Out of Kimberley hardship comes great success

I have returned to a region of Australia, the Kimberley, that as a stockman is dear to my heart, sure the region itself is truly beautiful but the people of this whole region truly deserve the term “salt of the earth”. The livestock producers in this area have done so much in the last 20 years, their “can do attitude” has seen the genetics in the Kimberley go from the old Kimberley Shorthorn to herds of Droughtmaster and Braham that any stockman in Australia would be glad to see out of their window.

To see the likes of one of our long-time Beachport advocates, Keith Anderson, leading the genetic improvement by way of the Fitzroy Bull Sale, which we have been involved with right from its inception, is proof of these livestock producers “can do” attitude. I have seen these long-time friends battle through floods and long dries but the most devastating for me was to watch the Live Cattle ban debacle. It hit this isolated region hard and the effect it had on the men and women of this region was truly devastating. But out of this dark period came that “can do” attitude again.

Jack Burton, well known in the Kimberley and Pilbra, took things into his own hands and with typical Kimberley determination set about building a meat works for the Kimberley. I have watched this from the start and went out last Friday to see the Kimberley meat works in full swing. Having seen a lot of meat works in my time I can assure everyone that this is state of the art and, to put it bluntly, a job bloody well done. To see another avenue for livestock in the region to tie in with the live export industry is only going to see this region become more viable. To be a part of the improvement in the Kimberley through nutrition with our Beachport Liquid Minerals products and see how the whole region is going ahead gives me great satisfaction.

Written by
Kym Sutherland
Founder & Owner of Beachport Liquid Minerals