Three Australian agricultural figures have been selected as finalists for the 2025 Zanda McDonald Award.
The award is to celebrate excellence in agriculture, offering an exclusive prize package focused on tailored mentoring and educational opportunities.
Queensland finalist Will Creek, aged 35, is a general manager of properties livestock at Stanbroke’s pastoral operations.
Residing on Donors Hill Station, Cloncurry, Will oversees the management of the northern livestock herd across seven stations, focusing on both breeding and backgrounding.
Amongst these responsibilities, Will also manages the emerging cropping enterprise and Gulf Aircraft, in northern Australia.
Will believes there are significant opportunities for large-scale cropping in Queensland’s Gulf.
“I envision the next major profit driver will come from pasture development, which aims to provide livestock with a more consistent growth curve to enhance kilograms produced per hectare,” Will said.
Throughout the next five years, Will hopes to further cultivate and add more value to the farming industry by collaborating with like-minded individuals and industry professionals.
The awards other two finalists, both from New South Wales, are Jack O’Connor, aged 32, based in Harden on his family farm, and 29-year-old Felicity Taylor who is an area manager for Moree at Rabobank Australia.
Lead judge and award mentor Richard Rains expressed his enthusiasm about the impressive pool of Australian talent.
“The interview process is always an exciting experience for us,” he said.
“It’s inspiring to see the passion and drive of the next generation of ag leaders.
“Selecting the finalists from a competitive group was a tough decision, but it was a privilege to learn more about their achievements and aspirations for the future.
“We’re thrilled to welcome them to the Zanda McDonald Award family.”
Becoming a finalist enables Will, Jack and Felicity to gain access to continuous mentoring, networking opportunities, and support from industry leaders and to become part of the Award Alumni.
All six finalists from Australia and New Zealand will attend the award’s annual Impact Summit on the Gold Coast in March 2025.
One Australian and one New Zealand finalist will then be announced as the winners during the summit at a celebratory evening.
Each award winner will receive a personal development package, including a tailored mentoring trip to both Australia and New Zealand, $10,000 for further education or training, media coaching, and ongoing networking opportunities.
