Shine Awards 2023: Rural women from SA who go above and beyond

With the launch of the 2023 Shine Awards, it’s time to look back on past finalists from South Australia, which includes the overall winner from 2022.

With the launch of the 2023 Shine Awards, it’s time to take a look back on past finalists — rural women who go above and beyond for their communities and are deserving of extra recognition.

Here are some of the top finalists and winners from South Australia over the years:

EMILY RIGGS, BURRA

Emily Riggs, Iris & Wool Founder and Creative Director. Picture Matt Turner

Emily turned personal tragedy into a passion for fashion, launching her own brand that champions sustainable, traceable Australian Merino fibre and giving a slice of profits to a cancer support charity.

After losing her mother to breast cancer and surviving cancer herself, Emily started using Merino wool from her and her husband’s farm to create beautiful clothes that sell nationwide.

It was for her amazing efforts that Emily won the overall prize in the 2022 Shine Awards.

FRANCES FRAHN, FLINDERS RANGES

Frances and Luke Frahn with their children Todd and Stella. Picture: Matt Turner.

Wool grower Frances steered her family’s Holowiliena Station through drought by diversifying with agritourism and, despite Covid disruption, grew the tourism business to survive while fully destocking the station.

MEG CLOTHIER, ORROROO

Meg Clothier and her husband, Oliver. Picture: Samara Harris

Meg Clothier and her husband Oliver dedicated all of 2020 to helping farmers in need during tough drought years as volunteer caretakers.

Both had grown up on the land were shocked at the number of farmers who requested assistance.

They covered a decent swath of the nation during the year and only asked for one thing in return: diesel for their ute.

PHILLIPA LAWSON, PINAROO

Phillipa and Skeet Lawson with their girls Annabelle and Georgia among their lentils in Pinnaroo in 2020. Picture: Matt Turner

When pulse grower Phillipa Lawson’s fussy daughter started picking the lentils out of her food, Phillipa had an idea: turning lentils into flour.

And so began The Pinnaroo Farmer brand, where Phillipa started selling red lentil flour directly to customers through an online shop, the local Pinnaroo bakery and through a wholefoods store in Adelaide.

The nutrition-forward business quickly took off, and moved from strength to strength.

These women were nominees in the Shine Awards, a partnership between The Weekly Times and Harvey Norman that celebrates Australia’s rural women. If you know a woman who makes a real difference to her rural community or industry, nominate her in the form below. Find out more about the Shine Awards here.