From the seas to the trees, Kochie’s Business Builders (KBB) in partnership with Square has been on the hunt to uncover Australia’s Regional Heroes. Now it’s time to reveal the winner!

According to the Australian Bureau of Statistics, regional businesses account for over 800,000 businesses in Australia and provide around a quarter of our national economy. Yet when it comes to celebrating their contribution, regional businesses are often overlooked.

Regional Heroes casts a spotlight on the businesses doing great things far from the big smoke. In 2023, five fantastic businesses made the shortlist of our Regional Heroes competition – Spend With Us, Gippsland Dairy, Drought Angels, Flow BeeHives and Natural Evolution – each one highlighting the innovation, resilience and vital contribution regional businesses make. Now, the public has cast their vote and the 2023 winner is…

Drought Angels.

Drought Angels’ cofounder Natasha Johnston said winning the competition is a wonderful recognition of Drought Angels’ achievements.

“I believe it is a testament to how the work we do in Regional Australia is having a positive impact on the individuals and families we have supported over the last nine years. Showing our wonderful farmers how important they are to each and every one of us.”

Johnston and co-founder Nicki Blackwell launched Drought Angels from their hometown of Chinchilla in 2014 in response to the plight of local farmers who were struggling to make ends meet Initially, the pair would drive around in a ute, delivering food packages to those in need. As the drought crisis worsened, the pair knew they wanted to do more and formalised the business. Today Drought Angels supports farmers and their families all across Queensland.

Johnston says the past few years have been difficult for the charity, with donations and fundraising significantly impacted by the pandemic. She hopes winning Regional Heroes will strengthen the Drought Heroes brand, increasing its profile and credibility. She’s certain that the win will help to inspire the team and potential donors.

“As a regional business, we love being a part of the fabric of not only our community but all rural and regional communities across Australia,” Johnston said.

“We love being able to support the local economies, we cherish the personal connections with our farmers, the shared values and cultures that unite us.  Being able to have a positive impact on people’s lives and mental wellbeing in times of need means more than words can ever describe.”

Johnston is grateful to all Drought Angels supporters who rallied around the business during the competition and whose votes allowed the business to win.

“We leveraged the power of social media (shared non-stop)  to all our supporters, donors, family and friends.  But ultimately, I believe it is the genuine relationships that we have built over the years with our supporters [that has allowed us to win]. They believe in us, in our mission and this was a way for them to help give back,” Johnston concludes.

As the winner of Regional Heroes, Drought Angels will receive $48k* in media and social coverage, including a TV segment on Kochie’s Business Builders TV show airing on Channel 7.

*Content from kochiesbusinessbuilders.com.au