Regional businesswomen step up

Keep an eye on the businesswomen of regional Australia – a new study has found women living in regional areas are more likely to start and operate a business than their city counterparts.

And, according to the Australian Women in Business study, they're doing so at a younger age than city dwellers with around two-thirds of new female business owners aged under 35.

Westpac, which commissioned the study, says the trend may be an outcome of limited employment opportunities in regional areas and a desire of women not to leave their hometowns for the city.