New research shows rural, regional and remote Queensland women have poor access to essential services like affordable energy, childcare, internet and telecommunications, technology and health services despite depending on these resources to maintain high levels of volunteerism and formal and informal community support roles.
Launched today (06.06.25) in Rockhampton, the Rural, Regional and Remote Women 2025 Report demonstrates wide-spread economic and services inequality in Queensland.
Developed by Queensland Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Network (RRR Women), the report benchmarks conditions impacting rural, regional and remote women in Queensland, alongside their wants, needs and where they see hope and optimism in the future. For the first time in 2025, the study measures indicators across regions, industries and demographics, understanding impacts of the urban rural divide, access to services, mental health, natural disaster and drought, connection and social inclusion.
“The data tells a powerful story: rural women are the backbone of their communities, sustaining them through work, caregiving, and resilience in response to crisis, but lack the recognition, resources, and services they need to continue making this immeasurable impact long-term,” RRR Women President Emma Clarke said.
“The findings show rural women face systemic barriers to essential services, impacting their financial independence and overall well-being.
“The report reflects what women have been telling us for decades but for the first time, this research sets the benchmark of conditions impacting rural, regional and remote Queensland women and asks them to define what they need to continue their invaluable roles in these communities.
“It also asks where there is hope and optimism in the future.
“The voices of rural, regional, and remote women risk being overlooked in national conversations. This research is a powerful step in changing that narrative. It’s not just about highlighting the challenges, though they are significant, but celebrating the strength and immeasurable value these women bring to their communities and the state.”
The findings were launched in a panel discussion at the 2025 Rural, Regional and Remote Women Conference in Rockhampton today, with Queensland Country Women’s Association State President Tamara Stephensen, National Council of Women Queensland President Sandy Smith and Queensland Rural, Regional and Remote Women President Emma Clarke.
Access to critical services like affordable energy, childcare, internet and telecommunications, technology and health services were among the most poorly rated, while respondents reported they had poor accessibility to everyday services like banking and postal.
Despite these barriers, more than a third of respondents said they volunteered at least 10 hours a week to their local communities, organizations or other people, like neighbours and friends.
More than half of respondents said they performed unpaid work, or a mix of paid and unpaid work, in industries like agriculture, primarily beef, health, education and professional services.
“These are countless hours rural, regional and remote women donate and dedicate to their industry, community or even their neighbour, for no financial compensation. This is the hidden bush economy; the triple shift,” Ms Clarke said.
“These hours are invaluable and it’s critical this volunteer work and economic value is recognised, celebrated and counted, so these women feel valued and empowered to continue making this contribution.
“As Queenslanders we have a strong drive to contribute to our local communities, particularly in rural, regional and remote areas, and this data shows just how valuable, and sometimes unmeasured, that contribution from women is.”
Respondents reported impacts from the digital divide and media consumption shift, with more than three quarters of women looking to social media as their primary source of news, compared to a quarter who rely on traditional media forms like newspapers.
“But there is a clear gap between reliance on digital platforms and actual digital accessibility. More than 50% of women reported below average access to internet and telecommunications, and close to half had below average access to technology and digital resources,” Ms Clarke said.
“The majority of respondents also reported recent impacts from flood, cyclone and drought, extending to supply chain disruptions, livestock loss, damage to transport, road and telecommunications infrastructure and impacts to market demand.
“80% of women we surveyed said they’d lost livestock to drought in the past five years, had lost power or communications during a cyclone or storm, or experienced disruptions to transport networks, road closures and supply chains during a flood.
“While these impacts generally lasted for less than a month, more than 40% said these impacts lasted more than a month, and close to 10% said disaster impacts lasted up to five years.
“We’re a disaster-prone state and already this year Queensland has experienced cyclones and extensive flooding in South and South Western regions but these findings demonstrate just how wide-spread and ongoing those impacts are.
“While direct impacts are clear and communities rally in the aftermath of these events, indirect impacts like supply chain, business and consumer disruptions can take years to recover from.”
While more than half of women said they felt highly connected to their family, less than 20% said they felt connected to a professional network and close to half reported average, poor or very poor access to employment, education, skills or training.
These access inequalities, largely driven through isolation and the urban rural divide, are compounding and women see these impacting their wider communities, with more than 93% of respondents concerned about mental health and wellness in their local area, despite more than 62% reporting below average access to health and mental health support.
“However, testament to rural, regional and remote womens’ strength, the report overwhelmingly demonstrates long-term hope and optimism for the future of regional Queensland, and the women and communities that make them,” Ms Clarke said.
“We heard women are looking to economic empowerment through digital inclusion, family, and community-driven solutions to improve connectivity and opportunities for them, their families and Queensland.
