Zanda McDonald award finalist Caitlin Crowe is integrating practical agricultural experiences into classes at St George State High School, and for students across Queensland.
Story Ken Eastwood Photo St George State High School
At St George State High School, 500km west of Brisbane, a young agricultural teacher is making a world of difference. A finalist in this year’s Zanda McDonald Award, Caitlin Crowe has developed agricultural programs that are so popular that ag is now the most selected subject in senior years at the school, and students are coming from across the state to attend the programs.
Some of the students at the 180-pupil, years 7–12 public school come from beef, sheep or cotton farms, and Caitlin’s focus is firmly on practical experiences that expose the children to the range of career opportunities available in agriculture. “My big focus and passion are getting kids into ag pathways post-schooling – getting them into jobs,” she says. With the combination of an ag science stream and a more practical applied pathway, 50–60% of the senior cohort start apprenticeships or traineeships while in school, with transition into full-time employment straight after school. “I’m really all about that practical, hands-on learning. You can’t be what you can’t see. So, if we want kids working in ag, we have to show them what’s out there.”
It was this focus that caught the eye of Zanda McDonald judge Julie McDonald, who describes Caitlin as “a practical, no-nonsense educator who is focused on giving students real exposure to the primary industries. Her emphasis on immersive, real-world learning isn’t something you see often in schools, and she has a clear knack for turning classroom content into experiences that stick.”
In 2023 Caitlin started regular week-long ag career camps, during which students visit 10–14 local farms and businesses, getting a chance to see different aspects of agriculture, and practically getting involved. “For example, on a cotton farm we might start the siphons, or we’re with an agronomist checking bugs, or at John Deere we might do some simple jobs in the workshop.”
The popular career camps, run seven times a year in partnership with Balonne Shire Council, are now attended by students from across the state.
This story excerpt is from issue #167
Outback Magazine: June/July 2026
