When Deniliquin-based leader, Bruce Simpson, died suddenly following an anaphylactic reaction in February 2024, a great void was left within his family, his Riverina community, and throughout the many fields that benefited from his representative and advocacy work.
Bruce was a graduate of Course 7 of the Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP) and shared this life-changing experience alongside our own CEO, Matt Linnegar, almost 25 years ago.
A remarkable vision
Bruce’s family – wife Shandra, son Charlie, daughter Lucy, and siblings Julie, James and John – are still coming to terms with their loss. However, they have developed a remarkable vision to honour Bruce and ensure that his legacy of leadership and service continues.
Bruce’s family, in collaboration with the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF), aim to create a fund of $2 million-plus to be known as the Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship Fund, for the purpose of establishing an annual Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship in perpetuity. The scholarship will honour the extraordinary contribution of Bruce during his lifetime to the rural communities of the New South Wales Riverina and nearby districts and the impact of his advocacy, leadership and passion for agriculture in Australia and beyond.
Family members of Bruce have seeded the fund, with an extraordinarily generous contribution. Bruce’s twin brother, John, likens the fundraising effort that lies ahead to climbing Mount Everest.
“Raising the first million dollars will be a bit like reaching Everest ‘base camp.’ Raising the second million will be more akin to tackling the summit at 8,849 metres. We will require all the support we can muster.”
A legacy for a lifetime
ARLF CEO, Matt Linnegar, says the opportunity to establish a scholarship in perpetuity is an exceptional and important aim.
“The creation of a self-sustaining fund is of huge importance to Bruce’s family, and to the ARLF. The enormous potential of the fund to support a committed leader – with full scope to match with the best candidate – is exciting. These scholarships afford an invaluable opportunity for diverse people to access a world-class leadership development opportunity.”
Bruce’s children, Charlie and Lucy, along with John, will have hands-on involvement each year in the selection of applicants to the Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship, which will support “a promising individual working in agriculture and related sectors” to undertake the ARLP.
An unquantifiable loss
In the tributes and reflections written and shared about Bruce, a remarkable and consistent language recurs:
Generous. Dependable. Calm. Cheerful. Magnanimous. Wise. Kind. Fair. Honest. Direct. Compassionate.
With a keen sense of justice and a wonderful spirit and sense of humour, Bruce has provided leadership in numerous areas, many of them highly challenging and complex. As the Chair of Murray River Irrigation Ltd. Bruce was known for his patience, fairness and steady leadership in water management and politics.
An estimated 1,000 people gathered on the banks of the Edward River to honour Bruce at his memorial – a testament to the impact of his work as an agronomist, primary producer, board member, community advocate, mentor, beloved family member and friend.
Rural Australia chose Bruce
It is easy to forget that Bruce’s childhood and schooling took place in Melbourne, as he wasted no time following the inexorable pull of agriculture, rural life, and the broad horizons and open expanses of the Deniliquin region. As a young man, he worked for enormous pastoral holdings, before starting out on his own property and establishing an agribusiness consultancy.
“The ARLP happened for Bruce at the age 41 or so,” recalls John Simpson. “It was a trigger point for him – for the understanding that he had a great deal to give to rural Australia. He always had that motivation to be active beyond the farm gate and be involved in whatever was happening in the community, and it opened his awareness of having an impact on regional and national issues too. He never put himself above anyone else. With the opportunity and right environment to use his skills, he would. John reflects.
“What drew us to aligning this initiative to the ARLF is that they have the know-how of building future leaders in this country. It is absolutely critical that we do this work to connect all of Australia with the issues affecting rural areas. We want to equip people with the skills, confidence and ability to represent not just themselves, but their communities. Instilling leadership skills is vitally important to bring about change,” he says.
For Shandra Simpson, the Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship represents the heart of her husband’s legacy.
“He was a very generous person with his time, and very motivating. I knew a lot of the younger generation who would come to Bruce for advice… For our son, Charlie, I know he is missing that: Bruce wouldn’t tell him what to do, he’d just listen and give him ideas and support to make his own decisions.
“Bruce always put himself in positions where he kept learning. He knew you never stop learning,” Shandra says.
“For future scholarship recipients, I just hope they grow from their ARLP experience like Bruce grew from his and embrace that learning.”
Bruce Simpson’s family and the ARLF welcome all forms of support for the Bruce Simpson Rural Scholarship Fund, including ideas, suggestions and offers of collaboration to support fundraising efforts and spread awareness. lf you have ideas or want to help, we would love to hear from you.
Read more about Bruce Simpson:
Statement on Bruce Simpson by Hon Sussan Ley MP, Member for Farrer.
Community recognition statement by the Member for Murray Helen Dalton MP.
