Annabelle Hudson loved growing up in Australia's cherry capital of Young, 160km from Canberra, surrounded by nature and sharing friendly banter with those from all corners of the tight-knit community.
But many around her struggled to see their own potential, as distance and lack of resources clouded their visions for the future, she says.
Lacking a clear path ahead, her best friend left school in year 10 - only to resume studies years on and find her passion.
"It's just so amazing to see her thriving now, and the thing that changed for her was self-belief," Ms Hudson, now 24, told AAP.
"It would have been so valuable to be given a space or an opportunity to develop self-knowledge and self-belief."
The windy paths in her hometown inspired Ms Hudson to devise a program helping rural and regional youth realise their potential.
Year 10 students will get a hand to identify their strengths and goals and put that knowledge towards steps to success in a program called True North.
Ms Hudson's idea will soon become a reality after charity the Country Education Foundation made her its inaugural Tim Fischer Fellow, named after the late former deputy prime minister in the Howard government.
Mr Fischer's widow knows he would love Ms Hudson's vision.
"Tim would be so thrilled," Judy Brewer told AAP.
"He used to get very frustrated that people didn't listen to those who lived in country towns - that there were always solutions being imposed.
"Tim always believed very strongly that rural and regional Australians were the best people placed to have the answers to their problems."
She is equally excited about the project, which will be kick-started with $50,000 in financial support.
"I love that it's about young people, because that's where our communities are dying," Ms Brewer said.
"We need to have this renewal of rural and regional Australia and it will only come when we provide people with what they need to stay.
"They might go away for their education, but then can come home and share those skills."
Ms Hudson herself left Young to study psychology at the University of NSW in Sydney.
But True North will not necessarily emphasise higher education in the cities.
Apprenticeships, traineeships and other working pathways are all within scope as different people will have varying needs and aspirations, she said.
In coming months, Ms Hudson will work with regional and rural students to co-design and tailor the program.
"I'm just so excited to have the opportunity to make change on a bigger level than what I could have imagined," she said.
18°C