How this young farmer found his passion

After leaving school and completing a diesel fitting apprenticeship, Mitchell went on to work in the mining industry.

It wasn’t until he offered to help some friends harvest at their grains property near Springsure that he found his true passion – farming. 

Now Mitchell works at Boongulla, where he handles all the spraying.

Boongulla, owned by the Travers family headed by Ernie and Donna, farm a combined 5870 hectares of cultivation (mix of owned and leased land). 

This winter they have 4654ha of crop in the ground; with 3034ha of chickpea (Kyabra and Seamer), and 1620ha of wheat (Gregory and Spitfire). 

They recently finished harvesting 1150 tonnes of sorghum, which yieled four tonnes to the hectare. 

With cattle country as well, they also run a 500 head Droughtmaster commercial breeding herd. 

Mitch said after growing up in town in Emerald, he never expected to end up working on a farm.

“It seemed like a good idea at the time,” he laughed.

“I just got sick of diesel fitting and working for mining companies. 

“I do all the spraying for whatever we need to spray, and when we’re not doing that I do whatever needs to be done whether it be working in the shed or  chasing cows.”

He said while there was a “pretty big difference” in the pay check compared to the mining industry, it was worth it for a job he loves. 

“The Travers family are right up there with the best people I’ve ever been around and worked with,” he said. 

“This year I’m going in one of the headers, which will be a change.

“I had a bit of a run last year and did okay so I’ll be in one full-time this year I think.”

He said the season has been tough at Boongulla, with no follow-up rain after planting the wheat and chickpea in the last week of April.

While the chickpea is going strong, Mitchell said the wheat crop was definitely struggling in the dry conditions.

Now he is busy spraying the chickpea crops, and also spraying at Goonoo Feedlot, where they do contract work. 

He said while he would love to own his own farm one day, financially it would be difficult.