Former SA teacher Narelle Zanker crowned Rural Woman of the Year

In short:

South Australian dairy farmer Narelle Zanker has been crowned Australia's AgriFutures Rural Woman of the Year at Canberra's Parliament House.

She is a former teacher with a passion for farming.

The AgriFutures Rural Women's Award National Runner-Up was Northern Territory pilot and innovator Kelly Shotton.

When South Australian dairy farmer Narelle Zanker sees the recognition in a child's face when they realise that milk comes from cows and not a bottle in the fridge, she's reminded of the difference she's making.

Growing up on the family dairy farm on the banks of the Murray River near Mannum, just over an hour's drive east of Adelaide, Ms Zanker always wanted to be a teacher.

But four years into her new career, she experienced a "light bulb moment" when she realised she could merge her love for teaching with her love for farming. And so, with the support of her husband and family, Dairy Adventures was born in 2024.

"[Dairy Adventures] is a fun, educational, interactive experience for families and school groups to come onto the farm and bottle-feed the calves, milk the cows, tour the farm and learn about where their food comes from, from paddock to plate," Ms Zanker said.

Winner takes home a $20k grant

The only agritourism venture of its kind in South Australia, Ms Zanker said Dairy Adventures addressed a massive gap between farmer and consumer.

"People don't know where their food comes from, they don't know where milk comes from, they think it comes from the fridge in their house or from the shops," she said.

Now the former teacher has been recognised as Australia's AgriFutures Rural Woman of the Year at Canberra's Parliament House last night and will receive a $20,000 grant to develop Dairy Adventures further and take it nationwide through virtual classrooms.

"Having a love for education and farming is what makes it work," she said.

The AgriFutures Rural Women's Award National Runner-Up was Northern Territory pilot and innovator Kelly Shotton, founder of Stationly, a digital platform that helps remote stations monitor tanks, bores and other water infrastructure across vast properties.

The Rural Women's Award, originally established by ABC Rural in 1994 and now in its 26th year as an AgriFutures initiative, recognises women who are shaping the future of rural and regional Australia through innovation, enterprise and leadership.