I grew up on a family owned cattle property in the North Burnett region of Queensland where mandatory participation in all jobs from an early age gave me a solid grounding in the grazing industry. My father was a hard task master generally only demonstrating a skill or answering a question once; Meaning highly developed observation and questioning skills were necessary from an early age.
After graduating in 1996 from the University of Queensland with a Degree in Agricultural Science I pursued a career in the cattle industry gaining experience working in a variety of businesses including extensive commercial and stud grazing operations, feedlots, stock feed manufacturing and research organisations. Progression in these roles to management positions led me to complete a second degree in Business Management from Marcus Oldham College graduating in 2012.
As I progressed through these roles and into management positions in family organisations, pastoral companies and CSIRO, it became increasingly clear to me that the series of “droughts” characterising the previous 3 decades seemed to have one thing in common – they were at least partially man made. This realization forced me to hasten my questioning of the seemingly accepted norms of today’s grazing operations.
Appointment to the position of Manager “Hanaminno”, a holistically managed livestock enterprise in southern New South Wales, thrust me into the world of holistic management and with it the Grazing Naturally Method. Dick had previously managed this property and as such I was provided an unhindered practical opportunity to study and learn under the guidance and mentoring of Dick.
A desire to further expand my knowledge led me to complete the RCS Grazing for Profit School and participate in the RCS Executive Link business mentoring program.
Having had significant experience in a wide range of climatic and geographic regions I believe that my skills and experience can assist producers to achieve practical and measurable grazing management and ecological improvement in many areas of Australia.
