Over the past few decades, I’ve had the privilege of walking alongside many remarkable rural leaders. Every so often, someone comes along whose presence, ideas or courage shift the way you see things. Someone who reminds you what mold-breaking leadership can really be.
In reflecting on this, three individuals stand out – Leith Boully, Matilda Ferguson, and Bruce Simpson. All different in style, background and generation, but united in the way they showed up for their communities. Their quiet, fierce and generous leadership reminds us why we do what we do at the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation and why leadership, when done in service of others, leaves a lasting footprint for others to walk in.
Flowing against the tide
I first met Leith Boully in 1999 when she was the newly minted Chair of the then Murray-Darling Basin Community Advisory Committee (CAC). In turn I was the newly minted Executive Director of Ricegrowers’ Association of Australia. This was at an interesting juncture in the history of the Murray-Darling Basin (MDB) and the politics over water.
Indeed, this was well before the Murray-Darling Basin Plan or even the Murray-Darling Basin Authority. Leith took the reins of the CAC at a time when our knowledge was growing and our assumptions being tested regarding the state of water management and river systems throughout the MDB. Governments were being tested about their historical allocation of water to irrigators, irrigators who had worked within the system of water entitlements and allocations were now being told that water, and lots of it, needed to be taken back to improve the health of our natural waterways. Environmental groups and some academics were calling for huge licks of water to be returned to the environment and a cap on water extractions was being implemented.
It is safe to say there were a lot of competing interests, at times conflict and always those standing atop their dung hills. Leith’s leadership in this pressure-cooker was evident from the start. As a leader, she was and has never been afraid to challenge people, their biases and assumptions about the facts surrounding an issue. Critically this challenge is done in such a way as to invite reflection and curiosity rather than adversity (mostly!). Some misinterpreted the approach as Leith adopting a stance on an issue but soon came to understand the value of probing a challenge from all angles and perspectives in order to make progress rather than jump straight to solution mode.
I did not know at the time that Leith was in the closing stages of the most in-depth leadership program in the country – the Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP). Nor did I know that less than a year later I would be granted the privilege to be part of Course 7 of the same program. In later years as Leith and I became colleagues, co-conspirators and friends, we would both reflect on the impact the ARLP had on our leadership and as people.
Leith is a deep critical thinker, a pragmatist seeking to make progress on some of the most complex challenges with a keen eye in terms of people and behaviours (including self-reflection). Many years after we first met, Leith served as a Director for Murrumbidgee Irrigation and I as a member of staff. I remember we had the opportunity in the Executive team to invite three colleagues of differing perspectives to provide critical feedback. I asked Leith without hesitation. This conversation provided an insight into my behaviour and how that may be impacting other people – from an angle I had never even contemplated and so resulted in one of the many feedback gems I have received from Leith over the years. Leith carried this unique approach to leadership wherever leadership was needed. From the farm near Dirranbandi to her many roles in the water sector, her design and facilitation of many leadership programs – including The Basin Community Leadership Program in collaboration with us at the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation – to her family and social networks. Leith was also heavily involved in the ARLF alumni and part of the ARLF Community of Practice.
Her leadership has empowered individuals in rural communities to lead with confidence and resilience. Her commitment to fostering leadership in challenging environments is both inspiring and essential for the continued growth and sustainability of these communities. Leith is a voice for rural and regional Australia, and a persistent champion of inclusive leadership. We need more like her..
Backing the next generation
I also wanted to mention the Matilda Ferguson – our dear friend and colleague who lost her life in a farm accident at just 33 years of age.
Growing up in Far-West New South Wales, Matilda understood firsthand the challenges of isolation, access, and opportunity that often define life outside the city. But she also knew the strength, resilience, and resourcefulness that come from growing up in such environments. Matilda channelled that determination into a life of service and deeply believed leadership should be within reach for everyone regardless of postcode, background, or resources.
Her family, friends, community and colleagues at the ARLF remember her for the kindness, courage, and unwavering belief she had for others. She was especially passionate about making sure young people in rural Australia had a seat at the table. While making sense of her passing is impossible, creating meaning from Matilda’s life is what those who loved her are committed to doing. Together with her inspiring mum, Chris Ferguson, her partner Lachie, her brother Will and stepdad Greg, we’ve recently launched an appeal to raise funds for TRAIL Emerging Leaders Scholarships in Matilda’s memory, providing young female leaders with opportunities to grow their leadership, expand their horizons, and join a network of people committed to the future of rural Australia. I’d urge you all to read a recent tribute to Matilda and her contributions to rural leadership or consider donating to the cause.
The fact that we passed the total cost of this scholarship in just a matter of days speaks volumes to Matilda’s legacy and the incredible work of her family and others to honour her drive to open doors for other young leaders in rural Australia.
Calm strength from paddock to policy
I’ve spoken about Bruce Simpson in the past but recent events have brought his contributions back to the front of my mind. Bruce was a big supporter of the ARLP, after completing Course 7 (my own ARLP cohort).
In the years following our graduation, I watched his contribution not only to his ‘patch’ in the New South Wales Riverina but watched it extend deeper into water policy, governance and mentorship. Regardless of how sticky the situation he may have found himself in Bruce was known for his quiet strength and fair-mindedness. His thoughtful approach made him a trusted voice on complex issues, from water management to community advocacy. At every step, he championed fairness, always willing to listen, support, and help others find their way forward.
When Bruce passed away suddenly in 2024, the loss was again felt deeply across the ARLF alumni network and rural Australia more broadly. But the response to his passing has been just as powerful. With the support and determination of his family including his wife Shandra, brother John, and children Charlie and Lucy, the Bruce Simpson Rural Leaders Scholarship has been launched to continue to carry Bruce’s vision forward, demonstrating his core belief that leadership isn’t just about one individual but a shared responsibility.
I am incredibly pleased to report that at the time of writing, the Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship supported by the Simpson family and a dedicated Committee has reached a remarkable milestones with over half a million dollars raised towards a two million dollar target.
This funding will support ARLP scholarships in perpetuity which is an amazing gift to rural leadership and a different way for the ARLF to support vital leadership into the future.
Honouring their impact
Leadership that uplifts others isn’t always loud. Often, it’s steady. It listens. It serves.
That’s the kind of leadership Leith models, and the kind Matilda and Bruce’s families continue to embody in their absence. Whether through boardrooms, paddocks or community halls, they help others see their own potential and step into it.
