March 11, 2016
The lives, achievements and inspirational stories of South Burnett women were celebrated in a special photographic exhibition officially opened by Minister for Women Shannon Fentiman in Kingaroy on Wednesday.
The exhibition, celebrating “Queensland Women’s Week”, was organised by the Barambah branch of the Queensland Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Network (QRRRWN) and assisted with grants from the State Government and the YWCA.
It featured portraits and short stories about 15 women: Nan Vera, Kay, Elizabeth, Judy (Nadine and Isabel), Sophie, Melissa, Ann, Glenys, Belinda, Lorrie, Amber, Hannah, Margaret (and Lyn), Raj, and Carolyn.
QRRRWN member Melissa Barnett came up with the idea to get South Burnett photographers to select a local woman who has inspired them in some way and take a photograph which best depicted them for the reason they were chosen.
Secretary Skye Douglass drafted the funding submission to the State Government for “Queensland Women’s Week”, and the group was overjoyed when they were successful.
Skye said the finished project included photos of farmers, mothers, daughters, old women and young women … “all sorts of diversity”.
Minister Fentiman said she was a great admirer of the work done by the QRRRWN.
She said “Queensland Women’s Week” had been initiated because “one day isn’t enough” to celebrate women’s achievements.
It was also hoped it would “kick-start” the conversation about inequalities such as the gender pay gap, which has actually increased in recent years, and domestic violence.
“One in three women will experience violence in her lifetime,” Ms Fentiman said.
“These are sometimes difficult conversations about what we have to do to achieve gender equality.
“But we have to take these conversations back to our workplaces, sporting groups and lounge rooms.”
The QRRRWN photographic display will be on display at the Utopia Cafe in Kingaroy Street, Kingaroy, for the next few weeks.
