Three regional trailblazers named AgriFutures finalists
Education, sustainable tourism and parametric insurance take centre stage as South Australian finalists in the 2026 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award reveal the ideas strengthening rural economies.
Three South Australian innovators – a dairy farmer and educator, a nocturnal tourism entrepreneur and a farm insurance reformer – have been named finalists in the 2026 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, recognised for their leadership, innovation and impact in regional communities.
Narelle Zanker and Kelly Kuhn, both based near Mannum, along with McLaren Vale’s Hayley Hancock, are now in the running for a $15,000 Westpac grant to further their initiatives. The South Australian winner will be announced on May 5 and go on to represent the state at the national announcement in Canberra in September, where further funding and national recognition await.
For Zanker, co-founder of Dairy Adventures, the path to becoming a finalist began in the classroom.
“I grew up on our family dairy farm near Mannum in South Australia and always loved rural life,” she says. “After finishing school, I became a teacher and spent four years in the classroom, where I discovered how passionate I was about educating young people about agriculture and where their food comes from.
“I realised I could merge my two passions, farming and teaching. I left full-time teaching and returned to the farm with the intention of starting an agritourism business, and that’s how Dairy Adventures began.”
Today, Dairy Adventures offers immersive farm experiences for families, schools and community groups. “Dairy Adventures is an interactive, fun and educational on-farm experience for families, school groups and community organisations. Visitors can try milking a cow, bottlefeed calves and engage in hands-on activity stations, all while learning about milk production and modern farming practices.”
Supporting regional communities is central to Zanker’s mission. “It’s incredibly important to me because we live and work in one,” she says. “When visitors come to our farm, they also support local cafés, accommodation providers and other small businesses.
You might like
“Just as importantly, Dairy Adventures helps reconnect city and country. Giving both adults and children a real-life farm experience builds understanding and appreciation for where food comes from.”
Being named a finalist has been a moment of reflection. “I felt extremely honoured and grateful. The fact that people took the time to select me was incredibly humbling.
“As farmers, we are often focused on the day-to-day work. Being selected made me realise that people are seeing the difference I am making in my community.”
Fellow finalist Kelly Kuhn is also focused on connection – but after dark. With more than 30 years’ experience across tourism, government, media and events, she founded two environmentally conscious tourism ventures near Mannum – Juggle House Experiences and River Murray Dark Sky Tours.
“I’ve built businesses that connect people to regional Australia through meaningful, sustainable tourism experiences that protect and celebrate our natural world,” she says.
Her work is grounded in resilience, innovation and community collaboration forged by surviving bushfires, floods and a pandemic. “What drives me is the ripple effect of responsible tourism – from inspiring visitors to gaze at the Milky Way for the first time, to raising awareness about the impacts of light pollution on wildlife and human health, and supporting local farmers and small businesses,” she says.
“My mission is to grow regional South Australia’s economy through world-class noctourism experiences, ensuring our communities, ecosystems and night skies remain protected and shining for generations to come.”
Kuhn credits her upbringing on helping her reach the finals of the AgriFutures Awards. “As the eldest of three girls growing up on a farm, with my mother and both grandmothers also working on the land, we were taught to be both humble and fierce,” she says. “I try to reflect professional excellence and resilience at all times, so becoming a finalist in this prestigious award exemplifies what I stand for.”
She sees the opportunity as a springboard for growth. “There’s a real appreciation amongst the 26 years of this award’s existence that women entrepreneurs are brave and fearless,” she says.
“This investment would strengthen our business systems and strategy to attract future investment and grow our economic contribution to South Australia. The storytelling opportunities allow us to showcase sustainable regional tourism and agribusiness innovation. I am very grateful to be part of the opportunity.”
For McLaren Vale entrepreneur Hayley Hancock, innovation has taken a different form – rethinking how farmers access financial protection in a changing climate. Hancock co-founded Insurable, which provides a new insurance option for farms of all sizes, protecting against unpredictable natural events.
“Living in McLaren Vale, I kept hearing the same heartbreaking story of growers facing devastating weather events, then waiting months for insurance support that was grossly inadequate,” she says. “The financial stress was compounding into mental health issues and straining entire families. I thought, ‘There’s got to be a better way’.
“Insurable provides parametric insurance that triggers automatic payouts based on objective weather data, like temperature, rainfall, hail. When pre-agreed thresholds are met, funds arrive within days, not months. There’s no assessors, no arguing over damage. It’s fundamentally changing how farming communities access financial protection when they need it most.”
Her motivation is deeply personal. “These aren’t just clients – they’re our neighbours, our friends, the families our boys go to school with. When farming families are financially secure, entire regional economies thrive. When they’re struggling, everyone feels it. Supporting regional communities isn’t separate from what we do – it’s why we do it.”
The selection itself was unexpected. “Honestly? A bit surreal. Five years ago, I was doing payroll in the background of our family business. Now I’m being recognised alongside incredible women doing transformative work in rural Australia.
“My first thought was gratitude – for the farming families who’ve trusted us with their stories, the industry partners who’ve believed in the vision, and everyone who’s supported this journey. It’s validation that the work matters and that rural innovation deserves a platform.”
Hancock believes the award shines a light on necessary reform. “Being selected validates that this work isn’t just ambitious, it’s necessary. It opens doors to connections, knowledge and opportunities that accelerate our ability to drive real change.
“Winning would amplify the message that Australian agriculture deserves better support systems. It would strengthen our case for national reform, access to government-subsidised agricultural insurance like other OECD countries have. But, more than anything, it would demonstrate to my boys and all rural children that you can create meaningful change from regional communities. You don’t have to sit in a boardroom to make an impact.”
Alongside the three finalists, Millicent’s Toni Duka has been awarded an AgriFutures Rural Women’s Acceleration Grant to develop a psychology-based program supporting farmers navigating retirement and mental health – further underscoring the breadth of leadership emerging from regional South Australia.
In South Australia, the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award is proudly supported by the Department of Primary Industries and Regions (PIRSA).
For more information about the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award visit pir.sa.gov.au/rwa
Want to see more stories from InDaily SA in your Google search results?
- Click here to set InDaily SA as a preferred source.
- Tick the box next to "InDaily SA". That's it.
