THE Davidson sisters have made great strides towards modernising their family farms at Allenview and solidifying family ties after quitting their very different professional careers to work on family farms.
Born at Beaudesert Hospital eight years apart, the women have shown they have what it takes to succeed in the agricultural industry.
Older sister Renee left home to pursue a career in the Queensland Police Service, graduating from the police academy in 2005 and serving as an officer in the child protection unit for 10 years.
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She came home last year to help her father Lynn run Jimboomba Turf Farm after her auntie Cherie, who was co-director of the business, passed away three years ago.
"I was at a point in my career where I needed a change too," she said.
"It was when COVID was bringing families back together ... I think it was that combination that helped my partner Alana and I make the decision to move back."
Renee said the family took over Jimboomba Turf Farm in 1981 and she was always a "daddy's girl" growing up.
"Yeah, I was always out helping dad, most weekends," she said.
The former police officer said her work life now was more challenging, particularly with the impacts of weather events.
"Coming from a very structured organisation where everything was laid out for you, you had a very clear expectation of what your job was," she said.
"It has been very challenging but also rewarding to be involved in a business that has such a strong reputation and knowing that our family and our awesome employees have built that."
Renee said the move had brought her closer to her sister Dallas, who works just down the road with their mum at Towri Sheep Cheeses.
"She's more arty, which she gets from mum, she's more aware of marketing trends and things like that," she said.
"I'm more literal, operational based I guess."
After earning a scholarship to Bond University to study film and television, Dallas also attained a diploma in interior design and forged a strong career as a freelance production designer.
"If you'd have asked me 10 years ago if I would be helping mum make cheese I would have said I'd help with the marketing but I'll stick to my dream of becoming the next Catherine Martin," she said.
"Three years ago I was juggling a few jobs and helping at Towri Sheep Cheeses at the same time. When the drought got really bad throughout this region I came home to help full time.
"It was a really tough time, it was quite shocking to see your own stock really struggling with no food, no water and we had to hand feed them all.
"Nutrition levels were dropping dramatically and they were just leaving their lambs.
"It was a hard thing to see and when I came home and saw that with my own eyes I knew I would have to stick around for a while."
Dallas said she did not regret her decision to partner with her mother Carolyn.
"It's been amazing to get back to my roots and reconnect with my hometown and all the local producers and growers," she said.
"And with Renee coming back to help dad, it's really exciting to have the Davidson girls taking on both family businesses and being that next generation to bring innovation to, adapt to current times and help overcome drought, bushfires, COVID and everything in between."
Dallas said while the sisters were very different, they had a strong sense of family in common and coming home had brought them even closer together.
"Renee is more business minded, she's very much like dad and I'm like mum and we meet in the middle," she said.
