Four Daughters is helping the next generation achieve their dreams of being on the land

Bonnie, Molly, Jemima and Matilda are the fourth generation in agriculture and have been immersed in the daily operations of their family beef business since they could walk to the cattleyards, near their house.

“When they were little, they’d run through the feedlot wearing fairy dresses and plastic high heels. Their love of the land and passion for agriculture is something they’ve grown up with and it has continued to flourish,” says mum, Karen, 50.

Seizing opportunities and making each day count is something the Penfolds do well. They operate properties spanning some 43,000 hectares: Old Bombine and Mamaree, both with feedlots at Meandarra, along with Bellevue at Yaraka and Woodlawn, near Talwood. In 2018, their father Dan, 51, had a fortuitous encounter with international meat wholesalers at a Beef Australia event, which led to a business relationship and Four Daughters branded beef was conceived. They began direct exporting premium black Angus beef the following year.

“When the wholesalers visited our home, they were blown away by the girls and their work ethic, whether it was driving tractors and motorbikes or in the yards. It’s always been a team effort, whether it’s outside or inside,” Karen adds. “Succession is a big part of our decision making; the building of a beef brand when the opportunity arose was another way of expanding our business to help the girls achieve their dreams to be on the land. It’s about the long-term sustainability of the family business.”

Last year, the Penfolds switched to direct marketing of Four Daughters premium boxed beef to the domestic market following the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic. Each family member has a role in the logistics and delivery of the pink boxes to their south-east Queensland customers.

Dan and Karen have encouraged and supported each daughter to explore career options and are justifiably proud of how the individual journeys are unfolding. With young adults now home to work in the business, they built an additional building at the rear of the house, nicknamed the Bombine University, where the girls can study and have their own space.

Dan and Karen also encouraged their daughters to consider a gap year after completing school. “As a teacher, I can’t put enough value on maturity and life experience,” Karen says. Bonnie, Molly and Jemima all took this opportunity before embarking on further studies. Bonnie recently completed a teaching degree and works locally three days a week, before returning to the cattleyards for the remainder of the week.

Molly will complete an accounting degree later this year and hopes to apply those skills to the family business, while Jemima is currently in her second year of working on a cattle station near Cloncurry. Meanwhile, Matilda is in her final year of school and has also been studying for a certificate in aircraft line maintenance. She intends to pursue aircraft mechanics.

The Penfold family business meetings are often held around the dining table, with minutes taken, but there has been discussion about appointing an external facilitator as the business grows.

Karen says the privilege of a owning a business includes responsibilities and they aim to create a professional work environment where each member can thrive.

“The girls are very much involved in all the larger decisions and long-term planning of our business. They all wish to be here, so we’ve made the choice as a family to keep building the business and see what we can achieve. They are fully aware that with succession will come liabilities. There are assets but there’s also debt and it’s part of building business,” Karen says.