Young rural leaders celebrated at NSW Farmers conference

Five young rural leaders have been named the successful recipients of the NSW Farmers Tertiary Scholarships at its annual conference in Sydney.

Two local recipients from the North West are among the scholarship awardees. Kari Donaldson, Willala, received the John White Memorial Scholarship, and Charlotte Leys, Goolhi, was awarded the Alan Chapman Memorial Scholarship.

The remaining successful students were Reuben Huf, Sleepy Hollow, the E.L. O’Brien Scholarship, Grace Wilkes-Bowes, Naradhan, the Graham Blatch Memorial Goobang Scholarship, and Abigail Tozer, Wallendbeen, the Paul Lockyer Memorial Scholarship.

Each year, NSW Farmers awards five tertiary scholarships to members or their children to support their university or vocational qualification in a field relevant to agriculture, or regional and rural Australia.

The 2025 recipients hailed from the North Coast, North West, Central West and South West Slopes, and were all committed to improving farming futures.

Scholarship recipient and Bachelor of Nursing student Charlotte Leys from Goolhi said the scholarships would enable this year’s recipients to access opportunities and excel in their chosen fields.

“This scholarship is very meaningful to me, but also for the rural communities I plan to support in the future,” Ms Leys said.

“I am incredibly grateful to live in such a small yet tight-knit rural community, and I want to utilise my studies in a way that can give back, especially in the field of rural health.

“This support from NSW Farmers is not just supporting students like me, but is also an investment in the future of rural communities.”

NSW Young Farmers chair Martin Murray said the scholarships sought to open doors for the next generation of agriculture and regional Australia, so they could unlock their full potential.

“As an industry body, we have a responsibility to give the talented next generation coming through the very best possible chance to succeed and secure a brighter farming future,” Mr Murray said.

“These recipients are to be congratulated for their efforts, and I look forward to seeing all they are able to achieve with the help of the program now and into the future.”