40 Under 40: The lawyer turned farmer revolutionising agriculture
Drought turned Caitlin McConnel away from farming. Now the first female owner and manager of Queensland’s oldest family business Cressbrook Station Pastoral is tackling climate change head on.
Severe drought was impacting the family farming business when Caitlin McConnel was first working out her professional future – the challenges facing locals on the land led her to initially pursue a law career.
“When I was young, I was told not to be a farmer, so I did the next best thing and became a litigator,” she said.
Now McConnel is a sixth-generation farmer running Cressbrook Station in Toogoolawah. Her great-great-great grandfather established Cressbrook in 1841, now recognized as Queensland’s oldest identified family business. The farm is one of the oldest in Australia still operated by the original family on the same property.
As the first female custodian of the family business, McConnel says she is endeavouring to maintain the station’s 184-year run of climate-smart farming. With her combined expertise in law and agroecology, McConnel has evolved Cressbrook Station’s stock, land and water-management techniques to ensure that all primary production operations remain environmentally sustainable.
In April 2025, the Queensland Rural & Industry Development Authority (QRIDA) appointed McConnel as its first female chairperson, the group providing financial assistance and support to rural Queensland’s primary producers and small businesses.
McConnel holds a Bachelor of Business and Laws with Honours from Queensland University of Technology. She also gained admission to the High Court and Supreme Court of Australia as a lawyer and holds certificates in Climate, Agriculture, Mediation.
McConnel continues to make a profound impact on agroecology, environment, sustainable development and food security through her unique experience as a farmer and strategic legal advisor.
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“Agriculture is the foundation upon which our very lives are based, in circumstances where food, water, and shelter are fundamental human rights,” McConnel says.
“As a result, I’ve always wanted to ensure that my work, and my contributions to my community, uphold the fierce passion I have for my home, and our industry.”
Caitlin McConnel won the Rural and Regional Award at this year’s 40 Under 40.
Read all about the 2025 40 Under 40 here.
