Tour

SOUTHERN QLD CONFERNECE TOUR

We are excited to announce that we will be hosting a post conference tour as an added bonus for WagyuEdge ’26.

Please note that spaces are very limited, so we recommend booking early to avoid missing out.

Registrations will open mid-December 2025.

southern qld CONFERENCE tour

Post-conference tour from Saturday 18 to Tuesday 21 April

Australian Country Choice

Step inside one of the most advanced beef processing operations in the world with an exclusive tour of Australian Country Choice’s Cannon Hill facility, the powerhouse at the centre of Australia’s largest family-owned, vertically integrated beef supply chain.  

Spanning 40 hectares in Brisbane and strategically positioned near key transport hubs, Cannon Hill is one of the only sites globally capable of slaughtering, boning, value-adding, retail-ready packaging and distributing beef all under one roofand all within a seamless, unbroken cold chain. With capacity to process up to 1,400 head per day, this facility delivers scale, precision and efficiency that few operations can match.  

Built over three generations of the Lee family, ACC has grown into a benchmark for paddock to plate excellence. The company is renowned for premium short-fed, grain-finished beef and is now expanding into high-quality long-fed programs, including Wagyu and Black Angus, to meet surging global demand.  

This tour offers a rare behind the scenes look at a world class operation where innovation, integration and Queensland craftsmanship come together.   

Wise Repro

Discover the cutting edge of bovine reproduction with an exclusive visit to Wise Repro’s brand new, state of the art semen processing laboratory on Queensland’s Granite Belt. Purpose built and strategically located at Glen Aplin, right at the crossroads of Southern Queensland and Northern NSW’s powerhouse beef regions, this facility marks a major leap forward for Australia’s breeding capabilities.  

Led by industry trailblazer Dr Ced Wise, a pioneer of MOET in Australia, Wise Repro has shaped modern reproductive practices for more than four decades. The new site brings his vision to life: a world-class centre of excellence, a hands on training hub for the next generation, and a powerful connector between producers and cutting-edge R&D.  

On this tour, you’ll gain behind the scenes insight into an operation that sits at the heart of Australia’s reproductive services network. Wise Repro offers a fully integrated suite of capabilities, from semen collection and processing to FTAI programs, bull soundness exams, pregnancy testing, MOET, reproductive synchronisation design and IVF partnerships.  

This is your chance to see where science, genetics and innovation converge to drive the next era of herd improvement.  

Macquarie Wagyu

One of Australia’s most successful Wagyu enterprises, where world class genetics, precision feeding and a remarkable landscape combine to produce premium Wagyu for global markets.  

From just 23 full-blood heifers in 1999 to more than 700 elite breeders today, Macquarie Wagyu has built a reputation as a leader in long-fed Wagyu production. Set across 10,000 hectares of pristine rangelands and supported by extensive irrigation and fertile soils, the property offers year round productivity and unmatched consistency.  

Here, every animal is DNA-matched, performance recorded and fully traceable, ensuring quality from paddock to plate. Their beef, marketed under the Macquarie Wagyu brand, is sought after by high end restaurants and premium retailers worldwide, earning multiple national awards along the way.  

Tour participants will see firsthand how Macquarie Wagyu combines genetics, environment and expert long-feeding to produce exceptional carcase results. The operation is also a major supplier of contract feeding, high-quality females, elite bulls and premium meat programs.  

Mort & Co Grassdale Feedlot

Discover the sheer scale and precision of Grassdale Feedlot, Australia’s largest and a flagship operation of Mort & Co, one of the country’s biggest privately owned lotfeeding, beef management and marketing companies, and a leading exporter of premium Australian products.  

Licensed for 70,000 standard cattle units (SCU), Grassdale inducts 3,800–4,500 head per week and delivers 1,000 tonnes of feed daily, supporting programs from short-fed cattle to long-fed Wagyu for Mort & Co’s top-tier brands. Its 377 purpose-built pens, extensive shade structures, clean water systems and advanced drainage ensure optimal animal welfare and performance.  

Innovation drives every corner of the operation: on-site power generation, major grain and silage storage capacity, cottonseed oil production, and a sophisticated manure to fertiliser enterprise processing around 100,000 tonnes annually.  

Daily health checks, 24/7 veterinary support and expertly formulated rations underpin exceptional feedlot performance, with a smooth transition process for cattle entering grain programs.  

This tour gives delegates rare access to a world-class feedlot where scale, technology and premium beef production converge.  

Arubial Wagyu

Founded by fourth generation graziers Laird and Sonia Morgan, Arubial Wagyu has grown from a single spark of inspiration in 2015 into a powerhouse Fullblood breeding program spread across five properties in South East Queensland.  

At the heart of their operation is Lillyvale, a modern 26,000 SCU feedlot built by the Morgan family and fully integrated with Arubial’s stud and farming enterprises. This synergy, elite genetics, precision feeding and local grain and silage supply creates the consistency and performance behind Arubial’s premium Wagyu.  

Cattle benefit from meticulous welfare and nutrition management, daily health monitoring, access to pristine Great Artesian Basin water and a temperate Western Downs climate that minimises stress and enhances marbling outcomes. With 30,000 tonnes of home grown silage per year and strong local grain supply, Lillyvale delivers predictable growth and exceptional meat quality.  

