Celebrating our Unsung Heroines this International Women’s Day!

In the spirit of International Women’s Day, I would like to dive into a topic that’s near and dear to my heart; celebrating the incredible women who make the wine industry what it is today. If you caught my recent chat on the “Healthy Minds, Healthy Vines” podcast, you know I got real about the challenges and triumphs of being a mother, a wine business manager, and an active industry participant in a traditionally male-dominated field. 

I’ve been balancing life as a mum to five (yep, five!) while managing our family business alongside long hours, endless responsibilities and no off switch. Being self-employed offered the flexibility I wanted as a mother, although it sure didn’t mean less work or worry. 

In the wine industry, there is an old school thought that the ‘real’ work happens out on a tractor or in the vineyard. But let me tell you, the real work is also happening in the office, during meetings with buyers, banks and suppliers and during school runs and taking children to appointments. In every single little task that keeps the business afloat. Brain power takes a different kind of strength but is equal to horsepower!

In 2025, my goal, along with many others, is that we smash the stereotypes that hard work only happens on a tractor or if you are holding a spanner, shovel or beer. Let’s start valuing the incredible efforts happening everywhere in our business ecosystem being made by both men and women. This means confronting my struggle with the imposter syndrome as a ‘woman’ in the wine industry, as a ‘grape grower’ in the wine industry and as a ‘Riverland grape grower and wine producer’ in the wine industry!

The Gender Pay Gap issue is also a real issue and I know because I have unwittingly contributed to it within my own business by undervaluing my contribution. There I said it…. people like me are partly to blame for this! For most of my working life I have been in denial, trying to pretend this issue does not exist partly because I didn’t know any different having grown up in a farming family but mostly because I wanted to believe that the world was changing……

I know for a fact that I have been the ‘token’ woman at times, invited to participate to fill a gap but I am thankful for the opportunities to prove myself. On the odd occasion, I am still reminded that I am the only woman in the room which serves as a reminder that there is still a long way to go. I am still undecided if such statements are made to silence me, welcome me or out of sheer embarrassment?

I dream of an industry where women can take maternity leave, take personal leave to care for unwell children or elderly parents without fear of losing their jobs, return from maternity leave and be welcomed with flexible schedules and roles that accommodate their new responsibilities and perhaps allow them to contribute in new ways to their place of work. For example, it serves no purpose for mothers to pull their children from bed at ungodly hours, get them to childcare just so they can hang out with the blokes at the coffee machine. Allowing parents to balance effective time in the workplace with important time with their children raising the next generation of wine growers, makers and marketers should be a valued role in an industry that values family, history and legacy, right?

I remember working right up until my water broke with my second child and then coming back to work a week later with a baby on my back as it was harvest. Luckily, it was my family business, but I know that isn’t the case for a lot of women. My goal has and always will be to create a workplace that considers the needs of all parents, a workplace of choice, making it possible for them to thrive both at home and at work. 

In this industry, we have an opportunity to support each other inside and outside of work, regardless of gender. We can respect that parenting and caring for elderly parents is a part of our industry and community ecosystem…so that might mean rethinking early morning starts, night work, 5 day weeks or embracing more remote work solutions. Thank goodness for technology, right?

Now I do have something else to confess… I really struggle with self-care (shocker!). I have always felt fulfilled when serving others hence participating in industry forums and boards has been the thing that filled my cup. I have recently stepped away from these roles to focus on my family and business. Saying ‘No’ was empowering but has also highlighted my lack of ability and confidence to invest in my health and wellbeing.

Look, this comes as no surprise, as it’s the one thing that always falls to the bottom of the priority list for many of us juggling multiple roles. It’s really hard to put yourself first when your list of ‘to-dos’ never ends. How each of us does this will always look different, time in the garden, a cup of tea on your own, a glass of wine with friends, a trip to the dentist or a well earned massage. We all need to drop the guilt and start treating our own self-care as non-negotiable. After all, if we don’t place value on ourselves and our role we can not expect others to do so and this is no different in the workplace.

So, this International Women’s Day, let’s band together to recognise all the women in our industry, from the vineyard managers to the admin heroes who keep our world turning. Their work may not always be in the spotlight, but without their hard work and dedication, the wine industry wouldn’t be the same. 

Let’s toast to these women, not just today but every day – cheers!