ARLP Course 31 Scholar, Greg Zillman | Session Updates

The Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP) is run by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF) and provides an opportunity for leadership development using challenge-based and experiential learning.

This year, ALFA and MLA has awarded a scholarship for a lot feeder to attend ARLP, an investment of $55,000.

Greg Zillman of Beef Connect Feedlot, QLD, has been awarded the grain fed beef industry scholarship for Course 31 of the ARLP and will share his experience on the program through regular updates as his course progresses.

Accompanying Greg in this cohort are individuals from a diverse array of sectors, including agriculture, aquaculture, healthcare, local government, retail, research, and community services, all with a common drive to create opportunities for rural, regional and remote communities and industries to thrive.

About Greg

Greg operates a family beef business, Beef Connect Feedlot, and is heavily involved in local non-profit groups working in roles such as President of the school P&C, President of the RSL, and the local area Fire Warden Officer.

Greg's approach to business development is highlighted by his skills in communication, strategic planning, project management, financial analysis, operational management, employee development, and logistics.

His extensive experience includes managing large-scale intensive livestock and rangeland production systems, commodity trading, project management, business development, software implementation, asset acquisition and divestment, and meat processing.

Greg has spent many years working in regional and rural Australia, and he has also served in the Australian Army with keen interest in travel. Greg has also played rugby professionally in the UK.

We wish Greg all the best on his leadership journey over the coming months and look forward to following his progress.

Learn more about the ARLP

​Session 1: June 2024 // 12 days, Regional NSW

Growing up on a cattle feedlot in Queensland may have gifted Greg Zillman with a raft of skills, however nothing could have prepared him for the challenge of the first session of the Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP).

Awarded the Course 31 scholarship in 2024, the Beef Connect Feedlot owner/operator travelled to Sydney in June to engage in a series of physical and mental challenges.

Run by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF), the program is designed to provide an opportunity for leadership development using challenge-based and experiential learning.

This year, ALFA and MLA has awarded a scholarship for a lot feeder to attend ARLP, an investment of $55,000.

Accompanying Greg in this cohort are individuals from a diverse array of sectors, including agriculture, aquaculture, healthcare, local government, retail, research, and community services, all with a common drive to create opportunities for rural, regional and remote communities and industries to thrive.

With a background in business, Greg said he has always enjoyed the consistency that comes with lotfed cattle and has a growing interest in the science behind animal nutrition and feedlot technology, implementing new ideas and practices on his family property.

“I have been able to show my family what I can do but I wouldn’t have the knowledge and confidence I do now without branching out when I was younger,” Greg said, referring to his time working at AACo and studying in Brisbane.

Proud to join the ARLP Course 31 cohort, Greg said he is looking forward to the experience.

“I am keeping my cup empty for this, I don’t want to have any paradigms about where we’re going or what’s in front of me.”

Completing the first session in June, Greg said travelling to Sydney, whale-watching in Sydney Cove and camping in Kangaroo Valley were just some of the many highlights.

“The sailing trip in Sydney allowed everyone to get to know each other briefly and then we were camping for 15 days out of a backpack - no watches, no phones.

“There were nine people in my group and we really started to get into the nitty-gritty in terms of getting to know one another.”

Greg said management profiles completed before the trip showed a stronger inclination for some group members to be strong or passive leaders, influencers or those who were detail oriented.

“It was about learning how to navigate everyone’s needs and wants. Some people want to know what we are doing tomorrow and others don’t care.”

Greg said the trip helped him learn to acknowledge the moments where he needed to back down and let others take the lead.

“In the past I’ve been a task oriented leader. I like to achieve goals and, sometimes, if I have someone around me who isn’t quite with me, or doesn’t have the same vision, I can get frustrated with them.

“For me, this leadership course is about picking up the people at the end and trying to help bring them through.

“Everyone has their own internal goals for this course - I want to become a better person out of it.”

Greg will now travel to New Zealand to attend Session 2 titled ‘Connection and Mobilisation’ which will include, among other things, an immersive exploration of treaty for First Nations Peoples.

Session 2: October 2024 // 10 days, New Zealand

From stargazing to surfing and everything in between, Greg Zillman’s most recent adventure with the Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP) program has posed another raft of physical and mental challenges for the Queensland-based lotfeeder to contend with.

Returning from his recent trip to New Zealand after completing the second session of Course 31, Mr Zillman said the experience is one he will never forget.

“This trip included significant cultural experiences with people from the Maori community, along with educational outreach regarding earthquake recovery and networking opportunities in the agribusiness sector,” Mr Zillman said.

Beginning the trip in Sydney, Mr Zillman met with his group members and their partners which, he said, allowed the dynamic within the group to evolve and for new personalities to emerge.

“We spent a day and a half discussing management and leadership, specifically in relation to New Zealand politics and how the country fits in the world.”

The group then flew to Auckland and met with the High Commission.

“They spoke about the way New Zealanders build their business relationships and how that differs to Australians.”

Mr Zillman’s group then travelled to a small town north of Rotorua to visit the Te Puke Maori community.

