This is a special episode of a friend of mine to celebrate International Rural Women's Day.

This is a day to honour the incredible strength, resilience and creativity of women in rural communities across Australia.

We asked some of our oak community to share their thoughts and stories about what this day means to them.

And today you'll hear their voices, their reflections and their celebrations.

Rural life is often defined by its strong sense of togetherness.

For many, this is what makes living in rural areas so special, the people, the shared experiences and the support we give each other.

Tracy from mind stretchers, based in central west New South Wales, has been living rural with her family of five for just over three years.

The thing I love most about living rural is the friendliness of the communities.

There's always, you know, community events and I just find people are very welcoming and friendly.

This year I'm looking forward to celebrating rural Women's Day with some online events as part of the herd, which is a group for homeschooling families and it connects families all over Australia.

So I'm looking forward to a couple of fun events.

Jelena from home education, rural and remote discussion heard also shared how being a rural woman connects her not just locally but across Australia.

I love being a rural woman because there's such a sense of community, not only in my local rural community, but also really across Australia.

I've made so many friends in the rural space through the different platforms, the different podcasts, rural business, there's such a sense of community and I really feel like I belong to it.

I'm not just a number.

Community isn't just about where you live, it's about the connections you form, the way people come together to support each other.

Artist Jess Keeley also shared her thoughts on the strong appreciation for local businesses and handmade goods that is unique to rural communities.

My favourite part about living in a rural or regional community is there's just so much more appreciation and support by the community for small business, for local business and for handmade.

It's just the support and the appreciation for these is unmatched in the metropolitan areas.

And Sarah from enviro.edu in Mildura shares why she loves running a small business in her rural setting.

I love running a small business in a rural setting because of the opportunities it provides and because of the incredible people within that community.

It's clear that community is at the core of rural life, whether it's supporting small businesses or finding belonging in unexpected places.

The connections we build are what makes rural living so special for Julie from earthly organics based in Bendigo.

It's about not just the support, but also the sense of safety and connection that comes from being part of a rural community.

I'm a maker of palm free and plastic free soap, skincare and cleaning products in Bendigo and have done so for the last 28 years.

Rural Women's Day for me means empowering women in the rural areas whom are most often lost among the agriculture, large cities and generally have less recognition for the many hats that we wear.

I've many favorite businesses run by rural women and I can't really single one out.

But please do support your local rural businesses as we generally like to go the extra mile for our customers.

I love being a rural woman as I grew up on the land in Cuyuna in Victoria, and I moved to the big smoke down to Melbourne and found myself back in the rural community of Bendigo, which I love.

The hustle and bustle is hutu hectic in the city.

I love being able to drive into town and park outside the business that I want to enter.

It also feels safer in the country for a woman and friendships are easier to make.

And for my children growing up, it was just a better place to raise them up.

This year, I'm going to be celebrating rural women's day by making over 1000 toilet bombs.

Not a job I particularly like, but they sell fantastically well.

So it's just one of those things that we just have to do.

Empowerment is a key theme of rural Women's day.

It's a celebration of the strength and resilience of women in our communities, women who lift each other up and pave the way for future generations.

Amy from Bush Biz Boost in Kahuna knows this well as she dedicates her time to mentoring and supporting other rural women entrepreneurs.

To me, rural Women's Day means empowerment because it celebrates the incredible strength and resilience of women in our communities.

I'm a rural business mentor and I have the privilege of supporting rural women in their entrepreneurial journeys with their businesses.

And I just love being part of a movement that not only uplifts individual business owners, but also that means it strengthens our entire community.

So this year I'm celebrating by encouraging every rural woman to pursue her dreams, connect with others, get out there and talk to people who inspire you, because together we can build such a great future in rural areas.

So happy rural Women's Day.

As Amy reminds us, empowerment isn't just about individual success.

It's about strengthening our entire community, pursuing dreams, connecting with others, and building a future together.

This is what rural Women's Day is all about.

We celebrate the achievements of rural women, the milestones they've reached and the communities they've built.

And what better way to celebrate than by acknowledging the incredible work of Jackie Elliott, founder of Rural Women's Day events.

Hannah McNulty, a content creator based in Gundawindy, Queensland, shares a special message of.

Gratitude on near to rural Women's Day.

I'd love to do a big shout out to Jackie Elliott.

She is the founder of Rural Women's Day and what she has created is nothing short of absolutely special.

