8 March 2024
by Sabrina Phillips
The owner of a popular Sydney harbour kayak company has won the coveted 2024 North Shore Woman of the Year award. McMahons Point local Laura Stone was presented with the award at the 2024 NSW Women of the Year Awards ceremony in Darling Harbour yesterday.
Stone was recognised for her commitment to marine conservation. She and her team have created a number of projects aiming to restore and protect the unique marine ecosystem of Sydney Harbour. They have developed several conservation and sustainability programs to reduce waste in Sydney Harbour and regenerate the coastal foreshore to enhance and protect the fragile marine environment.
“I am truly honoured to be receiving this award, which is a humbling recognition of my journey as a mother and business owner. I feel incredibly proud to be a role model for my children, inspiring them to reach for the stars and showing them that with determination, any dream is achievable,” said Stone.
Stone owns and runs Sydney By Kayak which holds kayak tours on the harbour, a common sight for local residents.
Combining her two passions, Stone and her team have raised nearly $50,000 to local conservation projects since 2018 by contributing $15 from every ‘Clean-Up’ paddle seat that is sold to conservation initiatives.
“Through our ecotourism kayaking business, we’re not just exploring nature; we’re bringing a community together and paving the way for a brighter, more sustainable future for generations to come,” she said.
Stone’s conservation efforts have seen hundreds of mangroves planted and thousands of kilograms of waste removed from the harbour. The firm also partnered with the Sydney Institute of Marine Science to install living sea walls and boulders in Lavender Bay.
“Not only is Laura an outstanding businesswoman, but she is also passionate about our local marine environment in and around our beautiful Sydney Harbour,” Wilson said of Stone.
The NSW Local Woman of the Year award recognises women for their outstanding contribution to their local community as businesswomen, role models, volunteers, leaders and mentors.
The awards were hosted ahead of International Women’s Day today.