“We participated in the Haka and we did a Hangi feast at their Marae (meeting grounds) and were told stories about their culture, both past and present.

“We spent some time after dinner on the beach stargazing and were told stories of people using the stars as a guide to travel from the Pacific Islands to New Zealand.”

The group spent a number of days camping at the Marae, a large community centre filled with walls covered in intricate carvings which depict Maori culture and history.

“I think you can draw a line between our First Nations peoples and their stories and how they got to where they are and the difficulties they are having with their treaty.”

Mr Zillman said, although there was a serious side to the conversations about politics, there were many moments filled with lighthearted banter.

“We were hosted by a beautiful, warm family. No tourist would ever experience what we did, it was awesome.”

Flying from Rotorua to Christchurch, the group visited the Christchurch Earthquake Mission to understand the impact of the earthquakes on the community.

“We spent some time discussing the ‘Iceberg Model’ and how we can explore the cause and underlying struggles that people may be dealing with.”

The group then spent three days exploring the community response to the 2011 earthquake.

“It leads back to what we learned about management and how everyone is an ‘iceberg’ and how you can see the tip (public persona) but there’s lots of stuff going on underneath.

“As a leader, I took a lot out of it because sometimes I can just get on with the task but sometimes there’s stuff you need to deal with from an employee’s perspective.

“I’m learning to accommodate those needs before we can all move forward. Things like that can hold you back later on if you don’t deal with it when it happens.”

Capping off the trip, Mr Zillman spent a day with key stakeholders from the Canterbury agribusiness sector before setting off for a physical challenge - surfing in freezing water.

“We went out surfing with a charity that helps farmers who are transitioning off the land.

“We spent an hour or so out in the water and the idea is to take your mind off the farm and meet new people. The whole concept has gone ballistic over there.

“The challenge for us doing something like that is distance but, for them,  their farms are only 15 minutes away from the surf.”

Mr Zillman said he is looking forward to session three which is slated for the first half of this year and will be located in Adelaide, SA.

“I don’t really know what to expect from the next session but there’s lots of little things that are coming together as I progress through the program.”

Session 3: April 2025 // 6 days, Regional South Australia

For Greg Zillman, leadership development hasn’t just been about theory, it's been a lived experience. 

As a recipient of an Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP) scholarship, Mr Zillman recently completed the third leg of the year-long course in regional South Australia which he says, continued to challenge, provoke, and inspire the group.

“I probably got more out of this one than I did in New Zealand,” Mr Zillman said.

“The history, the people, the way they put us on the spot and it just worked.”

Held in early April, Session 3 of ARLP Course 31 focused on ‘Networks and Affiliation’, and took Mr Zillman and his cohort into the heart of Kapunda and its surrounds - an area steeped in agricultural legacy and local resilience. 

Mr Zillman said the program wove together advanced leadership theory with highly practical, sometimes chaotic, real-world tasks that demanded initiative, reflection and team collaboration.

A standout moment for Mr Zillman was a cohort-led community event, where participants were given minimal direction, a list of attendees, and a looming 1:30pm deadline. The goal? Plan and deliver a full-scale event for sponsors and locals that included logistics, presentations and food.

“They just said, ‘There’s a community event happening at 1:30. Good luck.’ Then they walked out,” Mr Zillman laughed. “It tested me as a person. I don’t like chaos, and that’s what it was.”

The early stages were messy and inefficient, but ultimately transformative. 

“We all had A4 paper and sticky notes. Everyone just wrote down ideas and stuck them up on the walls,” he said. 

“Eventually, we formed breakout teams (logistics, activities, MCs) and it started to come together.”

Beyond event planning, the session delved into themes like governance, advocacy, systems thinking, human-centred design, and peer coaching. 

Participants were encouraged to reflect on their reactions to pressure, group dynamics, and their personal leadership blind spots.

“You’d get these sticky notes and just write what you were thinking every 15-20 minutes. After three days, you had a pile.

“Then we’d go back and identify patterns. It really made you think about where you needed to grow.”

Mr Zillman also continued working on his personal leadership initiative: ‘Rewiring Relationships’, which explores how excessive digital media use is affecting family dynamics in rural and remote communities. 

His project focuses on rebuilding emotional connection and healthy routines through education and advocacy.

“It’s about helping families reconnect. Kids, parents, everyone’s on a screen. That’s a challenge in rural life where connection is already hard.”

For Mr Zillman, who manages a family-run feedlot in central Queensland, one of the most meaningful lessons has been about connection over control - in teams, in families, and in leadership.

“I’ve realised I don’t care about control. As long as everyone’s safe and the end result gets done, that’s fine,” he said. 

“But when things get chaotic - and I’ve seen this even in my own family - I shut down a bit. Understanding that has been powerful.”

Mr Zillman will next head to Alice Springs for the final ARLP session and graduation.

What he’s learned so far, he says, is less about tools and more about people.

“I used to think leadership was about what you said. Now I realise it’s about connection. Sitting on the floor with someone, showing who you really are - that’s what people respond to.”

