises worldwide, including the United States, Canada, Mexico, and New Zealand.

“Dan (co-founder and husband) and I have made it a priority to create an environment where both women and men feel equally empowered to train, lead, and succeed,” she said.

Tiarne Bova (Right), co-founder of the Yard Gym with Shalea Davidson at The Yard Gym in Caringbah. Photo Jeremy Piper

Ms Bova also implores women to back themselves and switch careers, if the opportunity presents.

“My advice to women is to trust your intuition and stay true to your vision,” she said. “The leap from fashion to fitness was big, but hard work, passion, and authenticity were key in both industries.”

SISTERS PROTECTING WOMEN — ONE GLOVE AT A TIME

Angie Nisbet and Shona Larkin

Fifth-generation farmers Angie Nisbet and Shona Larkin know the harsh realities of working under the Australian sun.

After Ms Larkin’s stage 2 melanoma diagnosis, the sisters launched FarmHer Hands, creating sun-protective gloves tailored for female farmers.

“We couldn’t find gloves that offered both sun safety and durability, so we made our own,” Ms Nisbet, from Queensland, said. “They had to be tough enough for agricultural work but lightweight enough for all-day wear.”

Angie Nisbet ( left) with her sister Shona Larkin are fifth-generation beef cattle producers and founders of FarmHer Hands.

Angie’s sister, Shona, was diagnosed with stage 2 melanoma in 2016, a stark wake-up call to the real risks of sun exposure in agriculture.

However, their mission goes beyond just protecting farmers. The sisters are driving a larger conversation about skin cancer in agriculture.

“In 2021, 8000 Australians in rural areas were diagnosed with melanoma, and that number is expected to rise,” Ms Nisbet said.

Thousands of pairs of gloves have already been sold, and their goal is to protect 15,000 farming hands by 2026. They’re also expanding into men’s and children’s gloves, while pushing for workplace safety policies around sun protection.

“We want sun safety to be as instinctive as wearing boots and hats,” Ms Nisbet said.

BREAKTHROUGH IN CANCER RESEARCH

Dr Venessa Chin, Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital and the Garvan Institute

In the fast-moving world of cancer research, Dr Venessa Chin is pushing the boundaries of medical oncology, specialising in lung, head and neck cancers.

“I’m working on a method to isolate cancer cells from the blood and map their genetics one cell at a time,” Dr Chin, from Sydney’s St Vincent’s Hospital and the Garvan Institute, said. “This helps us detect subtle differences between cells, leading to more targeted treatments.”

Her research focuses on immunotherapy — a promising cancer treatment that helps the immune system attack tumours. But with fewer than half of patients responding, doctors still can’t predict who will benefit.

Dr Venessa Chin, head and neck cancer specialist at St Vincent’s Hospital in Sydney and who also works at the Garvan Institute.

Dr Chin is identifying biomarkers in immune and tumour cells. This could reveal which lung cancer patients will respond to different immunotherapies, enabling more personalised treatment.

“The next big breakthrough will be figuring out why,” she said. “We need to predict which therapy works best for each patient — or develop entirely new, tailored approaches.”

A GLOBAL FOOD MOVEMENT

Nikalene Riddle, Skinnymixers

When Nikalene Riddle founded Skinnymixers in 2013, she was simply searching for support.

Struggling with her weight after having her two children, she turned to a Thermomix to help make healthier meals.

But she didn’t expect her journey to resonate with thousands.

“I made a post asking if anyone wanted to join my Facebook group to focus on healthy recipes,” Ms Riddle, from South Australia, said. “By morning, over 1000 people had joined.”

Nikalene Riddle started Skinnymixers in 2013, which went from a Facebook group into a leading self-published cookbook brand, with 19 best-selling titles sold in 74 countries.

What started as a small community grew into a global movement with more than 250,000 members and 19 best-selling cookbooks sold in 74 countries.

“I focus on easy-to-follow recipes that cater to various dietary needs,” Ms Riddle said.

But building a business has been challenging.

“Balancing the demands of a brand with family life as a single mother isn’t easy,” she said. “My advice to women is to write down your ‘why’ and let it guide you.”

FIGHTING A MOTHER’S ISOLATION

Stephanie Trethewey, Motherland Village

When Stephanie Trethewey moved from Melbourne to a Tasmanian farm with her newborn, she didn’t expect the isolation to hit so hard.

“I had no family, no friends, no access to a mother’s group and felt so isolated and alone,” Ms Trethewey said.

Her experience inspired Motherland, a charity supporting rural mothers.

“Isolation is one of the biggest challenges facing rural mums,” she said.

Stephanie Trethewey is the founder & CEO of Motherland, a national charity that supports and connects rural mothers across Australia. Picture: Pip Williams

“And this is creating substantial challenges when it comes to all areas of their life, including their mental health.”

Motherland started with a podcast that has now surpassed 1.1 million downloads and 250 interviews.

In 2021, she launched Motherland Village, Australia’s first online rural mother’s group, connecting isolated mums to vital support networks.

Then, in 2023, she established a scholarship fund to provide free assistance for struggling rural mums.

“The health of rural women is crucial to the nation,” Ms Trethewey said. “My dream is for every rural woman to feel supported by her village, no matter what that looks like.”

Originally published as International Women’s Day 2025: Meet some of Australia’s most inspirational women