Coveted Channel Country community canvas sells for $5900

"It's a special place for me," she said. So much so that she travelled down from Brunette Downs in the Northern Territory to take part in the renowned rural women's event.

The artwork she purchased has become a CCLD tradition, given a trademark Lyn Barnes background in her vivid red and blue outback palette, and then handed over to attendees to paint themselves in the landscape.

This year they are all draped in flowing togas in honour of the opening night Greek Goddess cocktail party, gathered in a space with graceful yapunyahs in the background and a flowing bore in the foreground.

Ms Brown, who is soon moving to Canobie in Queensland's Gulf, says she will have to put her new possession in storage for a while.

Half the proceeds will go back to the CCLD and the other half will be donated to the Royal Flying Doctor Service.

The community canvas auction was part of a boisterous and happy night as comedy and storytelling workshop participants recited some of their creations.

With titles like 'The Wyatt Earp of castrating', "Open door solarium', 'Drenchguns and shotguns', and 'Nanna in her nightie', they were bound to bring plenty of laughs.

Beyond that were a wealth of inspiring businesswomen drawn from situations and locations mirroring those of the 250 attendees, offering what the CCLD slogan proclaims, inspiration in isolation.

They included the event's first international guest speaker, New Zealand 'people interpreter' Alison Mooney, who shared tips on how to read people and what different personality types responded best to.

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