The drive, set to begin on May 18 in Longreach and finish in Roma on August 6, will see 1,680 cattle herded across 775 kilometres of Queensland’s traditional stock routes.
The campaign aims to generate donations and awareness while engaging schools and residents across rural areas.
WFI’s role includes insuring support vehicles for the event and adopting 26 steers – one for each participating school along the route. Over 3,500 students are expected to take part by naming their school’s steer and tracking its progress.
WFI executive general manager Andrew Beer said the initiative aligns with the company’s engagement in agricultural communities and farm safety education.
“WFI is delighted to support this fantastic initiative which elevates the awareness of food security challenges and the importance of the cattle industry for so many people and communities. We also see this as a unique opportunity to engage with schools and agricultural communities along the route about how to reduce risks and improve safety on farms,” he said.
To encourage participation, WFI is offering a $1,000 grant to each of the three schools whose sponsored steer finishes first, second, or third and an additional $1,000 to the school whose steer finishes last.
The sponsorship follows WFI’s recent $250,000 donation to Rural Aid, targeting flood recovery assistance for Queensland farmers impacted by heavy rains and inundation in April. The funds are being used to provide feed, supplies, and other urgent support to farming communities across a region reported to be more than twice the size of Victoria.
Flood-hit areas include Thargomindah, Jundah, and Adavale, where many landholders have faced disruption to livestock movements and farm operations.
Rural Aid CEO John Warlters said WFI’s contribution has enabled the charity to increase its reach.
“Through the generous support of WFI Insurance, we will be able to provide additional and immediate aid to impacted farmers. This is still an emergency response, and it’s an important time for farmers to know we have their back and are standing with them,” he said.
