Australia Rangelands

Dana Kelly is an internationally recognised social scientist, consultant and change agent. Passionate about helping to bridging different knowledge systems, Dana uses collaborative and participatory approaches. Her strategic advice has informed government and industry policy and practice in agriculture. Dana was instrumental in persuading the United Nations to declare a ‘Year’ for Rangelands and Pastoralists.

Debbie Dowden and her husband Ashley come from Challa Station, 206,000ha in the Southern Rangelands. They run Santa Gertrudis cattle alongside a Human Induced Regeneration Carbon Project and aim to produce some of the most environmentally sustainable beef on the planet. The Dowdens operate their station whilst recognising the importance of the rich biodiversity of its environment and they appreciate that ‘what’s good for the birds is good for the herds.'

Margi Weir’s career is steeped in Rangelands. She is executive officer of the Southern Rangelands Pastoral Alliance in WA, which fosters collaboration between pastoralists across more than half of WA. She has lived/ worked on stations and in mining across the Australian Rangelands, in the Tanami Desert, and the Murchison and Gascoigne regions. With more than 11 years in natural resource management and a career as a talented horse trainer, Margi brings both natural environment and working animal perspectives to her seat on the committee.

Gus lives on Wyndham Station with his wife Kelly. They have a son, Mitchell, who currently works at home. Wyndham Station is 12,500ha on the Anabranch River in South Western NSW between Broken Hill & Wentworth. They also lease another 19,000ha. They graze sheep and cattle and are building a goat concern to add diversity. Gus represents his region on several committees and is passionate about remote Australia. “We need more people living in remote Australia to care for our wonderful and unique landscape.”

Beth Penrose is Associate Professor in Pastoral Production Systems at Charles Darwin University. She moved to CDU as a pasture scientist and became completely immersed in Rangelands, its pasture production systems, and its people and culture. She oversees a range of Rangelands projects: land condition, waste management on properties and isolated communities, the impact of wind on sheep grazing habits and systems, virtual fencing and linking productivity with natural capital.

Danielle and her husband Mick and son Arthur, live on 19,000ha on the Great Darling Anabranch in Far West NSW. The property is used for grazing and opportunistic cropping, but mainly wool production and sheep breeding. Danielle and Mick also run a horse training operation. Danielle works as a Landcare Coordinator for Western Landcare NSW, a not-for-profit organisation that supports a large network of Landcare groups and accounts for over 40% of the state. Her passion lies in advocacy and linking local community concerns to regional, state and national bodies.

Having grown up and worked on stations in the Channel Country in Queensland, Maree moved into science extension with the Queensland Department of Primary Industries, based at Longreach. Her career has been working with landholders across Queensland for a variety of departments and local councils in vegetation and natural resource management, agricultural extension, stock routes and disaster recovery. She has been involved in delivering programs such as the Grazing Land Management Edge package, Sheep Co-operative Research Centre trials, Stocktake workshops and many other programs involving the Rangelands grazing industry. Maree is proud and excited to represent Queensland for IYRP in 2026.