International Day of Rural Women: Hear from Countryman editor Cally Dupe

Agriculture is a special industry — one where women can stand shoulder to shoulder with men and truly feel equal.

At least, that’s been my experience as a journalist covering the ag sector across Western Australia.

As a woman driving thousands of kilometres each month in a Toyota Camry through regional WA, I’ve never once felt unsafe.

Instead, I’ve felt respected, accepted, and genuinely welcomed on every farm I’ve visited and by every farmer I’ve met.

Women are the heart of our regional communities — as mothers, daughters, grandmothers and leaders.

And for generations, they’ve also been the quiet backbone of family farming businesses.

Thankfully, their contributions are increasingly being recognised and celebrated.

This International Day of Rural Women, Countryman is proud to shine a spotlight on the women who help sustain rural households, communities and businesses across regional and remote Australia.

You don’t have to look far to find powerful examples of female leadership.

Trailblazer Tiffany Davey from Konnongorring was recently named WA’s Rural Ambassador for 2025.

In April, we celebrated Kimberley pastoralist and fashion label founder Isabella Thrupp as the winner of the WA AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.

Next year, the Newdegate Machinery Field Days will welcome its first female president, Stephanie Clarke-Lloyd — a charismatic and organised force who’s already proving to be a leader to watch.

When I interviewed artist Jacob “Shakey” Butler earlier this year about his plans to paint a large-scale mural at Newdegate, he told me one of the most striking things he’d learned from locals was just how many hats women wear, how much they were contributing to their local organisations and “making the town work”.

Though I now live in Perth, I recognise the privilege that comes with city life, and I’m deeply grateful for my upbringing and adult years spent in the Kimberley — a region that shaped who I am.

What a time it is to be a woman in agriculture. And what a truly incredible industry to be part of.