A fifth-generation member of a cattle family in Queensland’s Gulf country, Julie Clarke, is the top agribusiness achiever at the University of Queensland Gatton Campus for 2003.
Ms Clarke, a mature-age student, won the Queensland Cotton Award for outstanding achievement by a final-year student and will graduate next month.
She grew up on Brinawa Station about 300 km north of Mount Isa where her parents Les and Annie run 4000 cattle. Her mother is Mayor of Burke Shire.
Other agribusiness prize winners were Daniel Cook, who took out the Business Planning Award, and Jade Johnston, winner of the Mark Barlow Memorial Scholarship.
Ms Clarke worked for several years at jobs on the family property and in real estate in Mount Isa before embarking on her agribusiness degree. Now, with an interest in marketing and economics, she plans to keep close links with the family business.
Last year she won the Mark Barlow Memorial Scholarship and travelled overseas as part of her studies. This year, she was part of a team of students who travelled to Italy and the Netherlands assessing markets for Australian peanuts.
Ms Clarke will take up an agribusiness posting with the National Australia Bank in Ingham early next year and is looking forward to the challenge of working in the financial arena with rural producers.
The Business Planning Award is sponsored by the National Australia Bank which will offer work experience to 2003 winner Daniel Cook.
Mr Cook, whose family is involved in the timber-cutting industry at Kin Kin, is studying for a dual degree in agribusiness and agronomy, due for completion next year.
He is keen to pursue a career in agricultural finance planning, but decided to take on agronomy to give him a good science grounding.
He was part of the student team which travelled to Italy and the Netherlands assessing markets for Australian peanuts.
Mark Barlow Memorial Scholarship winner Jade Johnston has been on a fast learning curve since transferring her studies to UQ Gatton from Macquarie University in Sydney.
Jade, who now lives in Brisbane, said she was enjoying learning about the business aspects of agriculture and would use the scholarship to assist with overseas travel next year.
She is interested in a career in marketing or supply chain management after graduating in 2004.
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