My Australian of the Year Awards Night Experience

What an incredible night the Australian of the Year Awards was. The room was full of truly amazing people and the energy was just something else; so positive, so powerful. Being surrounded by people who are so passionate about what they do and are genuinely out there making a difference in the world was incredibly humbling. I honestly can’t put into words how honoured I felt to be in that room.

I also want to give a huge congratulations to Carrie Bigmore who won Australian of the Year in my category. She is such a deserving winner, and the work her foundation does for brain cancer is just incredible. For me, it honestly felt like lining up against Usain Bolt in a 100m sprint but I was so grateful to even be nominated alongside Carrie, Hugh and Arnold – what an amazing bunch of humans they are!

We were also lucky enough to be seated with the Aussie Hay Runners team, and wow… What incredible people. I’d really like to congratulate Linda Widdup and her team on winning Local Hero Victoria 2026. The work they do across the country is so vital and so inspiring.

It’s not just about farmers either, it’s about entire rural communities. From people with a few horses or livestock right through to big producers, anyone who needs help feeding their animals, they are there. And anyone in agriculture knows that sourcing hay is hard at the best of times, but finding quality hay during high demand, plus fundraising to get it where it needs to go, is a massive job.

They’ve been on the ground, they’ve seen it all, and they continue to turn up for people, giving their time, energy and hearts. That kind of selflessness is something pretty special.

Now, I will point out the elephant in the room… something I’ve always struggled with in the farming world. I understand supply and demand, I really do. But what baffles me is when farmers take advantage of other farmers in crisis and charge astronomical prices for hay just to make a quick dollar. Yes, farming is a business, but when someone is just trying to keep their livestock alive through flood, fire or drought, surely compassion should come first.

During the 2018 NSW and QLD drought, I told my husband we would not be those farmers. We sold our hay at normal prices, not inflated, not opportunistic, because helping mattered more than money. What goes around comes around, and I truly believe that.

That’s why what Aussie Hay Runners are doing is so important. They stand for kindness, fairness, and true community when it’s needed most. So a massive congratulations again to Linda Widdup and her incredible team. Your drive, passion and heart are making a real difference, and the world needs more people like you.

And lastly, I also took the opportunity on the night to wear a dress I made many years ago from 100% wool, which felt incredibly special to me. Wool has been a huge part of my life from a very young age. My mum worked at the New England Fibre Testing Labs in Walcha for many years before it closed down, and we grew up running fine wool Merinos. Wool is what won me my scholarship to study Fashion Design, and now, full circle, my husband and I run Merinos and produce wool on our own farm.

Wool is my favourite fibre and I will take every opportunity I can to showcase it. After all, it is the most sustainable fibre in the world and the only fibre that does not kill its host. It felt right to honour that story, that legacy and that connection on such a special night.

What an experience, and one I’ll cherish forever. And a huge thank you to the amazing people who attended the awards with me; Sean, David, Kelly and Vanessa. Without all of you, I wouldn’t be able to do what I do. I appreciate you more than you will ever understand.

And a massive congratulations to Tammie and Carly from One Red Tree for being nominated in the Local Hero category as well. The work you do in our community is incredible and your dedication to helping others is truly inspiring. I can’t wait to see what else you are going to achieve, you are amazing!