Dairy industry come together for reunion
Dairy industry participants enjoyed a night of reflection and celebration at the 25th anniversary reunion of the Don Campbell Memorial Tour earlier this month.
About 60 people attended the event, hosted by GippsDairy, including past study tour participants, leaders and hosts.
The Don Campbell Memorial Tour gives young members of the dairy industry the opportunity to grow as individuals and expand their careers through leadership and exposure to the wider dairy community and practices.
Don Campbell was a prominent member of the Gippsland dairy community in the 1990s. His contribution to the formation of GippsDairy was immense – Don recognised that collaboration between regions and sharing knowledge was beneficial to all Australian dairy farmers.
He held the first chair position at GippsDairy in 1996 and was honoured for his contribution to the community with the naming of the tour after his sudden death in 1998.
Over 25 years, the study tour has seen over 300 participants who have been involved with the Young Dairy Network. The 2023 tour was held in February, with 15 young dairy farmers in attendance having the opportunity to attend the Australian Dairy Conference.
Don’s wife Rhonda presented a moving tribute to her husband at the reunion, which also was attended by his four children.
GippsDairy regional extension officer and event organiser Katherine Byrne said the Don Campbell Memorial Tour was as popular as ever, with the past two years having record applications submitted.
She said the reunion was a celebration of not only what had been achieved in the past, but an acknowledgement that the event has a bright future.