On target with rural ideas

Marguerite "Maggie" Donaldson from outside of Capella will head to Canberra tomorrow.

Contributed

FLYING her dad's light aircraft around their cattle and grain property 30km outside of Capella is an indication 21-year-old Maggie Donaldson sets her sights high.

It was no surprise to those who know her when she was selected to travel to Canberra to be the voice of her rural community.

The journalism and law student sent her story to ABC Radio's Youth Summit, "Heywire", and won.

She now gets a chance to engage in five days of discussion and project idea pitching directly with government decision-makers, Australian youth sector leaders and key ABC staff.

The summit, with a "tell it like it is" theme, is now in its 14th year. Heywire is an online platform for creative young leaders from rural, regional and remote Australia to share their stories, ideas and opinions.

Maggie said it was the "tell it like it is" slogan that caught her eye. "There's no pretentiousness and that's what attracted me to get involved, knowing that we're dealing about real issues in the rural community.

"I'm really excited about pitching the ideas that I and the other participants have brainstormed."

Maggie, continuing in her family's tradition, now has her restricted flying licence, and said the most important issues to her were things such as enticing young professionals back to the bush.

"But if they ask me what my brightside idea would be, it is to get Triple J to broadcast in regional areas like Emerald and Capella," she said.