Kathryn Mackenzie OAM

Kathryn Mackenzie OAM has spent her career developing regional Victoria’s tourism industry and creating lasting opportunities for local communities — work recently recognised with a Medal of the Order of Australia.

A past CEO of Echuca Moama Tourism, Kathryn brings decades of experience and an infectious love for the industry. Before calling Echuca Moama home, she spent 20 years in Bendigo as Executive Manager for Tourism at the City Council, where she pioneered the region’s food tourism industry by connecting local producers with visitors, keeping exceptional regional produce in local hands.

A former Chair of Cultural Tourism Victoria, Kathryn continues to champion the arts and work with regional communities to showcase Victoria’s natural and cultural treasures. Her philosophy is simple but powerful: “A job is more than a job — it’s about changing people’s lives”.

For Kathryn, the OAM is less a personal achievement than a reminder to recognise the unsung contributors in every community. “I just try to make the world more joyful, that’s all.”