Arubial is driven by data and transparency, with performance information guiding all breeding decisions. Their bulls, semen and embryos represent the pinnacle of a 4,000 head Fullblood herd, crafted through objective measurement, disciplined selection and a deep respect for the Wagyu breed.  

This tour offers rare insight into a vertically connected Wagyu enterprise where genetics, environment and craftsmanship come together to produce some of Australia’s most exciting Wagyu cattle.  

Kilcoy Global Foods

With a proud 70-year history, Kilcoy Global Foods has grown from a family-owned wholesaler into a global leader processing nearly 1.5 million head annually and delivering premium, consistent beef to markets worldwide.  

Driven by innovation, Kilcoy pairs top quality cattle sourcing with cutting edge technology, AI trials, robotics and world-class equipment to ensure reliability, efficiency and exceptional product outcomes.  

A highlight of the tour is The Hub, Kilcoy’s immersive innovation centre created with MLA and AMPC. Featuring an ultra-modern commercial kitchen, R&D labs, dry-age facilities and multi-format dining spaces, The Hub showcases how new beef solutions are developed. Visitors can take a virtual reality ‘paddock to plate’ journey and watch how Kilcoy’s experts push boundaries in flavour, design and product development.  

Kilcoy Global Foods is a business built on consistency, powered by technology and driven by a relentless appetite for improvement, making this a must-see stop for anyone interested in the future of premium beef production.  

Important Notice and Disclaimer


It is very important that you appreciate when viewing the AWA database that the information contained on the AWA database, including but not limited to pedigree, DNA information, Estimated Breeding Values (EBVs) and Index values, is based on data supplied by members and/or third parties.

Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the information reported through AWA, AWA officers and employees assume no responsibility for its content, use or interpretation. AWA disclaims all liability (including without limitation, liability in negligence) for all expenses, losses, damages and costs you may incur as a result of the use by you of the data on this AWA database and the information supplied by ABRI and AGBU being inaccurate or incomplete in any way for any reason.

Regarding EBVs and Index values, it is very important to appreciate, and you need to be aware that:

  • EBVs are derived using Wagyu Single Step BREEDPLAN technology developed independently by the Animal Genetics and Breeding Unit (AGBU), using the information contained within the AWA database.
  • AGBU is a joint venture of NSW Department of Primary Industries and the University of New England, which receives funding for this purpose from Meat and Livestock Australia Limited.
  • AWA relies solely on advice provided by AGBU and ABRI in accepting Wagyu Single Step BREEDPLAN software.
  • EBVs published in Wagyu Single Step BREEDPLAN are estimates of genetic potential of individual animals and may not reflect the raw animal phenotype.
  • EBVs can only be directly compared to other EBVs calculated in the same monthly Wagyu Group BREEDPLAN analysis.

 

Regarding pedigree and DNA testing results submitted to the AWA, it is very important to appreciate, and you need to be aware that:

  • Animals whose registration identifiers start with PED are Pedigree Recorded Animals. What this means is that the details which Australia Wagyu Association Limited (AWA) used to register the animal were obtained from a Recognised Wagyu Registry Organisation – in other words a Wagyu breed association based outside of Australia. AWA has not independently verified the information with respect to the animal or the details recorded about the animal. You should read AWA’s by-laws which sets out details regarding the definition of a Pedigree Recorded Animal.
  • Future events cannot be predicted accurately. AWA makes no statements, representations or warranties as to the accuracy or completeness of, and you should not rely on, any information contained in the registration details of this animal or their capability to achieve any purpose. AWA disclaims all liability (including without limitation, liability for negligence) for all claims, expenses, losses, damages and costs you may incur as a result of the information set out in the registration details of this animal for any reason being inaccurate or incomplete in any way or incapable of achieving any purpose.
  • Pedigree and DNA data submitted and supplied to AWA may have errors in it which cannot be detected without further DNA testing.
  • Technology may have advanced since a particular test was undertaken so that previous inaccuracies which were not detectable are now able to be detected by current testing technology.
  • AWA estimates that less than 1% of the pedigree entries, ownership or breeding details in the AWA Herdbook may have errors or which may be misleading. For this reason, users ought to consider if they need to obtain independent testing of the relevant animal (if possible) to ensure that the data is accurate.

 

Regarding prefectural content, it is very important to appreciate, and you need to be aware that:

  • Prefectural content is based on the estimation of prefectural origin from Japanese breeding records of 201 foundation sires and 168 foundation dams. As genotype-based parent verification is not used in Japan, and full Japanese registration certificates are not available for all foundation animals, exact prefectural composition for these sires and dams cannot be validated.
  • The calculation of prefectural content for Australian Herdbook animals relies on the accuracy of pedigree records and DNA samples provided by AWA members.
  • The reporting of prefectural content for animals within the AWA Herdbook relies on the calculation provided by ABRI.

If you consider that you do not understand or appreciate the nature and extent of the data provided on this website or the EBVs of a particular animal, then AWA strongly recommends that you seek independent expert advice.