Lachie Seears

Lachie Searers is a third-generation farmer managing the 6,000-hectare mixed livestock, irrigation and cropping farm, Boonderoo Pastoral Company, in the Lower South East of South Australia. He farms alongside his wife Rebecca and their children Hugh and Anneliese, as well as his parents Peter and Helen. The business also employs three full-time staff and several casual workers during busy periods. They join 6,500 composite ewes, are building a cow herd to calve over 2,000 cows, and currently crop 1,400 hectares of wheat, canola and broad beans.

After finishing school, Lachie began working on the family farm before studying Farm Business Management at Marcus Oldham College, completing his practical year in the UK. Early in his career, he worked alongside his father, who gave him the opportunity to take the lead on implementing a range of changes and developments across the property. Over the past 10 years, Lachie has taken on full responsibility for managing and setting the direction of the farm.

Between 2011 and 2021, the business developed irrigation infrastructure and now operates seven centre pivots for grazing and fodder production. This has increased stocking rates and helped spread seasonal risk.

In 2021, Lachie successfully led the purchase of a large former blue gum plantation, doubling the size of the business overnight. Since then, significant investment and effort have gone into converting the property back into productive livestock grazing land. The team has tackled over three million tree stumps, sown pastures, improved soil fertility, and built yards, fencing and water infrastructure. They are now well on the way to breeding and calving down a herd of more than 2,000 cows.