Most of Australia's top boardrooms remain a man's domain, but a key agricultural group has now achieved gender parity on its board.
Angela Hutchinson was appointed AgForce Queensland director this week and also joined the Cattle Council of Australia board, creating an equal gender split for the national body.
Meanwhile, the boards of Australia's top 200 companies were comprised of just 35 per cent women.
Ms Hutchison, who had more than a decade of experience in agribusiness, said she was excited her appointment had helped achieve the milestone.
She said because many businesses were family operations, women had always played an important role, but this had often been behind the scenes.
"Doing book work and marketing and all sorts of things," Ms Hutchinson said.
"[Women] provided a support function more than having your say equally respected."
She said having passionate women leaders to look up to had made a difference.
"I don't think that it's necessarily needing to be a conscious effort to do that anymore."
More work to be done
Gillian Fennell had served on state and national agricultural boards for six years, which she described as a "mostly positive" experience.
"But then every now and again you do strike the odd individual who believes that the woman's place is in the home and that can be somewhat more challenging," she said.
Ms Fennell said the timing of meetings during homeschooling hours, school drop-off or at dinner time limited opportunities for women.
"The consideration [is] that we need childcare if we're going to participate; if you're a mother who might be breastfeeding then you have to take your baby with you to meetings and a lot of people frown upon that," she said.
"People have this notion of what's professional and what's unacceptable and it seems to me that most of that's directed towards women and their caregiving capacity is seen as being unprofessional, which is very disappointing, but I think gradually it's changing."
She said the women who did step into agricultural leadership roles were "exceptional".
She said mentoring of women leaders was also needed.
"It's expensive to provide the support that you need to encourage women who are primary caregivers to participate, and that money needs to come from somewhere," Ms Fennell said.
"I think we just need to start having these discussions and getting it out there and demonstrating what equity and equality really looks like."
Next generation paving the way
The AgForce Young Producers Council was made up of six women and five men.
The inaugural group's chairwoman Helen Woodland juggled her commitments while caring for a new baby.
"The ag industry is full of doers, we just get in and get stuff done," she said.
"I'm very lucky to have a supportive husband and family and that's definitely helped me wear a few different hats.
She said the role had given her purpose throughout her maternity leave.
"It's quite an adjustment and it can sometimes feel a little bit isolating for women," she said.
"I can only speak on my experience as a young mum, but you want to keep contributing, not only to your house and your family, but I think society in general."
She said flexibility had been the key to ensuring her involvement.
"You'll do work at all sorts of hours to get stuff done and that's just life and you've got to do that it doesn't matter," she said.
