Meet the team: Genevieve Clarke

Tell us about your background: where are you from? What did you study and where? What brought you to Birchip?

I was born and grew up in Sydney, living a stones throw from the beach. I was interested in agriculture but never had the opportunity to do it at school, so I decided to give it a go at university.

I went to Sydney University and did a Bachelor of Science in Agriculture with an Honours project looking at cell grazing and the value of native grasses in a grazing system of sheep and cattle.

After completing University, I was accepted into the 18 month Agriculture Victoria science graduate program focused on agronomy development, and I was based in Horsham. As part of this program I came to Birchip in 2016 for a six month placement and I finished the program in July 2017. Luckily for me, at the end of the program BCG was happy to take me on.

What is your role at BCG?

I am a part of the research team, and I’m currently working on projects including the GRDC-funded stubble initiative and managing early sown wheat, as well as some work in digital agriculture and variable rate fertiliser application.

What has been the biggest change from moving and living in Sydney, to living in the Wimmera and Mallee?

The travel time to the beach. It has been a fairly big change but for me, a good one. Apart from the replacement of people numbers with sheep, the most noticeable thing is how flat the landscape is. I can run a lot further here without hills so it’s done wonders for my fitness goals.

What do you enjoy most about living in a small community?

The friendliness of everyone. It is nice when people are happy to take you in with open arms, especially when moving to a place a long way from family. 

What do you enjoy about working at BCG?

Trying to find the answers to questions that growers are asking. To have a job that is relevant and helping provide options for growers to tackle challenges is very satisfying. Interaction with growers is important to keep things relevant, this is something BCG is good at and I am glad to be a part of.

What did you enjoy most about undertaking the Agriculture Victoria graduate role?

The graduate role was perfect for me. I was very aware, coming out of university that I didn’t have enough experience for me to be comfortable starting a role say, as an agronomist. Apart from that, I didn’t really know what I wanted to do in the area of agronomy at that stage. The graduate program gave me the opportunity to do placements at BCG, Agriculture Victoria and Tylers Rural in Rupanyup and give it all a go. I learnt an awful lot in 18 months, made great contacts (and friends) which has set me up very well for a career in ag research in Victoria.