Ticket and travel grants on offer for Tasmanian rural mums

Tasmanian rural women wanting to travel to Queensland for the Motherland National Conference in 2026 who are experiencing financial and personal hardship can do so through a new scholarship program.

The second biennial conference is scheduled to take place in Toowoomba between March 13 and 14, following the inaugural event in 2024 in Launceston, which drew more than 250 attendees.

Founded in late 2019 by former journalist Stephanie Trethewey, Motherland provides services for rural women across Australia, aiming to reduce isolation and improve mental health outcomes.

Mrs Trethewey said the scholarship program was a way to give back and aligned with her charity’s ethos.

“A lot of rural mums across Australia are not only isolated, but a lot of them are also doing it a bit tough financially,” she said.

“The season is not always kind to farmers and, in general, mums always put everyone else first.

“So this is a chance to ensure that those who otherwise couldn’t get to the national conference can.”

The 2024 Tasmanian Australian of the Year said the number of scholarships and the value of each one would vary.

“It depends on what people apply for,” Mrs Trethewey said.

“For example, Tassie mums might just want a ticket to the conference, which is $420, but some might also need some support with their travel.

“We had so many beautiful Tasmanian mums get so much out of our first conference in Launceston last year and we want to see them come with us to the Sunshine State.”

The Queensland Government has committed $1 million in funding to Motherland over the next three years.

“We really wanted to bring the conference to Toowoomba because it is an agricultural hub,” Ms Trethewey said.

The organisation has several new projects planned for launch later this year, while enrolments for its Motherland Village program open in October.

“For that program, we match and connect rural mums who have kids all the way up to the age of 18 into their own personalised online mothers group,” Ms Trethewey said.

“I think that’s really important for time-poor farming women who can’t get to a mother’s group, who want to extend their friendship circle and maybe connect with people outside of their local community.”

Along with raising her children, Ms Trethewey said running Motherland had been the most incredible journey of her life.

“I never expected that an idea I thought of on a farm in Tasmania while feeling isolated would lead to this national movement.

“To see how far it’s grown in just under six years is extraordinary and it’s given me so much purpose.”

Scholarship applications for the Motherland National Conference close on August 31.