The Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF) is pleased to announce that Riverina farmer Nick Austin has been awarded the Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship to take part in the Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP) Course 33.
Nick is a fourth-generation family farmer at Mundarlo, on the Murrumbidgee River east of Wagga Wagga. He runs livestock with his family and has built a strong reputation for thinking long-term and working with nature. That includes a clear focus on soil health, biodiversity and decision-making that holds up in tough seasons. When Nick heard the news, he spoke about the weight and meaning of the scholarship. “I feel deeply honoured to receive the Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship,” Nick said. “Bruce is remembered for steady leadership and a genuine commitment to learning and service. I look forward to carrying that commitment into the program and beyond. I want to keep improving how we work with climate and the landscape and to contribute to the conversations our rural communities need about the future of agriculture and regional Australia generally.”
The scholarship honours the life and legacy of Bruce Simpson, an ARLP Course 7 graduate who cared deeply about rural Australia and the people who make rural, regional and remote communities thrive. Bruce’s family established the Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship Fund following his sudden death in February 2024 due to anaphylaxis. The fund’s goal is to build a $2 million-plus base that can support a scholarship in perpetuity, backing people in agriculture and related sectors to undertake the ARLP. For John Simpson, Bruce’s twin brother, the scholarship is incredibly important because it supports the kind of leadership Bruce exemplified.
Bruce’s family is delighted Nick has been awarded the inaugural Bruce Simpson Rural Leadership Scholarship. Nick’s innovative approach to farming and his preparedness to keep learning make him an ideal candidate for the scholarship. “He is already making a major contribution to his immediate community and the wider agriculture sector,” John said.
ARLP is a 15-month program that brings together people from across rural, regional and remote Australia. It includes four face-to-face sessions, supported by online learning and project work. People come to ARLP to strengthen how they lead, build lasting networks and better navigate the complexity of leadership and change.
The ARLF welcomes support for the Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship Fund, including donations and offers of collaboration. If you would like to support the Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship Fund please donate. Your contribution will ensure that we keep Bruce’s legacy moving forward.
