SENIOR staff and their partners from Consolidated Pastoral Co’s 20 far-flung cattle properties scatted across northern regions of Western Australia, the Northern Territory and Queensland gathered in Brisbane this week for their annual conference.

A two-day day conference programs featured guest speakers on wide-ranging topics, and the rare chance to interact face-to-face with fellow CPC staffmembers.

Two things stood out to Beef Central while mingling with staff and CPC boardmembers as an invited guest to last night’s gala dinner.

The first was the positive vibe that permeated the room, a thirst for innovation and ideas, and a desire to drive the CPC business – managing more than 375,000 cattle – forward through the ‘one-percenters’ that add up to cattle business improvement, regardless of scale.

The second was the relatively young age profile evident among the senior staff present.

In times past, pastoral company managers tended to be ‘crusty old veterans’, with vast experience, but perhaps a lesser appetite for change. Certainly there were managers present last night with 30 years or more experience in pastoral operations in northern Australia. But so too was a new wave of young managers, some as young as 24, who exhibited a thirst for knowledge and ideas.

Typical of the confidence shown in its stable of young managers, Beef Central learned during the evening that young Jimmy Beale, manager at CPC’s Kirkimbie Station in the Victoria River District, will also assume management responsibility for neighbouring Bunda Station, the purchase for which was completed this week (See Beef Central’s earlier report).

It puts close to 4000sq km of VRD country under his stewardship.

Last night’s formal conference dinner featured a ‘life lessons’ address from former Queensland State of Origin footie hero, Billy Moore, whose famous “Queenslander” call captured the spirt of the Maroons, as they continually fought back against the odds against bigger and more experienced NSW Origin sides to claim last-gasp victories.

The night also served as an opportunity to highlight staff excellence, with a series of in-house awards presented, covering important aspects of CPC’s business operations.

Set out below, and accessible also via the gallery at the base of this page, are the winners in each category and a brief explanation.

Comely Station manager Lester Bolton receives the award for CPC Station of the Year from chief executive officer, Troy Setter. Comely is one of CPC’s buffel grass finishing properties located near Moura in Central Queensland.

Terra Firma’s CPC director Fergal Leamy presents the staff amabassador award to Cameron Kruckow, manager at Manbulloo Station near Katherine. Mr Kruckow is presenting in the conference program today on findings from a call grazing trial on Manbulloo.

Popular winner of the People’s Choice award judged by her peers at CPC was Naree Bryce from Brisbane head office, receiving her award from chief development officer Jacqui Cannon.

Operational Performance award winner Jimmy Beale, manager at Kirkimbie Station in the Victoria River District, collects Kirkimbie’s award from chief financial officer Elizabeth Walker.

Safety award winners Jason and Haylee Purcell from CPC Allawah Brahman Stud, Banana, Central Qld, receive their awatf rom WH&S officer John Holmes

Team-work award winner mark Walsh, manager of Mimong Station, near Kynuna, receives his award from CPC general manager Queensland, Alex Walsh.

CPC People Developer award winners Tom Shephard and Camiellia Armstrong, Newry Station, being congratulated by NT/WA general manager Jock Warriner.