Theodore Water Board comprises both new and familiar faces. All directors are looking forward to guiding the future direction of water delivery in the area on behalf of the Theodore channel irrigators and helping to grow and support the local community.
Malcom Finlayson
ChairmanMalcolm is a finance specialist with over 30 years’ experience steering the financial management and strategies of businesses in the agricultural industry. He has a Bachelor’s degree in Business (Accounting) and an MBA. He is a CPA and has completed the AICD Company Director course. An experienced director with more than 15 years on the Boards of not-for-profit and commercial companies, Malcolm is currently a director of Plant Health Australia, Grain Trade Australia Ltd (GTA) and Wheat Quality Australia Ltd. He also chairs their Audit and Finance Subcommittees. He runs his own consultancy firm, Finesse Solutions Pty Ltd, which has assisted clients with systems development and implementation as well as risk management and controls. He has been a CFO for over 20 years, responsible for group-wide reporting and administration, as well as finance and strategy.
Kirk Anderson
Deputy ChairKirk is a third-generation farmer in the Dawson Valley and a director in his family business. Kirk is an active community member and is passionate about the future of irrigation in the Dawson Valley, not only in his own business, but also for the future of the local communities. With a young family, Kirk is particularly committed to sustainable management of all our local resources. Kirk has held many local positions including roles on the management committees of the Dawson Catchment Coordinating Association and the Dawson Valley Cotton Growers and Irrigators Association. Kirk was a director on the Stage 2 Theodore LMA Board.
Michael Murray
DirectorMichael is a water policy specialist with over thirty years’ experience of Australia’s national water reform. For the past 13 years Michael has been the General Manager of Cotton Australia, and prior to that was the Executive Officer for the Gwydir Valley Irrigators Association. Since 2009 Michael has been on the Board of the National Irrigators Council, where he chairs the Finance, Audit and Risk sub-committee, he also chairs the Queensland Farmers Federation’s Water and Energy Policy Committee. Michael has a Bachelor of Arts degree (English and Agriculture) and a Masters of Business Administration, and is a member of the Australian Institute of Company Directors. Michael has been an active irrigation farmer in the past, and currently runs a small beef cattle enterprise with his wife Gabrielle. Michael was part of the early negotiations with the Queensland government that led to the creation of LMA’s such as Theodore Water, and joined the Theodore Interim Board in 2013.
Sarah Cox
DirectorSarah grew up on a beef cattle property in northern New South Wales and has spent the majority of her professional life living and working in rural and regional Australia. Following a successful career in the rural media writing for publications such as Queensland Country Life, Australian Farm Journal, Australian Cotton Outlook and Queensland Graingrower, Sarah established her own freelance journalism company Jeffrey Rural Communications in 1999. Since then she has
provided editorial support and strategic communications expertise to some of Australia’s leading agricultural publications, agribusiness organisations and worked with specialist agribusiness public relations agencies. These days she operates Jeffrey Rural Communications in conjunction with several directorship roles and an 11,000-hectare commercial beef cattle operation near Cracow with her husband and two children.
Ed Donohue
DirectorA registered professional engineer, Ed Donohue has 40 years’ experience in water resource management across the fields of investigation, planning, design, operation and maintenance of irrigation and drainage schemes; water supply; water allocation; policy and legislation. In 1997, after six years as the district manager in charge of the operation of the Burdekin River Irrigation Area, Ed returned to Central Queensland as the Department’s Regional Manager, Water Services. In that role he was involved with the development and implementation of the seven Water Resource Plans and Resource Operations Plans in Central West Region as well as the Central Queensland Regional Water Supply Strategy.
Dan Austin
DirectorDan is a third-generation cotton farmer in the Dawson Valley and the Director of KB Cotton. Deeply committed to the future of agriculture, Dan brings both experience and innovation to his work in the cotton industry. With a strong belief in sustainable farming and the importance of water management, he is dedicated to supporting and strengthening his local community.
Dan has previously served on the management committees of the Dawson Callide Catchment Association and the Dawson Valley Cotton Growers, where he contributed to the sustainable use of local resources and represented the interests of regional growers.
Dan is married with three children, all of whom share his passion for the agricultural industry. He remains a respected voice in the local agricultural landscape and a committed advocate for the industry’s next generation.