ABSTRACT:Women in rural Australia fill many roles, some of which are influenced by the mandate of tradition, the effects of isolation, or change in the economic and social environments. This paper presents a review of literature pertaining to the role of women in agriculture and rural settings. Three groups of women are considered ‐ those on the land; women who live in small towns; and those who live in mining and construction camps. Discussion will reveal that women in rural Australia are not afforded the recognition they deserve and strive for. The traditional perception of the woman in rural Australia as a subservient, domestic being is eroded to be replaced by the notion of a versatile, capable person whose contribution to society is unrecognised as it is often ‘out of sight out of mi