Stephanie Trethewey is the 2024 Australian of the Year for Tasmania. She’s a visionary leader who has transformed personal challenges into a nationwide movement to support rural mothers across Australia.  

Stephanie’s transition from life in the city and a successful career in television journalism, to embracing farm life and rural motherhood in Tasmania, has been both a brutal and beautiful journey. Her struggles with postnatal depression and isolation inspired the creation of Motherland, a national charity that fervently advocates for the mental health and well-being of rural mothers, and celebrates and connects them through platforms like the Motherland podcast and Motherland Village program. The Motherland podcast has been downloaded more than one million times, and Motherland Village, Australia’s first online rural mother’s group program, has connected over 300 rural women to their own personalised support group. Motherland is on a mission to reduce isolation, improve mental health outcomes, and ensure no rural mum is left behind.  

Stephanie sits on the Australian Advisory Council of Thankful4Farmers. In 2022, she was named the national winner of the AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award. In 2023, Steph celebrated the release of her debut book, Motherland.