Three women, a free day at the Cultural Centre, and the first Moment Lounge.
The festival began as the Dubbo Women's Festival — built by three women: Lorna Brennan, Joanne "Nurse Jo" Phillips, and me (Sharon Quill). A free day of care, information and connection at the Western Plains Cultural Centre, with panels on the health topics nobody was talking about, lunch under the trees, and the first Moment Lounge — created by Erifili Davis and supported by our first believers and sponsors, Charnie Tuckey and Rose Prout.
It grew the way good things grow out here: by trust.
By 2026 it had become the Orana Every Woman Festival — 520 women, nearly 1,000 attendances, 40 events across seven days, women travelling from 50km and further, a sold-out finale at Crossroads, and recognition in the NSW Parliament.
"I drove three hours. I'd do it again. There's nothing like this anywhere else in regional NSW — and it matters that it exists here, in Dubbo."
The sisterhood shaping this Festival
This list is a starting point — the festival is co-created with dozens of artists, community services, businesses and local leaders across the Orana. If a name is missing, please get in touch.