Life on the Land Graziher

Julie McDonald is one of Australia’s most impressive beef industry leaders. Wonderfully down to earth and wildly intelligent, Julie’s humble and optimistic personality is captivating. She is the CFO of one of Australia's largest privately owned beef enterprises, McDonald Holdings, and is a brilliant advocate for encouraging the next generation to excel in the agricultural industry. In this episode, she’s in conversation with Sammie O’Brien about what makes her tick, her hopes for her four daughters and what she thinks the future looks like for the beef industry. 

Alison Lester’s books have become iconic staples for many Australian children, making her a household name right across the country. Not only are her timeless tales eagerly awaited as a bedtime story, her words and illustrations are woven into the fabric of so many families’ lives.
She’s the cherished author whose stories and illustrations, such as ‘Magic Beach’ and ‘Kissed by the Moon’ filled our childhoods, and now, adorn the bookshelves of our children, evoking waves of nostalgia from our own youthful days.
Originally from a picturesque property near Foster in Victoria’s South Gippsland region, where the undulating hills converge with the vast expanse of the sea, Alison now calls Nar Nar Goon North, her home. An hour out of Melbourne in West Gippsland, she, her husband and their horses, revel in the serenity of their sprawling 10-acre property as told to Sammie O’Brien. 

Tracey Hayes is one of the Australian beef industry's most esteemed leaders. The mother of four sons who are sixth generation Northern Territorians, she is the Chair of the Federation Board of the Royal Flying Doctor Service and owns and runs a successful small business. Tracey was also the first female CEO of the Northern Territory Cattlemen's Association and a driving force behind the watershed class action against the Federal Government’s 2011 live export ban to Indonesia.
Tracey is one of Graziher’s panellists for the Up Early breakfast to be held at Rockhampton’s Beef 2024, an event that sold out so quickly we wanted to make sure you also heard from each of these amazing women here on the podcast.
Today’s conversation revolves around picking Tracey’s incredible brain about her business sense, mentors, how we get more female representation around board tables, the importance of superannuation for women who are parenting, the many inroads to a professional career at ANY time of life and what has happened in the three years since we last spoke….

Jessica Bidgood is a cattle producer from Baralaba in Central Queensland and after a couple of decades on the land, is living her best life with her husband John and children Lylia, Zander and Cormac.
In this episode, our host Emily Herbert discovers Jess’ sense of purpose, both in business and in their family life
The Bidgoods background and trade up to 1500 head of cattle across their three properties – with a big focus on regenerative practices and time-controlled grazing. She has so much knowledge to share in this episode which is truly invaluable.

In the final epsiode of our Summer Series, Graziher's editor Victoria Carey couldn't resist revisiting Lori Pensini’s story. The artwork of the Western Australian artist was featured on the cover of our October/November edition - a first for the publication and a very exciting milestone. Lori's heart belongs to the Western Australian bush. From her Perth upbringing to following her new husband to the isolated expanse of a Kimberly cattle station and now championing regenerative farming in the state’s south, Lori’s devotion to the Australian landscape and it’s people is gorgeously depicted in her art. Her connection to the land runs deep, shaping not only her art, but also the very lens through which she views the world.

Graziher's podcast producer Jayne Cuddihy found Wendy Henning's mantra has stayed with her since the interview first aired. In a world where being busy is a badge of honour - Wendy’s mantra is that if it’s important, then you’ll make time.
Wendy and her husband Andrew own and manage a cattle and mixed cropping business at Merchison Park, near Glenmorgan, Queensland. In Wendy’s own words, they are ‘in the middle of everywhere, but not quite anywhere. Two hours to Gundy, two hours to Roma, two hours to Dalby and an hour and ¾ to St George.
With four daughters now having flown the coop, Wendy is busier than ever. As a long-term passionate advocate for education, Wendy has spent years with the ICPA (or Isolated Children’s Parents Association), dedicated to ensuring every child, regardless of how they learn, is able to receive a quality education. Wendy was recently elected as President of the Queensland State Council, meaning the balance of business, volunteer roles and travelling time to see her girls just got even more intense!