A ground-breaking documentary is calling for the voices of 1000 rural women to help tell their stories and shape the future. Rural Daughters, a feature-length documentary by award-winning CheekyMac Productions, is set to highlight the personal journeys of some of Australia’s most inspiring rural women. These women are sharing their experiences of overcoming barriers, driving change, and leading purpose-driven lives in rural, regional, and remote parts of Australia.

The documentary’s vision goes beyond storytelling. A nationwide 1000 Rural Women Survey has been launched to collect the experiences of rural women on a broad range of topics. These include natural disasters, health, domestic violence, societal attitudes, racial prejudice, Tall Poppy Syndrome, community life, leadership, and female role models.

Producer, director, and writer Danielle McAlpine Johnson, a rural woman from Gippsland, Victoria, is the creative mind behind the project. She has a bold goal to gather over 1000 responses to create a statistical snapshot of rural women’s lives.

“Surveying 1000 rural women is a bold target, but we hope women take this opportunity to tell us about their lives and be a part of a collective voice in the Rural Daughters story,” said McAlpine Johnson. “These women are the backbone of rural Australia, and we are putting our heart and soul into telling their stories—how they overcome adversity, find purpose, break limitations, and lead in their communities in the most unique and innovative ways.”

The survey is developed in partnership with Federation University’s Collaborative Evaluation and Research Centre (CERC) and CheekyMac Productions. Both organizations are led by rural women and are committed to amplifying the voices of those often left unheard. CERC Professor Joanne Porter believes this collaboration will have a lasting impact. “Our involvement in this documentary is an opportunity to showcase that a regionally based university can make a difference with regional communities, and in particular, advocate for rural women on issues that matter,” she said.

The insights from the documentary and survey will help inform policy changes and develop educational resources for Australian schools, ensuring the voices of rural women are heard far and wide.

If you’re a rural woman, your story MATTERS.

The survey is open online from August to the end of September. For hard copies, contact CERC at CERC@federation.edu.au.

Be a part of something bigger—help shape the future of rural Australia.

At Rhema FM, we believe in speaking life to all communities, including rural women who are making a difference every day.

Psalm 46:5 (NIV) “God is within her, she will not fall; God will help her at break of day.”