The convention organised by WTAA was held between the 17th and 19th of

November at the Melbourne Town Hall. Around 380 delegates took part in the 3 day

event. The convention was held to acknowledge the vital contribution of regional and

rural women to all aspects of industry and business, and support and develop the flow

of women into leadership roles.

There was a networking opportunity held on the 17th with opening drinks which saw

a lot of ladies mingling and networking. Ladies seem to have came from all walks of

life and from around the whole of Australia. All states were will represented which

added diversity and a great networking challenge for me personally. It was great to

meet so many positive women and I was glad that I had made the effort to encourage

other women from my region to attend this convention.

It was an excellent opportunity for catching up with other women from the cotton

industry as well. I feel that I have stronger ties with the women around the Northern

growing regions of NSW from attending this convention.

The two-day event incorporated a range of topics, including nutrition and lifestyle,

best practice models for networking, and developing and operating a successful

regional business. Speakers were sourced from a range of industries, such as

agriculture, local government, media, small business and politics, and came from as

far afield as Mungindi, Antarctica, Sunshine Coast and Tasmania.