Australian Women's Land Army

The Australian Women's Land Army (AWLA) was an organisation created in World War II in Australia to combat rising labour shortages in the farming sector.

Within three years, women would grow their skills to meet wartime demands and register themselves for enlistment into several more auxiliary service units and dozens of voluntary groups and legions.

To meet the shortfall in rural labour, state and private women’s land organisations began to form under the jurisdiction of the Director General of Manpower.

Established service groups such as The Red Cross also enlisted women in new roles, including as part of the Voluntary Aid Detachment where they worked as medical orderlies.

[1] Members of the AWLA also covered a variety of agricultural labours, including vegetable and fruit growing, pig and poultry raising, and sheep and wool work.

The AWLA was planned to function in two divisions: To celebrate the 70th anniversary of the formation, the Australian Government agreed to a range of measures to recognise and thank the 'land army girls' for their commitment and efforts.