And if anyone has attended a rural Women's Day event, especially in the last few weeks, they will agree with me that she is an absolute powerhouse in creating a community that is both safe and special for all of us.

So thank you, Jackie, for paving the way and showing us the power of being part of a community and being part of something that is so much bigger than all of us.

We are so grateful for you.

Well done Jackie, for creating a space where rural women can come together and celebrate what it means to be part of a community that is so much bigger than any one of us.

Life in rural areas often comes with unique challenges, but the women we're celebrating today face those challenges with courage and determination.

Julie captured this spirit when she shared her experience of running a business in Bendigo for nearly 30 years.

Resilience, as she says, is what drives us to keep going no matter what comes our way.

Rural women that inspire me are the go getters, the ones that don't sit still and are proactive in their business and their lives.

Resilience.

I know that word is tired, but resilience is what keeps us moving forward.

It's what allows us to overcome obstacles and continue to thrive, both in business and in life.

As we wrap up this unique rural Women's Day episode, I first want to extend a heartfelt thank you to everyone who shared an audio message with us today on such short notice.

I especially want to thank everyone who is engaging with today's social media post which has this message.

If you want someone to succeed, be part of their success.

Here are some messages on that post.

Clare from Repunyup living in rural Victoria we all need to be mindful that buying local has a huge impact on small towns and in rural communities.

We need the little gift shop, the little cafe and services to have a better life.

Edwina from Malmaison in rural Victoria, there is always a beautiful human behind every small business.

Someone striving to bring their own piece of authenticity to the world around them.

Someone working for their family and their community.

Someone wanting to make a positive impact or difference to those connecting with their business.

It can be a rollercoaster, as is life.

But every time someone supports that small business, it means such a lot to the owner and continues to spur them through all challenges.

I actually have a list of small businesses, all run by amazing women.

I love to support Christiana at Mimosa Botanicals.

She's a beautiful human and the love is evident in all her products.

Michelle from Ginger House photography is an incredible woman who captures the world through her camera like no other.

Michelle from Castlemaine Fine Biscuit company pours her heart and soul into every delicious biscuit and Marge from Tarradale wine is always there with delicious food and a listening ear.

Sarah did a shout out for Meg from country mile clothing.

Not only does Meg run a small business that is always donating, supporting charities and communities, but she has begun another business in support of rural mental health.

An absolute powerhouse, kind, generous and beautiful.

Ballard did a shout out for design detail in Jindabyne.

Diana has created such a magical business.

It is my favourite in the Snowy Mountains, New South Wales.

She is so dedicated to her unique and famous boutique establishment, it is a true credit to her.

Diana has devoted many years of love and professionalism to her passion.

We need to support beautiful businesses like these that also support other rural women, so we have magnificent options in our retail rural environments.

Well done, Diana.

And finally, this one from Kate, who owns a baby store called Kate English Designs in rural New South Wales.

Kate says, I've been in business for 14 years and I feel I'm at my end.

My customers have gone from 30 a day to six.

Lots of people just don't have the spare cash to buy from small boutiques, especially for babies.

The unbelievable business stress has taken a huge toll on my mental and physical health today.

I've been awake since 01:48 a.m.

as I'm unsure how I'm going to pay this week's bills.

I just can't do it anymore, no matter how much I love what I've created.

Firstly, thank you Kate, for having the courage to share that on our platform.

It was really hard to read and I hope that you're reaching out to your inner circle for some support, but I'm also sure many of us felt those words, having that exact feeling and thoughts running through our minds in the hours when everyone else is sleeping.

Small business is so hard.

It's disheartening.

When a small business has a closing downpost, it won't have been an overnight decision.

That business owner will have done everything possible to make it work.

Don't wait for that end of the road moment to tell someone how much you valued their business, what a great loss it will be, or how sad it is to see another business close, and that we need to do more to hash support small business and hash buylocal today, press pause on liking your favourite celebrity post and instead be an influencer for small business in rural Australia.

It is so simple.

Like or comment on a small business account, share a post to your Facebook or Instagram Stories, leave a review on Google or send some kind words in a dm, make a purchase and then post a photo of your purchase to your Instagram stories rural women are the backbone of our regions and today we celebrate each and every one of you.

Now, before you take off with all that inspiration and knowledge, we'd love for you to leave a review on our podcast so that we can continue to amplify women's voices in the media.

And if you have any questions or you'd like to celebrate a win, you can always connect with us on Facebook and Instagram at Oak magazine au I'm so glad we've met and that now you know a friend of mine.