Session 4: August 2025 // 10 days, Central Australia

Australian Rural Leadership Program (ARLP) scholarship recipient Greg Zillman has celebrated the completion of the 18-month program.

Returning from his recent trip to Central Australia, Mr Zillman wrapped up the fourth and final session of Course 31, graduating at a ceremony in the Northern Territory.

Mr Zillman said the 12-day session was the culmination of a once in a lifetime experience which he shared alongside his ARLP cohort.

The final session began in Alice Springs where the group were bused 200km north toward the MacDonnell Ranges to an outstation known as Apmwerre (Black Tank Bore) on Anapipe Country.

Part of the final session for Course 31 included camping under the stars near the MacDonnell Ranges. Picture supplied

Here, the group spent six days with Kings Narrative, an Aboriginal owned and operated profit-for-purpose social enterprise.

Mr Zillman said the glamping-style bush experience was more than just camping, it was a powerful period of cultural reconnection, healing, and personal growth. 

“We came together as a group to strengthen our cultural identity and reclaim ownership of our leadership journeys,” Mr Zillman said.

“One of the most rewarding activities for me was receiving feedback on my 360 Leadership Program. 

“This gave me space to reflect deeply on insights from both my work and family environments. 

“We had to sit there while others gave us feedback - good and bad - and we weren’t allowed to say anything. Just ‘thank you.’ That was confronting, but powerful.”

Mr Zillman said the program helped him see how his perfectionist tendencies were holding him back in both his personal and professional life.

“I want my work, my relationships, everything to be perfect. “The other one was being an enabler in that I help people too much - I need to give them space to make mistakes and do things their way,” he said.

“It’s hard to watch someone not do it to your standard. The perfectionist in you just wants to step in.”Mr Zillman said his work in feedlots and in the animal welfare space made it difficult for him to take a step back and ask for help.

“If something needs doing, it has to be done right but I’m learning to let people have the space to do it themselves.

“You can guide people with questions. You let them do it, but you can say, ‘Have you thought about this?’ 

“Questioning it doesn’t put a brick wall up, it just opens a door.

“The feedback from 360 was an honest look at how I was perceived by others from our first meeting through to this final season. 

“Their thoughts helped highlight my core strengths and areas for development.

“I really wanted the person they met at the start to be the person they still saw at the end. “That was important to me — just being consistent.”

 After wrapping up the feedback session, the group visited Undoolya Cattle Station, managed by the Hayes family since 1872 and currently run by Ben and Nicole Hayes. 

“We learned about their family history, community leadership, and their contribution to the pastoral industry.”

Mr Zillman said the visit offered the group further insight into how Indigenous communities are working with non-Indigenous landholders to reconnect with culture.

“We slept in swags under the stars and explored creek beds flanked by striking red gorges - it was a truly grounding experience.

Mr Zillman said the group then returned to Alice Springs to complete the final few days of the program where the cohort focused on learning about successful community and business initiatives across Alice Springs and the wider Northern Territory. 

“Staff from Central Australian Aboriginal Congress (Congress) shared important insights into the health challenges facing the local community. 

“We also heard from the CEO of The Purple House, who spoke about the organisation’s incredible journey in becoming a successful mobile dialysis provider and supporting upwards of 1300 people on Country. 

“They realised bringing people into Alice Springs was killing them faster because they were having to travel off their land, away from family and culture.

“So they started mobile dialysis trucks to treat people back in community.

“That's the real impact - caring for people in the right place, not just in the easy place.

“Their story of growth and impact was inspiring.”

The group was then challenged to a full day of media training with the help of NITV SBS general manager and journalist Dan Bourchier. 

“It was an intense experience that pushed us out of our comfort zones,” Mr Zillman said. 

“Dan challenged us through deep, on-camera interviews that tested our ability to stay composed, authentic, and articulate. 

“We were trained to navigate difficult questions using techniques like ‘swimming to safe islands’.

“We had lights, cameras, the full studio setup. It was nerve-racking, but real.”

“It really polished what I already knew - to know your topic so well that, even when you’re nervous, it just comes out naturally.”

Mr Zillman said he felt the media training had made him sharper and more confident to tackle real-world scenarios.

The final 24 hours were dedicated to preparing for graduation which, Mr Zillman said, was a time for deep reflection, setting intentions for our families and communities, and celebrating personal growth. 

“It was a very lo-fi event in a beautiful location - we were surrounded by red dirt with the MacDonnell Ranges behind us and it was perfect.

“We marked our graduation with pride. It was a celebration of our journey and an opportunity to thank my industry sponsors, ALFA and MLA, for their support throughout this transformative experience.”

Mr Zillman said the past 18 months have held up a mirror to how he moves through the world.

“I don’t know if I’ve seen a big change in myself, but I see it in how I handle things - I’m gentler, calmer, more patient.”

Mr Zillman said, most importantly, the program has helped him see what true leadership looks like.

“You can’t just assume everyone’s in the trenches with you - sometimes you look around and no one’s there. 

“That’s when you realise leadership’s about bringing people with you, not charging ahead.”