WILL Wilson has history, but he's not shackled to the past.
Indeed, this Central Queensland producer who also happens to wear an important hat for the beef industry as its AgForce cattle president, believes the future might belong more to the innovators than traditionalists.
Mr Wilson, Calliope Cattle Company, Calliope, carts a lengthy family legacy as a fourth generation producer and hastily acknowledges the methods of yesteryear have held them in good stead.
Yet just as quickly he offers the Wilsons have never dodged an opportunity to seek a better, more efficient way.
"We have always looked at the biggest problem and then trying to sort out ways to solve it," he said.
"Some people have a view that if the yard doesn't work well they replace the whole yard.
"We look at it a bit differently.
"We identify what might be the worst part in the yard then fix that and move forward, taking each problem at a time.
"It's really just about being prepared to innovate and to do things better and more efficiently."
Ms Wilson remembers his dad testing drones as a mustering tool.
"The first one he got was slow and expensive to fix but it was a way forward and we use them quite extensively," he said.
"They make the business safer, they're a huge time saver and getting cheaper. I think the cattle respond well to them.
"The drones take pressure away from the cattle.
"They are not running from humans.
"I have seen a marked difference in our cattle since we started using drones and I can see the day when the drones will be out in the paddock and someone in America, China, Pakistan or Logan will be mustering your cattle.
"I know it's long way off but I can see it happening.
"I talk with my neighour, who also uses drones, and we both say the next generation of producers will be asking us oldies how did we ever do it without drones?
"In some way it's like those who say they couldn't live without a helicopter, especially in the north which would not be as developed as it is without the helicopter. Drones are our helicopters."
The Wilsons run a large herd of Jarrah Reds on 50,000 hectares across two properties.
The cattle, Mr Wilson says, are strong on eating quality and drought tolerant.
"There's a strong Hereford influence in the background of these animals and the cross has led to good fertility.
"Apart from all else we use augmented reality technology to identify all the vital details of any beast we have from their treatment history to their genetics and even their location on the farm."
It's history in the making...
Alan Welburn
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
Lover of sport, particularly horse racing and all things Olympic. Have spent my entire working life in journalism, mostly with News Corp on its major metro mastheads. Done plenty of things but the best by far is having a teenage son who calls me dad.
