Councillor Rae always on the go

LIKE most South Gippsland Shire councillors, Scott Rae is a busy person, continuing to juggle his existing responsibilities with his added community duties.

The Sentinel-Times chatted with the Foster North beef farmer at a recent Koonwarra Store Sale.

Scott was there to witness the sale of around 50 of his cattle, being a mix of steers and heifers.

His approximately 9-month-old steers were sold in two pens of 12, with the weaners fetching $1,500 for the first lot and $1,480 for the remainder.

“I am reasonably happy and that was a fair price,” Scott declared.

He once saw beef from a different point of view, working as chef, but seems content with his move into farming a decade ago.

Asked about the challenges of managing two busy jobs, Scott expressed relief that he went into the less onerous pursuit of beef farming rather than pursuing a role in the more labour-intensive dairy industry.

Given his shift from the kitchen to working with livestock, he was asked whether he gets attached to the animals, acknowledging that is the case for those that require bottle rearing, but he isn’t about to pursue a vegan lifestyle.

In his community guise, Cr Rae’s responsibilities continue to expand, with his recent appointment to the executive of the South East Australian Transport Strategy, in which he will help advocate for

improved transport infrastructure, something South Gippsland locals have made clear is a key priority.