3 February 2026

Gavin Pearce, Minister for Primary Industries and Water

Three inspiring Tasmanian women have been named as finalists for the Tasmanian 2026 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award.

The annual awards highlight the work of women whose ideas and leadership are making a real difference in rural and regional communities.

Minister for Primary Industries and Water, Gavin Pearce, said for more than 25 years, this Award has recognised and celebrated the essential role women play in rural industries, businesses and communities.

“The importance of this Award cannot be understated, creating opportunities for women to step into leadership roles, amplify their voices, and bring to life innovative ideas that strengthen communities and industries here in rural Tasmania, and across the country,” Minister Pearce said.

“I want to congratulate all of our finalists for their incredible work across their various fields and the support they’ve given to countless Tasmanians."

The three finalists for the 2026 Tasmanian AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award are:

  • Laura-Jude Johnson OAM, from Somerset, founder of THEIRS - a youth-led mental health and suicide prevention organisation on Tasmania’s North-West Coast;
  • Alyssia Kennedy, from Stowport, founder of Life After School, helping young people in rural Tasmania transition from education to adulthood; and
  • Amy Vickers, a Gladstone-based 26-year military veteran and founder of Well Beyond Service - a rural retreat in Tasmania for women from Defence and emergency services.

The winner of this award will receive a $15,000 grant thanks to the platinum sponsor, Westpac. They will also attend the prestigious Australian Institute of Company Directors course.

The Encouragement Award and Development Award are sponsored by Tasmanian Women in Agriculture; winners will receive $2,000 and $1,000 respectively.

The Tasmanian winner will be announced at an award ceremony in Launceston in the first half of 2026, who will then go on to represent Tasmania at the national finals in Canberra in September 2026.

The full finalist biographies are available on the NRE Tas website: nre.tas.gov.au/rwa