“The opportunities for rural women in the next decade are immense. From digital agriculture and new farming technologies to work and education, family and business opportunities, there is so much hope for the future. But these opportunities will only be realised if we ensure women have the tools, services, and support they need to succeed.
“We are committed to ensuring the voices of rural, regional, and remote women are heard, and this research will play a vital role in shaping future policies and services for these communities. This data is a resource for governments, businesses, and not-for-profits to better tailor their efforts to meet the needs of rural women.
“It is our hope this data and these stories drive action across industry and government to ensure rural Queensland remains a place where women can live, work, and thrive with dignity, opportunity and support.”
Queensland Country Womens Association President Tamara Stephensen said rural women were the driving force behind the future of agriculture, innovation, and community growth in Queensland.
“We all understand the particular challenges faced by those living in rural areas – from the isolation that can come with living far from services and family, to the mental and emotional toll of farming and regional life,” Ms Stephensen said.
“Despite these challenges, rural women have always found ways to rise above them. They are innovators, leaders, and changemakers who have continually demonstrated extraordinary strength and perseverance and this report reflects this.
“At QCWA we know how important it is to support these women and provide a vital platform for rural women – but beyond that, inspire future generations of women who will continue the work of transforming our rural and regional communities.
“That is why this report is so important to our collective associations. We all believe in the power of rural women. We believe that when rural women succeed, we all succeed. By supporting this report we are investing in the future of our communities and ensuring that the voices of rural women continue to be heard and valued.”
National Council of Women Queensland President Sandy Smith said the report findings demonstrated collective experiences from women across the state, and represented the shared values of all three organisations.
“As individuals we can achieve so much but together we can achieve much more,” Ms Smith said.
“We hope these findings and these stories are heard far and wide, to celebrate the impact women make and champion for what they need to continue making that impact for generations to come.
“The data provided through the RRR Women Study will support conversations going forward to advocate for women. Over time the study will build a picture reflecting women’s views from across Queensland adding weight and giving direction to the work of our organisations.”
Key data
Key data
The digital divide and media consumption shift
- Social media (76.75%) is the primary news source, far surpassing traditional media like TV (53.73%) and newspapers (25%).
- Despite high social media use, access to digital resources and internet services is below average, demonstrating a gap between reliance on digital platforms and actual digital accessibility.
Unpaid and volunteer work: The hidden economy
- Close to a quarter (24.02%) engage in both paid and unpaid work, while another 26.33% work entirely unpaid.
- Volunteering is widespread: 36.27% contribute at least 10 hours per week.
- More than half 50% of women engage in some form of unpaid labor, either fully or alongside paid work.
Mental health and isolation
- More than 93% are concerned about mental health issues in their communities.
- While 53.2% feel highly connected to family, only 18.13% feel highly connected to a professional network.
Economic and service inequality
- Access to critical services (affordable energy, childcare, internet and telecommunications technology and health services) is poor.
- Banking and postal services have some of the worst accessibility scores.
Natural disasters: Ongoing recovery and resilience
- Supply chain (80.37%), power and communications disruptions (80.4%), live stock loss (80.77%), transport (84.62%) and road infrastructure damage (86%) were the most common impacts from flood, cyclone, fire and drought in the past five years.
- 9.12% experience disaster-related impacts lasting more than five years, affecting long-term stability.
Hope and future opportunities
- Despite challenges, respondents are hopeful about opportunities for their families and communities.
- Family and support networks are key sources of hope.
- While official support services are lacking, women rely heavily on family, friends, and informal networks for help.
Editors note
Download the 2025 Rural, Regional and Remote Women Report.
About Queensland Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Network
Queensland Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Network (RRR Women) is a non-profit organisation that connects, empowers, and supports women living and working in rural, regional, and remote areas of Queensland. Our purpose is to foster personal and professional growth, leadership, and community engagement among women, while advocating for issues that matter to them. Founded in 1993, we are an independent, not-for-profit membership organisation.
About Queensland Country Women’s Association
The Queensland Country Womens Association is Queensland’s largest and most wide-spread women’s organisation. QCWA has thousands of members in cities, and towns state-wide and is not for profit, non-sectarian and non-political. The QCWA vision is to provide a space for Queensland women to connect, collaborate and create an impact in communities.
About National Council of Women Queensland
The National Council of Women of Queensland (NCWQ) is an umbrella organisation for over thirty women’s organisations in Queensland. NCWQ aims to promote gender equality through advocacy for women and their families. Through coordination of the NCWQ Bursary Program NCWQ empowers women by promoting economic independence.
ENDS
Media contact
Emma Clarke
RRR Women President
President@qrrrwn.org.au | 0403 944 902
