Minister for Primary Industries Katrina Hodgkinson said the annual Hidden Treasures Honour Roll acknowledged the volunteer roles of women within NSW’s rural and regional communities.

“The 2011 Honour Roll names 140 women from across our state who have made a major volunteering contribution to NSW,” Ms Hodgkinson said.

“There are more than 1.7 million volunteers in NSW and without their tireless support many groups including charities, emergency services, the arts, environment, social justice, education and sporting organisations would struggle to survive. It is important their work is appropriately recognised.”

Among the 140 women honoured there were several local women including Eleanor Armstrong, Martha Brown, Gail Hayden, Annie Kelly, Noeleen Iffland, Judy Jones, Prue McCarthy, Margaret Norris, Julie Peck, Jenny Sams, June Tupper and Hazel Winkler from Orange and Kate Davis, Nola Honeysett and Michelle Kendall of Dubbo.

They were joined by Cobar locals Daphne Jermyn and Sharon Huon, Mudgee’s Sister Mary Clements and Rita Kurtz, Laurel Hull and Margaret Maguire from Forbes and Annette Bromfield and Fay Turner both of Yetholme.

Also on the list are Joyce Bailey of Rylstone, Rae Bicknell of Yass, Gail Butt from Monteagle, Susanne Dixon of Kelso, Annette Fisher of Gulargambone, Paula Gray of Gooloogong, Noeleen Hazell of Bookham, Betty McDonald of Lidster, Elizabeth Markey of Coonamble, Carolyn Rice of Parkes, Skye Rush of Narromine, Catherine Warburton of Beneree and Berenice Youngman of Molong.

Free hard copies of the 2011 Honour Roll are available and they can be downloaded from the Rural Women’s Network website via www.dpi.nsw.gov.au Next year’s Women’s Gathering will be held in Parkes.