Mia Doering gets the best of both worlds, by balancing corporate and station life.
From rolling out her swag on station visits to attending boardroom meetings in Brisbane, her varied day-to-day routine reflects the crucial role young people play in shaping the future of agriculture.
As the Safety and Welfare Business Partner for Consolidated Pastoral Company (CPC), Ms Doering oversees safety across CPC’s portfolio, spanning more than 3.2 million hectares and caring for over 300,000 head of cattle.
Merging her corporate responsibilities with on-the-ground station work, Ms Doering offers essential safety advice and support to station crews.
Her experience in contract mustering camps in the Kimberley and at her family’s Santa Gertrudis stud has made her ideally suited to the role.
Having a strong understanding of the physical demands and isolation that can come with station life, Ms Doering’s role provides a listening ear and guidance to station workers, across a range of age groups and capabilities.
Ms Doering knows first-hand the diversity of roles required on stations. "Women wear a lot of hats," she explained, having worked as a station hand, contract musterer and even a camp cook herself, as well as working alongside experienced and capable women within her team at CPC.
She draws inspiration from the women running CPC’s people and safety team. “I work with incredible women every day in my office. They encourage, support, and promote others, and inspire me to be better every day,” she said.
Ms Doering has travelled and worked all around Kimberley region. Pic: Supplied
Her experience of station life has provided a sound understanding of the requirements of her role, ensuring workers’ safety and wellbeing in often isolated, challenging environments.
“I carry out regular station visits, where I work alongside station crews, offering hands-on assistance and safety advice, which can be about anything from animal welfare to yard safety” Ms Doering said.
Communicating with managers and leading hands to gather feedback, she reports back to CPC’s head office to ensure ongoing improvements across the company, which is one of the core values of her role. This process is where she has learnt the most, Ms Doering asserts.
“Connecting with the managers is really, really, important. I have so much to learn from them, and they have a wealth of knowledge and experience to offer. Building those relationships and having robust conversations where we can learn from each other, I think that's essential to the effectiveness of the role,” she said.
For her, success means “everyone coming home safe at the end of the day", a commitment that stems from her personal experiences working in remote regions.
Beyond her duties at CPC, Ms Doering is actively involved in the Young Live Exporters Network, the Santa Gertrudis Breeders Association, and as an MLA Red Meat Ambassador, demonstrating her commitment to the livestock industry.
Ms Doering is the assistant manager of Spring Creek Santa Gertrudis stud, which has powered her deep passion for the Santa breed. “I could talk all day about Santas to anyone who would listen,” Ms Doering said.
For the past four years, Ms Doering has been a leader at the Santa Gertrudis National Youth Camp, a role that earned her the RJ Kleberg Scholarship in January 2024.
Mia alongside her parents Angela and Andrew Doering, Spring Creek Santa Gertrudis, Tansey, QLD. Pic: Supplied
As part of her official duties, Ms Doering has attended the Sydney Royal Easter Show, Beef Australia in Rockhampton as well as the Brisbane Ekka. Meanwhile, her focus is now firmly set on her nine-week trip to the United States at the end of the year.
Her trip, which was the major scholarship prize, will take her to Santa Gertrudis studs, feedlots, and processing plants throughout the supply chain, attending the National Western Stock Show in Denver, and CattleCon (National Cattlemen's Beef Association) in San Antonio.
Winners of the RJ Kleberg Scholarship have not travelled internationally in recent years due to COVID-19, so Ms Doering sees this opportunity as a chance to rekindle relationships with American breeders and set a path for future recipients.
