A new Australian dating app is helping people in regional areas find their soulmate.

Horse trainer Mia Ryan had the idea for ‘Howdy’ when she found that conventional dating apps like Tinder and Hinge don’t allow people to connect across great distances.

Farmers and people in small regional towns tend to suffer greater levels of social isolation than their metropolitan counterparts, with fewer opportunities to socialise and meet new people.

When it was launched last year, the app was initially intended only for farmers and agricultural workers, but last week this was changed to include all rural Australians.

Image: Howdy is now available to all Australians. Image: Shutterstock – aleskramer

Produced By: Oliver Rodden

Featured In Story: Mia Ryan – Founder of Howdy Global

First aired on The Wire, Wednesday 19 February 2025