2025 Impact | A Letter from the Chair

When I look back on 2025, it’s important to acknowledge something clearly:

Women of the Murray was built by Stacey, alone, for much of that year.

I had been quietly observing the emergence of Women of the Murray on social media in January 2025 and was immediately curious about what it might become. When I met Stacey in March, it was evident that she was not simply delivering events but responding to a genuine and unmet need within our rural and regional communities.

By the end of 2025, Stacey had undertaken the significant work of transforming a personal vision into a formally incorporated organisation and establishing a Board to support its future direction. This transition, from founder-led to community-governed, is a substantial achievement and reflects strong leadership, courage, and a clear commitment to sustainability and good governance.

Women of the Murray Board Directors. Image One, Left to right: Charlene Donovan, Jackie Elliott, Kimberley Tempest and Stacey Dick. Image Two, Left to right: Charlene Donovan, Vicki Scott, Kimberley Tempest and Stacey Dick.

Having lived in the Moira Shire for over 30 years, I understand the isolation women can experience, particularly in leadership. Too often, women are expected to carry responsibility without adequate support, visibility, or connection. Women of the Murray offers an alternative: accessible, locally grounded spaces where women are supported, heard, and valued.

As the Inaugural Chair of Women of the Murray, I am proud to support Stacey’s vision and to work alongside a Board deeply committed to the organisation’s long-term success. The impact achieved throughout 2025 is evident throughout this report, demonstrating what can be achieved when leadership is informed by lived experience and when connection is prioritised within the community.

I encourage readers to engage with this Impact Report in full. It captures not only outcomes, but the foundations of a growing movement dedicated to strengthening women and communities across the Murray region.

— Kimberley Tempest Inaugural Chair, Women of the Murray

Read the 2025 Impact Report below.