The last weekend of March saw more than 200 rural women come together in Warragul for the 30th Annual Women on Farms Gathering. The gathering aims to highlight the role of rural women and their advances in farming. This year took the theme, ‘Striding Forward’, and was coordinated by the dedicated Women on Farms volunteer group at West Gippsland.
The West Gippsland group has more than 70 members and is the longest established in Victoria. The group has hosted the first, tenth and 20th Victorian gatherings. This year’s event, was a great support to many rural women who had recently faced the challenge of devastating bushfires in the area.
The Victorian Rural Women’s Network was a key sponsor of the event which offers many opportunities for farming women to connect, share and support one another.
Workshops included topics such as gardening without water, permaculture, wellbeing and story-telling. Tours included visits to Clifden Farm’s Black Alpacas, Darnum Park Estate Olives and Thorpdale Potatoes and Prime Lamb.
For more information, go to the group’s Facebook page and website. The 2020 Women on Farms Gathering will be held at Inglewood, Victoria, from 27-29 March, with Port Fairy in 2021.
Image above (from L-R): West Gippsland Women on Farms group members Evelyn Lillie, Mary Hughes, Marie Harding and Judy Lackman
