WA duo score Rural Bank $5000 boost

A pair of farm kids from opposite ends of WA have each received a $5000 financial boost from Rural Bank to help further their agriculture studies.

Albany farmers’ son Hugh Hudson, 19, and Kununurra farmers’ daughter Anna Robinson, 18, were the only WA recipients from a 19-strong list of Rural Bank annual scholarship program recipients announced last week.

The annual grants program is open to undergraduate students studying in agricultural or veterinary sciences, biology, health science, business, and engineering.

After growing up on a fruit, vegetable and flower farm called Oria Orchards in Kununurra, Ms Robinson worked on Kimberley cattle station Kalyeeda before moving to Wagga Wagga in NSW to study earlier this year.

She is in her first year of a Bachelor of Agricultural Science at Charles Sturt University with plans to major in livestock production with a career goal of working in sustainable livestock production.

Ms Robinson said her ultimate career goal was to help producers achieve their maximum potential with the least negative environmental impact.

“Working as a farm hand on a remote cattle station inspired me to enrol in the degree to hopefully one day improve and make the most out of agricultural land and resources,” she said.

“It’s great, I love going into depth about everything and can’t wait to see what else we’re going to cover.”

Mr Hudson has a love of farming in his blood and hails from a family of five generations of farming heritage, with a strong interest in broad acre farming.

He worked on a mixed sheep and cropping farm during his gap year before starting a Bachelor of Agribusiness at Curtin University.

Rural Bank chief executive Alexandra Gartmann said supporting the next generation of regional and rural leaders was an ongoing commitment.

“Rural Bank’s ability to support young regional and rural Australians is more important now than ever,” she said.

“The prolonged drought and devastating summer bushfires reinforce why this program is so vital.

“These scholarships are an important step towards easing the financial strain many families feel when a member of the family begins tertiary study.

“These students are furthering their education in such a challenging environment, with many of them tasked with continuing their studies online due to the global pandemic and movement restrictions.”