SA dairy farmer wins national AgriFutures Rural Women's Award

Passionate dairy farmer and educator Narelle Zanker has won the 2026 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award, earning national recognition for her outstanding contribution to regional development and rural communities.

Ms Zanker accepted the award last night at Parliament House in Canberra, earning the prestigious industry accolade for her work to educate and bridge the gap between city and country through the delivery of hands-on, wholesome on-farm experiences.

She is the co-founder of Dairy Adventures, a small family-run farm near Mannum that offers fun, interactive and educational experiences, giving visitors a first-hand understanding of dairy farming and where their food comes from.

Drawing on her experience as a teacher and her passion for agriculture and education, Ms Zanker delivers powerful lessons about food safety, animal care and the journey of dairy products from the paddock to the store shelf through fun and immersive experiences.

By combining her two biggest passions – teaching and dairy farming – Ms Zanker has demonstrated leadership, entrepreneurship and a steadfast commitment to supporting local tourism and community connection through agricultural education.

She established Dairy Adventures in 2024 following a four-year stint as a school teacher, experience which she has also used to establish two school-based agriculture programs, helping strengthen the connection between farmers, consumers and the next generation.

Dairy Adventures welcomes schools, community groups, people living with disability, families, and aged care residents, welcoming more than 1,200 visitors a year and having earned a silver medal in the New Tourism Business category at the 2025 South Australian Tourism Awards.

As the national AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award winner, Ms Zanker will receive a $20,000 grant from Westpac to support her business. This is in addition to a $15,000 Westpac grant she received when she won the South Australian award.

Ms Zanker will invest this $35,000 in combined grant funding to upgrade her farm facilities, as she aims to enhance the visitor experience, improve accessibility and develop new opportunities to teach people about dairy farming. She also plans to develop more educational resources and a children’s book about life on a dairy farm.