Turia Pitt is an inspirational woman. The survivor of a terrible 2011 bushfire, while she was running an ultra marathon in Western Australia, she is now the face of Australian Women’s Weekly’s July issue.

Pitt, 29, suffered horrific burns to 65 per cent of her body in the fire, including confronting damage to her face that has seen her battle a long road to recovery.

There are a lot of women out there who are so beautiful but don’t have the confidence, and that’s what gets you over the line – Turia Pitt

The mining engineer was chosen for the cover as the face of the magazine’s ‘Women of the Future’ panel, which also included Jennifer Hawkins, Lisa Wilkinson and Rachel Griffiths. 

AWW editor Helen McCabe said as soon as Pitt’s photograph was taken they knew what they had to do.

“it was clear from the moment she sat in front of the camera that the July cover had to belong to her,” McCabe said on the magazine’s website.

“Any attempt to describe the magic and beauty of Turia seems to get lost in platitudes or clichés. Yet I have never met a more remarkable person.”

Fellow news outlets have hailed the McCabe’s decision to run Pitt on its front cover.

“What an inspired choice”, News Ltd wrote.

“Well done, Australian Women’s Weekly, for putting Turia Pitt on the cover of your July issue. It’s an image – and a decision – that’s made us feel unexpectedly emotional,” was women’s website Mammia’s response.

Pitt herself was humbled by the chance to appear on the popular magazine’s cover.

“Being on the cover of The Australian Women’s Weekly is a huge honour,” Pitt told AWW. “I feel very humbled.”

“For me, it sends the message that confidence equals beauty. There are a lot of women out there who are so beautiful but don’t have the confidence, and that’s what gets you over the line.”