Carol proved hard to match coming into the 2025 award as the NSW state winner as she is a shearer registered nurse and mental health advocate
Carol Mudford has been named the 2025 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award Winner for her leadership in creating safe spaces and practical support across shearing sheds nationwide.
Carol’s work was at the forefront of receiving the award as founder of sHedway, a national not-for-profit tackling suicide prevention and mental health in the shearing industry.
Since launching sHedway in 2023, Carol has delivered events across every mainland state, breaking down stigma and building peer networks to ensure shearers and wool handlers know they are not alone.
Western Australian finalist Isabella Thrupp was named National Runner Up for her project Prinking in Pindan, a clothing brand shaped by life on cattle stations in the Kimberley.
Managing Leopold Downs Station with her partner, Isabella has fused station life with design to create clothing for outback realities. Her first release, The Pindan Jeans, drew overwhelming demand, highlighting the appetite for durable, stylish clothing designed by women on the land.
Carol and Isabella, along with their fellow national finalists, honoured for their exceptional contributions to rural communities and industries during the 2025 ceremony, includes:
- Carol Mudford, founder of sHedway (NSW / ACT)
- Nicole McNaughton, CEO of the Food and Agribusiness Network (FAN) (Queensland)
- Kelly Johnson, creator of SPhiker (South Australia)
- Kristy Hollis, naturopath and founder of Everlasting Health (Northern Territory)
- Dr Mary Cole, soil scientist and founder of AgPath (Victoria)
- Sarah De Jonge, founder of 1000 Hearts (Tasmania)
- Isabella Thrupp, founder of Prinking in Pindan (Western Australia)
The announcement was made by the Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, The Hon Julie Collins MP, during a black-tie gala dinner at Canberra’s Parliament House on Tuesday evening. The event brought together more than 540 guests, including government officials, industry representatives, award alumni, finalists, and their families.
This year marked a milestone, 25 years of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award. Since its inception, the Award has celebrated hundreds of women transforming their industries, from food and fibre to technology, sustainability and community leadership. It has become a national platform that amplifies rural voices, fuels innovation, and inspires the next generation of leaders.
The AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award is Australia’s premier award recognising and supporting the vital role women play in rural and regional businesses, industries, and communities. With the continued support of Platinum Sponsor, Westpac, the program offers opportunities to foster the growth of tomorrow’s female changemakers across Australia.
In addition to the $15,000 Westpac grant awarded to each of the seven state and territory winners, Carol and Isabella will receive an additional $20,000 and $15,000 respectively to further develop their winning projects.
“This is a profound honour and I am deeply grateful to AgriFutures and Westpac for their belief in my vision. With this support, we can take sHedway into more sheds and more towns, making it okay to ask for help — and to receive it,” Carol Mudford confirmed.
Meanwhile, runner-up Isabella Thrupp added to the achievements behind the award, “Prinking in Pindan began with the idea of creating clothing that reflects station life. To have that vision recognised nationally shows that women in remote Australia can drive meaningful change and I hope it inspires others to pursue their own ideas.”
AgriFutures Managing Director John Harvey praised Carol for her outstanding contributions to rural wellbeing.
“In the 25th year of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award — a program that has evolved from a kitchen-table conversation into a national movement — Carol Mudford stands as a powerful embodiment of its legacy.
“A registered nurse and seasoned shearer and wool handler, Carol bridges two worlds with authenticity and courage. Her exceptional work is changing the culture of the shearing industry and creating lasting impact for rural communities. She’s trusted in the sheds and influential in the conversations shaping the sector,” John Harvey elaborated.
John Harvey also congratulated National Runner Up, Isabella Thrupp, who received an additional $15,000 Westpac grant.
Peta Ward, Managing Director of Regional Commercial and Agribusiness for Platinum Sponsor Westpac, added, “Congratulations to Carol and Isabella on their recognition. Their projects highlight the ingenuity and resilience of women in rural and regional Australia, and we are proud to support their leadership.
“It’s an honour to showcase the contributions of women who are helping to build a stronger, more sustainable future for our regions,” Peta Ward concluded.
Applications for the 2026 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award opened on Wednesday 10 September 2025 and will close on Friday 7 November 2025 (Friday 30 January 2026 for NT applicants).
See more on this link.
