Sarah and Ellie are also the current Chair and Deputy Chair respectively of the Gippsland Young Dairy Network, and they share a strong passion for dairy that began in very different ways.
As a sixth-generation dairy farmer, Sarah has farming in her blood. She was raised on the dairy farm that she now manages with her father in Skye, one of the closest dairy farms to metropolitan Melbourne with a herd size of over 250 cows.
In contrast, at 21 years of age, Ellie decided to travel around Australia. In order to work as she travelled, Ellie sought out farm jobs to learn some new skills that she could use around the country. Ellie ended up learning how to milk cows on a dairy farm in Heyfield and nine years later, she is the Herd Manager on a 520-cow farm in Tinamba.
Both Sarah and Ellie feel strongly about supporting young people to enter the industry and develop long-lasting careers.
Sarah recognises the need to share with the broader community the role that the dairy industry plays.
“Representation of what we do and why we do it is very important,” she says.
“I believe I am able to exemplify a positive future in dairy.”
Sarah hopes the ambassador program will help her gain the ability to understand and relate better to the public, and further develop her leadership skills.
Coming from a non-farming background, Ellie hopes to use her role as an ambassador to show others the pathways available to them within the industry.
“I feel like a lot of young people want to work with animals but don't know that this career exists,” she said.
“I hope to be able to spread the word on what a great industry we have – all the amazing families and people involved that live to produce such a great quality product.”
