Victorian finalists announced for 2023 rural woman of the year

Ms Larson co-founded PAEDS Education with fellow nominee Sarah Duncanson and is committed to reducing barriers of distance and affordability for parents and carers in rural areas.

She also founded The Sisterhood Project, which offers free infant and child first aid courses to disadvantaged parents in the aim to reduce child mortality rates in rural Australia.

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Alongside Ms Larson and Greendale's Ms Duncanson is Nikki Davey from Glenmore who co-founded of sustainable farming movement Grown Not Flown, Shepparton's Neha Samara who founded rural women business initiative The Flamingo Project and Michelle Daga from Macarthur who founded Better Birth in the Bush, a learning platform for rural mums.

The AgriFutures award is presented by Agriculture Victoria and offergs a top prize of $15,000 for the winning woman's project.

The winner will represent Victoria at the national awards, which has a top prize of $20,000.

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Bendigo-based founder and editor of OAK Magazine Kimberley Furness took out the Victorian award last year and was national runner up.

OAK Magazine celebrates the achievements of regional and rural women in business.

"I hear stories every week of rural and regional women doing amazing things, so I'm not surprised that our 2023 Victorian Finalists are of such a high calibre," she said.

"All of the initiatives being driven by these women are worthy of representing Victoria at the National Award, so I wish each of our finalists the best of luck."

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