Joining stock camps in north-west Queensland is about as tough as it gets, let alone holding your own there as a teenager. It kick-started a career in agriculture that has since spanned the country. For now, a pause, managing Elverton Pastoral in Blessington, Tasmania. And they say farmers wear many hats, so a mechanics apprenticeship, dog handling skills, courses in low stress stock handling and grazing management have all prepared young talent William Lyon for his current role.
A day can involve many tasks from crutching, to shearing, weighing lambs and forward planning. “I’ve always had a bit of drive for wanting to know more and wanting to learn more,” he says.
“I took, what I call, the longer road to Uni. Doing a lot of short courses, hundreds of hours of podcasts and just soak up all the information.”
Both sides of Will’s family have agricultural roots. He knew that was always the path for him, but he certainly jumped in the deep end, moving to north-west Queensland as soon as he left school. He followed that season up with a diesel mechanic apprenticeship, then contracting work around Orange, before landing the role of head stock person at a NSW property. “I was there for 4.5 years and the things I learnt about extremes! We had severe drought for three years.”
“I learnt a lot about feeding and budgets.”
Will has recently been welcomed into the National Agriculture Leadership Program run by the National Farmer’ Federation, which took him to Canberra to discuss policy, leadership, as well as skills to analyse one’s own strengths and weaknesses. “It’s been really good to meet people of similar age, and like-minded with the drive for leadership in the ag industry,” he shares. Will’s attitude is to give anything a go, which no doubt stood out in the program.
“Work out the area you want to be in. It’s not just being the day-to-day on the farm.”
Will marvels at the career scope for anyone who chooses agriculture – from trading to admin. He credits mentors with much of his success, even though, at the time he didn’t really consider labelling them as such. “Even a monthly 15 minute quick catch-up on how things are going and what I need to do. They might give me a couple of books, which is fantastic.”
“Being able to call them and bounce ideas off. That’s been a godsend really.”
While Tasmania is currently home, Will is making the most of it – cold weather at all – and finds joy in rugging up and working hard on a wintery day. “I feel most grounded on the coldest, most miserable, drizzly day where I’m sitting on the motorbike with my dogs, moving livestock.”
Will is quick to caution that his day is definitely not like an episode of McLeod’s Daughters – which he says is a common misconception. “We’re not out frolicking in the paddocks,” he laughs. “There are big hours, and that’s not just sitting on a tractor all day. I try my hardest to plan my day, and I probably execute about 40% of it!”
But he still can’t wait to get out of bed every morning, to make that plan.
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