Eidsvold Cattle Drive
The Eidsvold Cattle Drive has become a powerful example of how community-led initiatives can strengthen Australia's biosecurity system while preserving regional heritage and supporting rural communities. By integrating biosecurity education, risk management and community engagement into a large-scale livestock event, the organisation has created an innovative model that promotes biosecurity awareness and preparedness across regional Queensland.
Held every 2 years, the Eidsvold Cattle Drive brings together approximately 500 cattle, 40 riders and numerous volunteers from across Australia to retrace historic stock routes in Queensland. Recognising the potential biosecurity risks associated with livestock movements, the organisers developed a comprehensive biosecurity framework that has transformed the event into a practical demonstration of best-practice biosecurity management. Through this approach, the organisation has turned participants into active biosecurity advocates while helping strengthen community understanding of biosecurity obligations and responsibilities.
A key strength of the initiative is its focus on education and behavioural change. Biosecurity training is mandatory for participants, with 54 volunteers and riders completing comprehensive induction programs covering personal biosecurity obligations, livestock health, pest identification and disease preparedness. By embedding biosecurity requirements into every stage of the event, Eidsvold Cattle Drive has successfully normalised biosecurity practices and demonstrated their importance within everyday livestock operations.
The organisation has also adopted innovative systems to support traceability, livestock movement management and risk identification, helping ensure the safe movement of animals throughout the event. These measures support compliance with biosecurity requirements while providing participants with practical experience in managing biosecurity risks. The initiative demonstrates that even large-scale community events involving livestock can successfully integrate strong biosecurity safeguards without compromising participation or cultural significance.
Beyond biosecurity outcomes, the Eidsvold Cattle Drive delivers significant community benefits. The event has raised more than $400,000 for regional charities, including the Royal Flying Doctor Service and LifeFlight, while helping preserve an important part of Australia’s pastoral heritage. It brings together landholders, producers, volunteers, community groups and biosecurity stakeholders in a shared effort that promotes both community resilience and responsible livestock management.
Through leadership, innovation and community collaboration, Eidsvold Cattle Drive has made a noteworthy contribution to Australia’s biosecurity system. By successfully integrating education, training and practical biosecurity measures into a major community event, the organisation has strengthened awareness, promoted best practice and demonstrated the important role local communities play in protecting Australia’s agricultural industries and biosecurity future.
Watch a video about their work
Introduction
This is the accessible text transcript of the 2026 Australian Biosecurity Awards winner video featuring Eidsvold Cattle Drive President, Rebecca Scholes and 2026 Boss Drover, Kara Knudsen.
Transcript
Rebecca Scholes: G’day, I’m Bec, representing the team behind the Eidsvold Cattle Drive.
We were awarded the Australian Biosecurity Community Award for embedding modern biosecurity into a historic cattle drive.
Using the Risk Pass platform, every participant and volunteer completed an induction covering general biosecurity obligations, farm hygiene, horse movement tracking and hitchhiker pest detection.
Biosecurity is vital to us because our land and livestock are the lifeblood of rural Queensland.
Moving cattle across multiple properties without strict controls poses real risks.
For us, biosecurity isn’t red tape. It’s how we protect our landholders, our herds and our region’s future.
Kara Knudsen: Hi, my name’s Kara Knudsen and I’m one of the Boss Drovers on the Eidsvold Cattle Drive.
Beyond biosecurity, the drive brings our community together to raise vital funds for lifesaving services such as the Royal Flying Doctor Service and LifeFlight, protecting the people who steward this land.
We’d like to extend a sincere thank you to our nominator for recognising our efforts and to the department for highlighting the importance of community-led biosecurity.
Proves that traditional bush heritage and modern biosecurity go hand in hand.
It represents a huge win for accountability across our entire region.
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