Kara Knudsen’s earliest memories are of being on a horse in the
middle of a mob of cattle. “As soon as we could, we were expected
to be part of the team,” she says, “learning to drive, riding and
mustering — we had responsibilities from an early age.” Those
challenges ignited in her a lifelong passion for agriculture.
Kara Knudsen’s earliest memories are of being on a horse in the middle of a mob of cattle. “As soon as we could, we were expected to be part of the team,” she says, “learning to drive, riding and mustering — we had responsibilities from an early age.” Those challenges ignited in her a lifelong passion for agriculture.
Her business acumen was on display even as a teenager at boarding school. “I always had deals going on,” she says. “My grandmother would send down toffees and homemade chocolates and I’d sell them during the week, waiting until Wednesday so the demand was high.”
After school she gravitated back to the land, and with her husband Darcy settled at Rosehall, near Mundubbera in the North Burnett region. They’ve built up their holdings to 150,000 acres across southern and north-western Queensland, where they run 10,000 head of cattle — working alongside their sons, Tom and Jack.
In 2013, Kara was awarded a prestigious Nuffield Scholarship which saw her study agricultural practises around the world. Over four months, she travelled to nine countries and had hundreds of deeply insightful conversations.
Her business acumen was on display even as a teenager at boarding school.
“I always had deals going on,” she says. “My grandmother would send down
toffees and homemade chocolates and I’d sell them during the week,
waiting until Wednesday so the demand was high.”
After school she gravitated back to the land, and with her husband Darcy
settled at Rosehall, near Mundubbera in the North Burnett region. They’ve
built up their holdings to 150,000 acres across southern and north-western
Queensland, where they run 10,000 head of cattle — working alongside their
sons, Tom and Jack.
In 2013, Kara was awarded a prestigious Nuffield Scholarship which saw
her study agricultural practises around the world. Over four months, she
travelled to nine countries and had hundreds of deeply insightful conversations.
“It taught me to look for the opportunity in every tough situation,” she says, reflecting on the lessons that have formed the foundation of her ability to adapt, navigate uncertainty, and find success even in the most difficult times.
“It taught me to look for the opportunity in every tough situation,” she says, reflecting on the lessons that have formed the foundation of her ability to adapt, navigate uncertainty, and find success even in the most difficult times.
“It taught me to look for the opportunity in every tough situation,” she says, reflecting on the lessons that have formed the foundation of her ability to adapt, navigate uncertainty, and find success even in the most difficult times.
Kara manages the family’s thriving beef business with a steady hand, overseeing finances and strategic planning, while her husband oversees infrastructure and projects. It’s a partnership that plays to each of their strengths. “I love what I do every day and I think that’s how you know you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing,” she says. “Even though not all days are fun, it’s about turning that around and saying: what am I going to do about it?”
Kara manages the family’s thriving beef business with a steady hand,
overseeing finances and strategic planning, while her husband oversees
infrastructure and projects. It’s a partnership that plays to each of their
strengths. “I love what I do every day and I think that’s how you know
you’re doing what you’re supposed to be doing,” she says. “Even
though not all days are fun, it’s about turning that around and
saying: what am I going to do about it?”
She understands first-hand the challenges women face in agriculture but is determined to make the path smoother for women who follow her. “I go out to make the industry a better place for the next generation of women,” she says. “I think we’ve come a long way, but we have a long way to go to break down the stereotypes of male and female roles.”
She understands first-hand the challenges women face in agriculture
but is determined to make the path smoother for women who follow
her. “I go out to make the industry a better place for the next generation
of women,” she says. “I think we’ve come a long way, but we have a
long way to go to break down the stereotypes of male and female roles.”
