On supporting rural leaders and creating a legacy of generosity

Both mum and dad were big givers, so we were raised always ready to roll up our sleeves and give our time to the sporting club, scouts and community events. I think as a family we enjoyed contributing to support our local community.  Although I grew up just south of Melbourne on Port Phillip Bay, I moved to the Territory while on a gap year at 17 years old.  As I reflect back on this time, it was quite transformative - the people I met and worked alongside, the very remote places I lived and the personal and professional experiences I embraced. I’ve now spent over half of my life in the Territory and very remote Australia.

I love contributing to things that are bigger than me. If I can help someone get on their journey a little bit quicker with what I can give, then I will. I feel great joy in supporting someone else to grow; it makes my heart sing. So, whether it’s making an introduction for someone or a financial contribution to the work they’re doing, that’s what drives me to give. Early on, I recognised that I've had some great opportunities in my life that not everyone has access to. Levelling that field is also something that really motivates me. 

When I was younger, I gave more of my time and skills, building relationships and networks. As I've gotten older I've moved more towards financial contribution and community and network building. I've been doing more workplace giving, because I like knowing that I’m giving some of my resources to help someone who I don’t know develop their leadership. 

I graduated from the Australian Rural Leadership Program in March 2022, and I thought deeply about how I could make a contribution moving forward. One idea with a potential big impact was setting up the Leadership on Larapinta Fundraising Walk. I wanted to connect philanthropy within the Territory and use it to help more rural, regional and remote leaders reach their full potential. After I graduated, I was talking with my late husband about how we have this world class Larapinta trail in Central Australia and all these great guiding companies. I wondered what would happen if I got leaders from across Australia to come on the walk and fundraise towards a scholarship for a Central Australian leader to do the next Australian Rural Leadership Program. I did the first walk in May 2024. We had a platform with the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation, and we raised $53,000, with over 300 donors. It was this amazing, organic experience around collective giving that’s centred on a clear purpose. 

In September 2025, we brought another eight leaders to walk the trail again with Intrepid Travel. Through the generosity of over 225+ donors we collectively raised $55,000. The first scholarship has been awarded to a Central Australian leader and the second scholarship has been awarded to a Territorian. Both leaders will start their ARLP journey in June 2026. I love how this project highlights what a community can generate through collective giving. The excitement and absolute joy of knowing that through our action and the power of collective giving, we can give Territorians access to high value and high impact  opportunities to grow their leadership, so that they can shape the future of the NT and Northern Australia!  

The women in my circle are strong, capable, adaptable and they understand how their generosity can translate into other things around the region. Some local women are contributing to the Community Foundation here, and part of that giving is to set up and support more positive news stories in the local paper. We lost our newspaper, and it took three years to get The Centralian back in operation. Now, to have a local paper sharing good news stories across the community, is wonderful - it builds connection and celebrates achievements. Without that giving and generosity, we wouldn’t have it. 

It doesn't have to be big. It can be small, and you can make the choice of how you want to give, to who, and for what purpose. Imagine a world where we're all giving to the things that matter to us, and the impact that could ripple from that. I'll give you a local example. There's a young girl locally who wanted to go to the NT Athletics Carnival in Darwin, and she had to raise money to fund her travel. She put her skills and time to designing the most beautiful Larapinta Trail graphic which she put on tea towels and sold for around $25 each. I bought a heap of the tea towels, and she was just blown away that someone would buy them. But for me, that purchase was an exchange of goodwill and who knows where that spark will go? That's what I love most about giving.

I want more people to realise the impact of regular giving and that a small amount, given collectively, can make a significant difference. I'd love to see more education around wills and bequests, because we all work so hard to generate wealth and resources, it’s good to think about what we would like these assets to support into the future after we're gone. My husband passed away three years ago and we didn’t have that conversation, so I’m encouraging others who don't have a will, to work out with their family members what they would like their legacy to be. And finally, I want to see more Territorians reaching their leadership potential through the power of collective giving.