Community stories: 22 January 2025
The Arid Lands region in Central Australia is vast, with a small, dispersed population. Its climate is characterised by extreme temperatures. Huge geographical distances pose major challenges in accessing essential services and infrastructure, as well as establishing and maintaining a social support network.
Add the pressures of everyday life and the impacts of increasingly frequent droughts, floods and bushfires, and it is often difficult for community members and agricultural workers in the region to find ways to connect.
The Red Centre Rural Ladies Day, held in Alice Springs on International Rural Women’s Day (October 2024), was a wonderful opportunity to highlight and celebrate the contribution that rural women make to life on the land. It also meant more than 80 women (and men) had the opportunity to network and strengthen relationships.



The celebration was the first in a series of community events under The Arid Lands Agricultural Community Connections Project, which is funded by a $50,000 grant via the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund through the Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative Small Network Grants.
Delivered collaboratively by Landcare NT and the Centralian Land Management Association (CLMA), the overarching project is designed to initiate and encourage social and community connection between agricultural workers in the region, helping them to be more prepared for, and resilient to, the impacts of drought.
The events are all about celebrating the people that call the Arid Lands home and that’s exactly what last years Red Centre Rural Ladies Day achieved. A variety of musical performances and a special show from cabaret dance masters Desert Diamonds had everyone up on their feet, dancing the night away. A series of exercises and games gave complete strangers the chance to bond and create memories, while guest speakers inspired the audience and opened discussions between attendees. Finally, the night closed with the celebration of three local rural women’s contributions to their communities during the awards ceremony.
Events Manager for Red Centre Rural Ladies Day, Danyelle Haigh said, “I am extremely proud of the entire event. It was fantastic to see so many friendships made throughout the night from the interactive games and activities that they participated in.”
Rural Ladies Day is an annual event and its continued success shows how important community-driven initiatives are for strengthening the resilience, networks and wellbeing of those living and working in the Arid Lands region.