AGRIFUTURES Rural Women's Queensland award winner Natasha Roebig is in the running to pick up the national title and become Australia's Queen Bee.
The Jimboomba owner of Bee All Natural was nominated as a national finalist for her project to inspire a new generation of beekeepers in Australia.
Her project focuses on attracting women and youth into the lucrative honey industry and upskilling industry newcomers.
Ms Roebig said she would use her $10,000 Queensland AgriFutures Rural Women's award bursary to partner with the Australian Technology and Agricultural College campus at North Maclean to provide career pathways for local students.
"We will have access to the college's state-of-the-art classroom facilities, which we can use to facilitate our education and mentoring program," she said.
"The program is for people of all ages and backgrounds, and we plan to develop classes for women, children and those who live with physical disabilities..."
The AgriFutures Rural Women's Award national winner and runner up will be announced on Wednesday, September 11, at Parliament House, Canberra.
AgriFutures Australia managing director John Harvey said the Rural Women's Award night has been running for 21 years and includes an alumni of 300 women who support their communities and industry.
"This is Australia's leading award in acknowledging and supporting the essential role women play in rural business, industries and communities," Mr Harvey said.
"The night is a celebration of their hard work and commitment and we are looking forward to showcasing their stories to the nation."
Ms Roebig said she would take the opportunity to use AgriFutures Australia as a platform to showcase the importance of bees to Australian agriculture.
"Bees used to get a lot of bad press but people now understand how essential bees are to pollination and helping fruit and vegetables grow," she said.
Applications for the 2020 AgriFutures Rural Women's Award open on Thursday, September 12.
