K频道短视频

鈥淚 never take for granted where we live.鈥�

That outlook on life continues to take Claire Mactaggart (nee Wyland, K频道短视频 1992) towards new opportunities, her most recent being on the Board of Directors for Beef 2021 (2 鈥� 8 May).

鈥淟ike everyone, we all have balls up in the air,鈥欌�� Claire said.

This juggling act also includes being a mother-of-four girls, married to Andrew who oversees their three cattle properties in Central Queensland, and continuing on a 14-year journey as the Queensland contributing writer for Country Style magazine.

鈥淵ou always make time for the things you love,鈥欌�� Claire said.

And it鈥檚 a team that helps Claire continue making time for these passions.Claire was one of five children growing up at 鈥淢onavale鈥�, north of Yaamba.

鈥淚 was a hands-on child. I grew up mustering, helping feed cattle, helping plant, helping stick pick. All the bits and pieces. That was great,鈥欌�� Claire said.

Claire now calls 鈥淏alcomba鈥� home, a cattle property 43km north of Duaringa which Andrew oversees their other breeding properties, 鈥淎ngle Creek鈥� which is north of 鈥淏alcomba鈥� and 鈥淲irranda鈥�, two hours south of the family home,鈥欌�� Claire said.

鈥淚 help and support Andrew with that, so we have our certain roles.

鈥淚 honestly do feel so lucky.

鈥淚 have this off-farm job that has taken me all over Australia and met all kinds of people. 

鈥淚t鈥檚 about celebrating regional living. That鈥檚 so important to me to tell people what鈥檚 great about living in the country and regions.

鈥淏eing part of Beef feels like a give back in my small way, because I鈥檓 only a small part of it.

鈥淓veryone (at Beef Australia) has been so supportive. I thought, what do I have to offer. I鈥檓 not a big industry figure and spokesperson, but you get into and see where you can help. That鈥檚 a nice transition when you feel like you are pulling your weight.鈥�

Beef Australia events are always massive to organise, let alone having to deal with worldwide COVID-19 challenges.

Claire has always attended Beef events and in 2018 joined the Property Tours committee.

鈥淭hey are a popular part of the Beef programme and sell out quite quickly. I gained an insight into how that all worked as part of Beef,鈥欌�� said Claire, who is still involved in the 2021 property tours.
鈥淏eef is a big collaboration.

鈥淧eople host the property tours off their own generosity, allowing people to visit and ask questions on their farm. There鈥檚 a lot of good will and a big desire to make it a success. A lot of people feel ownership of being a part of the Beef event.

Claire said has pushed ahead with her fellow team at Beef to make this event happen, despite the challenges along the journey.

鈥淲e鈥檝e been doing everything as we would. Obviously there has been risk assessments and looking at scenarios. 

鈥淓ven if you鈥檙e not directly associated with the (beef) industry you can go along and learn about it and make a connection with the people who are growing food and all the associated industries.

鈥淵ou want the local community to be engaged and you want people to come to Rockhampton and have a good experience.鈥�

Being a part of Beef has also allowed Claire, who studied Agribusiness at the University of Queensland鈥檚 Gatton campus, to continue her learning journey of life on the land.

鈥淚鈥檝e learnt so much about being a part of that family (Mactaggart) in terms of business skills. There鈥檚 so much 鈥� we measure grass, measure livestock units. Everything is very measured and run in a very business-like way,鈥欌�� Claire said.

鈥淧eople do it in different ways. Like any small business. People have different formulas to how they run their business.

鈥淚 never take for granted where we live. Every time when I鈥檓 out in the paddock I think wow this is our home. Everything about it is beautiful. You can see change and be a part of change in a small way is really wonderful.鈥