The Hub-led Gather and Grow project is helping regional women strengthen their role in farm business decision-making and community resilience. Delivered in partnership with Women in Farming, the program provides small grants for locally led events across 13 regional branches in Western Australia.
Branches could define resilience in their own way, from practical farm management and technology to mental health and social connection. The aim was to give branches the flexibility to respond to local needs, create opportunities for women to connect and share experiences, and capture insights to inform future programs.
Eight events held between March and September 2026 attracted around 290 attendees, including:
Practical workshops: Farm compliance and HR obligations in West Arthur, farm structures and succession planning in Narembeen and Boyup Brook, and garden fire and water resilience in Wagin.
Long table lunches: Tammin and Ongerup brought women together over a meal and guest speakers, covering topics from youth mental health and small business to drought-tolerant gardens and soil health.
A reflective luncheon: Kojonup hosted a gathering after the State Women in Farming Conference, creating space to discuss the emotional load carried by rural women.
Health and wellbeing: Albany hosted a wellness workshop featuring local health professionals, practical guidance and a hands-on breathwork session, giving 16 women an opportunity to focus on their wellbeing and connect in a relaxed rural setting.
The Women in Farming Annual Seminar: 130 people attended talks on artificial intelligence (AI), climate forecasting, on-farm technology and legal protection.
Wagin’s workshop was shaped by a January 2025 fire that burned 11,000 hectares and destroyed homes, sheds and gardens. The branch used its grant to bring in an expert on fire-resistant, water-wise gardens, responding directly to a local need. As Wagin Branch President Melanie English explains, women “wear lots of different hats, so supporting them is really important.”
Feedback from the events highlighted several consistent themes:
Practical beats theoretical. Attendees valued real examples and clear next steps. At Narembeen, one participant said the session highlighted areas they hadn’t previously considered.
Social connection is part of the value. Organisers in Ongerup, Wagin, Albany and Kojonup found that informal time over a meal was just as valuable as the presentations. It helped build trust and create space for women to talk openly about the pressures they carry.
Local and flexible works. The funding allowed branches to respond to their own interests and needs. Boyup Brook noted it was the first event of this scale since the branch formed in 2017, describing the funding as “definitely a stimulus”.
There is appetite for more. Branches identified opportunities for follow-up activities, including practical AI webinars, on-farm visits to see safety systems in action, longer compliance workshops and more regular small gatherings.
Two final events are planned for the end of October, bringing the initiative to a close.
Gather and Grow shows how modest, locally led investment can create opportunities for women to share knowledge, build connections and strengthen the networks and confidence that support resilient farming communities.
The Gather and Grow project was supported by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund.
Article provided by Grower Group Alliance https://hub.gga.org.au/gather-and-grow-building-resilience-through-local-connections/