2025 NSW Rural Women's Gathering

The application process requires prospective towns to form a committee, propose a theme, and fill out the online EOI. All applicants will be contacted by the RWN for further discussion and next steps. The successful applicant to host a Gathering will be provided with a detailed Gathering Event Guide. The Rural Women’s Gathering Committee is the key group that plans and manages the event. The Committee is generally made up of local and regional individuals, organisations and businesses who have a passion for bringing new opportunities to their area and supporting regional, rural and remote women.

Communities from rural, regional and remote NSW.

Gatherings are organised by local committees with support from the NSW Rural Women’s Network (RWN) and in collaboration with their local community. The committee makes key decisions, develops a theme and the weekend program. Each Gathering reflects the unique culture, talent, industry, tourism and environment of the host community.

The Committee manages all aspects of the Gathering event. This includes:

• Source and reserve appropriate venues and accommodation in your town 
• Develop a program of events and activities, examples include forums, workshops, seminars, panels, and keynotes speakers 
• Invite and manage all speakers, guests, an MC, and VIPs
• Invite and provide the Minister for Women and Minister for Agriculture with speaking opportunities 
• Seek sponsorship, both in-kind and financial
• Book entertainment and manage all audio/visual aspects of the event 
• Collaborate with RWN to create an event website with online registrations and ticket booking system
• Create or use existing social media platforms for promotions
• Organise and manage all elements of catering 
• Provide event information through a marketplace of local stalls or similar for example at a local Library or community centre
• Provide online live streaming or hybrid options for events when suitable
• Ensure a balanced spread across agricultural, business, educational, health, inclusion, support, and recreational topics
• Ensure the program is inclusive and attractive to diverse groups of women, as identified as focus communities in the NSW Women's Strategy 2023-2026
• Ensure accessibility is considered in the planning of the event, including physical, visual and audible. 
• Ensuring the needs of women with children and those living with disability are considered in the planning of the event. 

The NSW Rural Women’s Gathering is held in October in line with the UN’s International Day of Rural Women, with the aim to connect, celebrate and empower regional, rural and remote women in NSW.

The project should be started by 18 October 2025 and the project must be completed by 19 October 2025.