Her fundraising was completed in just one year with the help of her parents and the Lochinvar Music Club and started with a sausage sizzle at Bunnings Warehouse, with the proceeds going towards the Buy a Bale charity.

Buy a Bale helps to support and raise money for drought-affected farmers around Australia.

Mackenzie, who has just started year 11 at Mount View High, said that to many people this may not seem like a lot but it goes a long way for farmers.

“It might not seem like much, but it’s quite a bit in their eyes,” she said.

Mackenzie also helped to organise as well as perform at a Farm Aid concert at East Cessnock Bowling Club in May, along with nine other performers.

She helped collect prizes and sell tickets in the raffle, which brought in more proceeds for the Buy a Bale charity.

After the success of the concert in 2014, she is hoping to do another one.

Mackenzie said she chose to help Australia’s farmers due to her own experiences growing up.

“I’ve grown up on a farm, I know how bad the farmers have been doing it, and if there’s no farmers there’s no food,” she said.

Mackenzie also sang at many community events in 2014, including a talent quest organised by Youth Off The Streets, as well as at Cessnock Relay For Life and for another Buy a Bale concert at Lightning Ridge, opening for Sara Storer.

Mackenzie also won the inaugural Shoehorse Sound recording prize in 2013, allowing her to perform at the 35th Annual Hastings Country Music Association (HCMA) Roundup Concert in Wauchope last year.

Even after all of these achievements, Mackenzie said she was ‘pretty shocked’ when she found out she had won the young citizen of the year award.

“I knew I was nominated but I wasn’t really expecting it,” she said.