The McArthur and MacGibbon families will present their St Lawrence grazing operations Mystery Park and Ametdale during this year’s Beef 2021 Property Tours

TICKETS for the Beef 2021 Property Tours program are now on sale, and offer guests the opportunity to visit some of Central Queensland’s premier properties.

The Property Tours program has been a popular highlight of the triennial Rockhampton Beef Expos since the inaugural event back in 1988.

This year’s lineup of tour destinations features innovative, efficient, sustainable beef operations packed with innovative ideas and management savvy.

The program over five days comprises a mix of thirteen individual tours – four half-day and nine full-day.

Beef Australia’s property tours committee chair Scott McCartney said the organisers were grateful to the tour hosts, who would be so generously opening their gates to visitors.

“The property selection ensures there is ‘something for everyone’ and highlight producers’ operations across a range of land types and management styles, showcasing innovation and best practice within the beef industry,” he said.

The program kicks off on Sunday 2 May, with a half-day tour to Eulogie, near Dululu, hosted by Matthew and Janelle McCamley. Guests will have the opportunity to explore a world-class working stud cattle operation, exploring both its success and a need to navigate seasonal adversity and the role of business diversification.

Tour participants will be spoilt for choice from Monday to Thursday, with three tours to choose from per day, catering for a broad range of agricultural interests.

Monday’s offering includes three full-day tours:

• Raglan Station at Raglan, where Andrew, Roxanne and Ryan Olive will present their cattle handling facility servicing the Live Export Trade from Port Alma
• Guests will gain a full day insight into the CBV Brahman operation at Belah Valley with Alf Collins and family
• Boreelum near Miriam Vale, where Adam and Jacynta Coffey will showcase their 2500ha coastal beef breeding and trading enterprise.

On Tuesday, guests can choose from:

• A half-day tour to the Arrow cattle yards at Nerimbera which will show off the latest low-stress stock handling products
• Full-day trips to Ainsley and Rob McArthur’s Mystery Park and Ian and Penny MacGibbon’s St Lawrence grazing operations, or
• John and Jess Bidgood’s ‘Tingle Hill’ tour to Baralaba to explore the management of the family’s organic grazing and cattle trading operation.

Wednesday’s tour selections include two full-day tours:

• Sam and Sarah Becker’s Jarrah Cattle Co, a vertically-integrated beef cattle operation at Glenarchy, Banana
• Dale and Alicia Retschlag’s Netley at Goovigen, where the tour focus will be on biology, soil health, regenerative agriculture, high density grazing and livestock handling.
• A half-day tour to Billy and Jo Geddes’ 8000 hectare multi breed grazing enterprise at Doonside, Millman.

Guests have a selection of two full-day and one half-day tour on Thursday to finalise the week’s property tour program:

• Hosts Central Queensland University will welcome guests to Belmont Station, Etna Creek for a full-day tour that will exhibit how agtech can be used to develop and support a whole of property management plan.
• A second full-day tour to Foleyvale Duaringa, is hosted by the Woorabinda Pastoral Co, which will showcase the indigenous organisation’s grazing and farming enterprises.
• The final half-day tour of the program is Bindaree, near Garnant, hosted by Mick and Noela Alexander and their sons Mathew and Lachlan, where the benefits of soil health and regenerative agriculture will be the focus.

Property Tour guests receive a gift bag, and can look forward to a wonderful day exploring some of Central Queensland’s finest properties, travelling on luxury coaches, and enjoying first class on-property morning teas and lunches, all of which are included in the ticket price.

As a new tour offering at Beef 2021, the program also boasts four city tours, providing guests guided and themed tours of some of our region’s most attractive and culturally significant sites and locations.

• For full details and to purchase tickets to May’s impressive line-up of rural and city tours, go to www.beefaustralia.com.au/about/propertytours.