Beef Australia is planning well in advance for their premier event Beef2027 with the highly experienced team now calling for tenders
Beef Australia is planning well in advance for their premier event Beef2027 in Rockhampton QLD where new Chair Adelaide McDonald has been selected by directors to lead the team.
More new faces will include newly elected directors Cameron Hewitt and Wendy Mayne, who will work alongside current re-elected current Directors Claire Mactaggart and Russell Hughes.
Following member elections, the Board of Directors appointed Adelaide McDonald as Chair of Beef Australia. Filling the other executive positions are Elisha Parker and Jess Webb as Vice Chairs, Kay Becker as Treasurer, and Claire Mactaggart as Secretary.
Beef Australia CEO Simon Irwin said the new Board of Directors bring a wealth of skills and experience which will be invaluable as planning starts for Beef2027.
“We look forward to working with the Board to build on the successes we saw at Beef2024 and advancing our strategic initiatives,” Simon Irwin added.
Two of Beef Australia’s long-serving Directors retired from their roles at the AGM, with past Chair Bryce Camm and past Treasurer Richard Brosnan stepping down from their roles.
Adelaide McDonald said both retiring Directors have been instrumental in guiding the company through significant growth and innovation.
“On behalf of Beef Australia’s new Board of Directors and the wider team I would like to thank Bryce and Richard for their unwavering commitment and dedication to delivering successful Beef Australia events over the years,” Adelaide McDonald concluded.
Meet the new chair and two directors of Beef Australia who will be part of a powerful team preparing for Beef2027.
Adelaide McDonald
Beef Australia’s Chair Adelaide McDonald said she looked forward to working with the Board and the wider Beef Australia team to deliver a ground-breaking event in 2027 and build on the success that we saw at Beef2024.
Adelaide is currently a director of multiple entities including MDH Pty Ltd, one of Australia’s largest family-owned pastoral operations encompassing 3.36 million hectares and 150,000 head of cattle.
In addition, Adelaide has been appointed a Director of the Zanda McDonald Award and is a respected financial services professional with a background in corporate finance, accounting, mergers & acquisitions, and strategy.
Cameron Hewitt
Cameron is a fifth-generation grazier and is the current Operations Manager of his family’s cattle business, Hewitt Pastoral Enterprises. He is also the Director of HP Wagyu, is part of the Australian Topstock Collective where he works with US meat companies to supply Australian beef and was a member of the 2018 Beef Australia NextGen Committee.
Cameron has a strong passion for beef genetics, live animal and carcase performance data, and enjoys working from the plate back to paddock to improve herd performance, efficiency and quality. He was a Co-Founder of the Queensland Food Future and has been involved with various industry related advocacy efforts to help shape the future of Australia’s beef industry.
Wendy Mayne
Born and raised on a seedstock cattle operation in the Riverina of NSW, Wendy has a deep passion for the beef industry. She is currently a Director at Texas Angus, a beef cattle operation that she operates alongside her husband.
Wendy has a Bachelor of Agricultural Science from Melbourne University, has previously worked in the Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA) Beef Export Marketing team, and was a sole cotton buyer for the Swiss company Volcott Cotton. Wendy currently serves on the World Angus Forum Committee, has completed several leadership programs, was part of Angus Australia’s Genetic Evaluation Consultative Committee, and has judged at several Royal Agricultural Shows.
Beef Australia calls for tenders
Beef Australia CEO Simon Irwin says preparations for Beef Australia 2027 are gaining momentum, with the release of key tender opportunities forming a significant part of the planning process.
“We’ve chosen to publish the full tender timeline early to give potential suppliers the time and clarity needed to plan ahead, particularly around other major events they may be involved in.”
Mr Irwin highlighted the unique logistical challenge of hosting a world-class event in a regional setting, noting that most infrastructure is built from the ground up.”
“Smaller businesses in Rockhampton and Central Queensland are encouraged to collaborate with others locally or nationally, to meet tender requirements and get involved,” he said.
Tender opportunities exist across all facets of the event, from ticketing, catering, bar services and temporary structures, through to power supply, AV and staging, media and production, waste management, earthworks and cleaning.
Beef Australia’s tender timeline includes:
- Catering and Functions – Open Now (opened July 2025)
- Temporary Structures and Exhibition Build – Open Now (opened July 2025)
- Cleaning & Waste Management – Open Now (opened August 2025)
- Audio Visual & Staging – Open Now (opened September 2025)
- Media and Production Partners – Estimated Opening in September 2025
- HVAC and Temporary Power – Estimated opening in September 2025
- Earthworks and Sawdust Management – Estimated opening in October 2025
- Traffic Management – Estimated opening in November 2025
- Liquor Supply & Bar Operations – Estimated opening in November 2025
- Security Services – Estimated opening in January 2026
- Plumbing Services – Estimated opening January 2026
- Theming & Styling – Estimated opening in January 2026
For more details around each of these tender opportunities, use this link.
About Beef Australia
Beef Australia is an award-winning beef industry event that takes place every three years in Rockhampton Queensland. It has a rich history spanning over 30 years and attracts attendees from across Australia and around the globe.
Beef Australia has further cemented its status as the largest beef industry event in the Southern Hemisphere, with Beef2024 setting a new economic impact record by attracting a total of 125,576 attendances, 7.73% increase over 2021, across the seven-day event.
The results of an independent report reveal that the already record-breaking event generated $102 million in direct and incremental expenditure for the Greater Rockhampton Region1 and $69.6 million for Queensland.
Beef Australia’s mission is to stage Australia’s premier beef exposition and provide a platform for the advancement of the beef industry in Rockhampton QLD between the 2 and 8 of May 2027.
To find out more about the Beef Australia 2027 event, use this link.
