PLC Armidale’s all-girls Livestock Team was celebrated in style on Saturday night, as students, staff, families, and supporters came together for a special dinner recognising a remarkable 12 months of achievement, growth, and community contribution, including the ongoing success of the College Paddock to Plate project, which has seen a permaculture greenhouse and vegetable beds established by students from Years 7 to 10 near the livestock yards during the first semester.
The event also marked an inspiring milestone: the Livestock Team’s efforts in raising almost $100,000 for the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute, with the Sydney Royal Charity Steer Auction bringing the total to $97,000 raised to date and the team invited to show the Schute Bell Charity Steer for an unprecedented fifth year in a row.
Guest speaker The Hon. Nichole Overall MLC—award-winning writer, broadcaster, and the first woman to represent Monaro in NSW Parliament in 165 years—delivered a powerful message.
“What’s not to love about a team of young regional women, and those who support them, raising almost $100,000 for a life-changing cause?”
Ms Overall praised the girls’ “resilience, innovation, and community spirit,” describing them as future leaders in agriculture:
“You’re committed to making a difference in rural and regional communities,” she said.
“How do we support more women into agriculture, into leadership roles, even pathways into politics? We do it by mentoring, acknowledging, and backing each other; We lead by example; We follow our passions and don’t let anyone talk us down or tell us we can’t.
“We do it by believing in ourselves, even when it’s hard, or we’re faced with adversity – and having lost a political election and coming back from that to take a seat in Parliament once more, I very much speak from personal experience in that regard. The lesson is that it’s as simple – and as hard – as that.”
The annual event also acknowledged the team’s success across several major competitions, including the NSW School Merino Wether Challenge and the Northern Schools Prime Lamb Competition. Students shared stories of the hands-on work involved in animal care, training, travel, and industry learning, showcasing not just their dedication to agriculture but also their leadership and teamwork.
Team Managers Briony Looker and Tim Light then announced two students were successful in applying to be part of the 2025 Junior Heifer Expo in South Australia – the nation’s biggest youth agriculture event.
A highlight of the past year was the Dubbo trip for the Merino Wether Challenge, where the Year 10 Agriculture class cared for and prepared six wethers over six months, culminating in a multi-day event involving over 700 studentts where judges commended the teams consistency, preparation knowledge, and evident passion.
Equally impressive was PLC’s performance at the Northern Schools Prime Lamb Competition in Glen Innes, where students took out multiple ribbons:
- 1st place and Overall Champion Middleweight Pen of Lambs
- 4th place Black Suffolk Cross (Middleweight)
- 5th place White Suffolk Cross (Heavyweight)
- 4th place Led Lamb category (Dougie the crowd favourite)
A Year 9 student also received Highly Commended in the Young Judges category out of over 150 competitors.
As College Principal, Mrs. Nicola Taylor summed up the 26-year history of the team and the past year’s highlights:
“These young women embody the values of PLC Armidale with compassion, grit, and a powerful sense of purpose. From little things, big things grow.”
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