Northern Passion: Pastoralists Tour Queensland’s Angus Pathways
On the last Monday in October, twelve Northern Territory pastoralists touched down at Brisbane Airport, forming the first enthusiastic cohort of the 2025 NTCA–Teys Australia Future Leaders Program Tour, supported by Angus Australia, the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association (NTCA) and Teys Australia.
What began as introductions en route to Dalby quickly evolved into a deep dive into leadership, genetics and the modern beef supply chain. During the three-hour drive west, delegates from across Northern Australia shared their stories—discovering common ground in challenges, aspirations, and the drive to lift productivity and profitability.
Resilience, Gold and the Southern Cattle Industry
In Dalby, the group heard from Gemma Noller OAM, a member of Australia’s gold-medal-winning women’s rugby sevens team from the 2016 Rio Olympics. Now a cattle producer alongside her husband Ben at Palgrove Charolais, Gemma spoke about resilience, teamwork and focus—qualities that resonated deeply with the group.
“Gemma’s story really hit home for us,” said Katie, from Brunette Downs Station, NT. “She’s lived that mindset of perseverance and excellence in sport and life, but she also understands what it means to run cattle in the real world. That connection made it inspiring and tangible.”
Behind the Scenes at Teys Condamine Feedlot
The following morning, delegates visited the Teys Condamine Feedlot, where General Manager Phil Lambert led an in-depth tour through induction, feeding and cattle-performance systems. With an operational capacity of roughly 30,000 head, Condamine is one of Teys’ key finishing facilities in Queensland, supplying grain-fed beef for both domestic and export markets.
“My biggest takeaway was how much forecasting and data goes into feed management and cattle performance,” Katie added. “It’s not just feeding cattle—it’s about precision, efficiency and hitting those market specs consistently.”
Seedstock Focus at JK Cattle Company
The group then travelled to JK Cattle Company to meet Justin and Kate Boshammer, who run Angus, Brangus and Wagyu seedstock programs. Justin and Kate discussed balancing market demands with environmental realities—breeding cattle that thrive in challenging northern conditions while maintaining fertility, adaptability and carcass quality.
“What stood out was their focus on the female side,” said Katie. “They’re not just producing great bulls—they’re thinking hard about what type of heifers those bulls are joined to, and how that shapes the herd over time.”
Supply-Chain Insight in Brisbane
Returning to Brisbane, the group spent a morning at Teys Australia’s head office, hearing from Grant Garey, Jock Hudson and Charlie Hollingsworth about market dynamics, sustainability and strategic growth.
General Manager of Sales Jock Hudson explained the complexity of balancing carcase utilisation across multiple export destinations and product specifications. Meanwhile, COO Charlie Hollingsworth delved into Teys’ ongoing work in methane reduction and carbon-footprint transparency—key to ensuring long-term market access for Australian beef.
“We spoke with some of the most senior people in the business and they were open about challenges and opportunities,” said Tim Weir, Mount Skinner Station, NT. “Hearing how carbon credits and emissions tracking are shaping future market access gave us real context for the decisions we’ll need to make on-farm.”
From Processing to Palletising
The next stop was Teys Beenleigh, one of the company’s cornerstone processing facilities, where delegates gained rare behind-the-scenes access to all stages of the operation—from the kill floor to chilling, boning and logistics.
“It was unreal to see the whole process,” Tim said. “We got to see cattle go right through the system—the scale of the operation and the attention to detail. It makes you think differently about how your cattle fit into that chain.”
The tour then continued to the Teys Central Distribution Hub at the Port of Brisbane—a $110 million investment in automated carton storage and retrieval, capable of handling up to 40,000 cartons per day. Delegates were impressed by the technology, efficiency and innovation that reduce handling and enhance cold-chain integrity.
They also visited Melrina Distribution, a joint venture partly owned by Teys, which services retail and wholesale customers across Australia, before finishing the day at premium Brisbane retailers—including the James Street Market, showcasing Teys Certified Angus Beef.
“Seeing the product at that level of retail really closed the loop,” said Caitlin Townsend (NAB Agribusiness Manager, NT). “From paddock to premium shelf—it shows where quality and consistency really pay off.”
Reflections and the Road Ahead
The tour concluded with a dinner at the historic Regatta Hotel, joined by Teys senior management and representatives from NTCA and Angus Australia. Delegates reflected on their learnings and shared personal insights around leadership, mentors and milestones.
“The depth of this experience—seeing the supply chain end-to-end—has given us the confidence to have more informed conversations about breeding, genetics and marketing,” said Tim Weir. “It’s about making better decisions and building more resilient businesses back home.”
Ethan Mooney, Teys Australia Group Operations Manager, added:
“Teys feels strongly about developing meaningful and lasting relationships with those whose boots are on the ground in Central Australia. Being able to show our business to like-minded young individuals has been a privilege. The development and education of emerging leaders is key to our shared success well into the future, and we look forward to continuing to foster these connections.”
This tour—jointly supported by the Northern Territory Cattlemen’s Association, Teys Australia and Angus Australia—forming part of an ongoing northern development program designed to increase awareness of Angus genetics, strengthen leadership capability and connect northern producers with market opportunities.
Scott Wright CEO of Angus Australia said that the organisaiton “has been very pleased to develop a relationship with the NTCA. It is a cornerstone of our significant Northern Australia strategy. We are seeking to deepen our relationships with NTCA members as we firmly believe Angus genetics can play an increasing role in Northern Territory production systems.
“It was wonderful to see this long term planning come to fruition” he said.
