Beef Central winners Lydia Burton and Eric Barker, centre, with publishers James & Nikki Nason and Jon Condon
BEEF Central has been recognised in the Queensland Rural Press Club Journalism Awards, winning two of four main categories.
The awards were presented at a lunch in Brisbane, with a key note speech from former foreign correspondent Peter Greste recounting his experiences in an Egyptian prison and following efforts to safeguard quality journalism.
Beef Central entries were recognised in multiple sections, including overall wins in the radio and multimedia categories.
The Week in Beef podcast, hosted and compiled by Lydia Burton and Eric Barker, won the Broadcast – Radio category for its final episode last year – Top trends that defined 2025 “the Goldilocks year”.
The judges said the podcast offered a comprehensive overview of Australia’s beef industry through great storytelling, engaging conversations and a dose of humour.
“The podcast offers excellent analysis and an overview that isn’t offered by any other outlet, with great presentation by Lydia and Eric and wonderful expert commentary by Jon Condon and James Nason,” the judges’ commented.
“It is an absolute cracking overview and analysis for the Australian beef industry, unique to Beef Central offering unmatched industry expertise that listeners can’t find anywhere else.”
Eric Barker won the Multimedia category for his story from Amber Station in North Queensland, where a new loading ramp design was applying fresh thinking to an old challenge.
“This was truly excellent coverage of a story from a remote part of the state, one that hits the industry not only on its efficiency credentials but also on its influence on animal welfare,” the judges said.
“The fact that the video helped change international expert Temple Grandin’s recommendations is just stellar.”
The Youtube video about the project (click link below to access) has now received 115,000 views.
Lydia Burton was also presented with a highly commended award in the written content section for her May 2025 article Mass exodus of southern cattle to Qld for greener pastures documenting the mass exodus of cattle from drought-stricken New South Wales and Victoria being trucked all the way to north Queensland in search of agistment.
In other award categories an article from Judith Maizey from Queensland Country Life won the written content section, while an entry from ABC Landline which covered the 2025 Western Queensland floods won the Broadcast – Television section and the Overall Queensland Rural Story of the Year award. North Qld’s Fiona Lake was the photographer of the year, ABC’s Hannah Walsh was named young rural journalist of the year and UQ business and communications student Milly Buck received the student scholarship.
Congratulations to Lydia and Eric and all of you all at Beef central on a well-deserved win.
Well done Jon, James and families for building a reporting platform that sticks to the facts.
Keep up the good work guys.
Jim Lindsay
Thanks Jim, very kind words. Editor
What a scoop!!! Great story on the John Lethbridge loading ramp. Great innovators both John and Russell.
Also congrats to Eric on his recognition for being part of the story.
Thanks Barry, very kind words. Eric
Congratulations. Building an ever-stronger team to keep us informed and advised. Greatly appreciated by our members.
Australian Cattle Industry Council
Congratulations you mob. That loading ramp yarn was a great read — and now I’ll have to ask a four-year-old how to find that podcast so I can listen to it too! Well done.
Thanks Kenrick – means a lot coming from you. Here’s a link to the episode from December that earned the award. Happy listening! Editor
This, I think was the greatest decision you ever made Jon and James. May 2011, I remember it well.
Congratulations on building and sustaining such a remarkable online publication. Beef Central has become an essential voice for Australia’s beef and cattle industries — consistently informed, balanced, and deeply connected to the people who make this sector what it is.
Your commitment to clarity, integrity, and genuine industry insight shines through in every story. It’s rare to see journalism that manages to be both highly professional and truly grounded in the realities of the supply chain, from paddock to policy.
Thank you for the standard you’ve set and the service you continue to provide.
Beef Central — great news, told honesty!
We all appreciate your kind words, Glen. Editor