BlueWren Connections

18/09/2026

Join us for the next Leading in the Central West Program - Leaders in Conversation session!

As part of the Leading in the Central West Program, Heather Ellis from BlueWren Connections will be joined by Andrew Bryant for:

𝐋𝐞𝐚𝐝𝐞𝐫𝐬𝐡𝐢𝐩 𝐨𝐧 𝐭𝐡𝐞 𝐆𝐫𝐨𝐮𝐧𝐝: 𝐋𝐞𝐬𝐬𝐨𝐧𝐬 𝐟𝐫𝐨𝐦 𝐑𝐮𝐫𝐚𝐥 𝐀𝐮𝐬𝐭𝐫𝐚𝐥𝐢𝐚

This online conversation will explore leadership in practice and the lessons that come from working, leading and connecting in rural Australia.

📅 Wednesday 21 October 2026
⏰ 12:00 pm
💻 Online
🎤 40-minute conversation + 20-minute Q&A

Places are still available - register via Humanitix: https://events.humanitix.com/leading-in-the-central-west-leaders-in-conversation-series

17/09/2026

If your looking for a new adventure ✨️. Come and join this great team.

📣 We’re hiring!

Looking for a job in Western Queensland? Two positions are currently available at Desert Channels Queensland.

🌱 Field Crew Officer
We’re looking for someone to start as soon as possible and join our on-ground Field Team, working across properties and sites throughout the DCQ region. The role includes w**d and pest control, fencing, ATV operation, land management, seed collecting, welding, grading and more.

📱 Communications Officer
We’re looking for a creative and proactive content-maker to share DCQ’s work through photography, articles, social media, videos, media releases and more. Suitable for an entry-level or experienced content-maker.

👉 Find out more about these positions and apply via our website: https://desertchannels.com.au/about-us/

For any questions or enquiries, feel free to contact us directly:
📧 [email protected]
📞 (07) 4658 0600

15/09/2026

From Models to Practice and from theory into our own practice.

It was wonderful to present with Gerry Roberts at the Australian Rangeland Society Conference in Darwin on our work, From Models to Practice: Supporting Extension Officers to Develop Personal Practice Frameworks.

At the heart of our presentation was a deceptively simple question:
Who has a Personal Practice Framework?

Extension practitioners draw on an extraordinary range of theories, models, tools, experience and local knowledge. But our work with practitioners has prompted another question: How consciously do we bring these things together into a framework that explains how and why we practise the way we do?

Our emerging Personal Practice Framework invites practitioners to consider their Head, Heart, Hands, Feet and Purpose, knowledge and theory, values and beliefs, skills and methods, context and grounding, and the purpose that sits beneath their work.

Importantly, reflection sits around and through all of these elements.

For me, this isn't about creating another model for people to follow. It is about making our own practice more visible, so we can question it, strengthen it and continue to grow.

“A Personal Practice Framework isn’t a finished product. It’s a living framework that evolves as we reflect on our experience, learn and change our practice.”

Thank you Gerry for being such a thoughtful collaborator, and thank you to those who joined us in Darwin and contributed to the conversation.

BlueWren Connections

08/09/2026

📣 Join us tomorrow for From Good Intentions to Shared Action

Heather Ellis from BlueWren Connections will be joined by Benny for a practical conversation about moving beyond good intentions and working together to create meaningful action.

📅 Wednesday, 9 September 2026
⏰ 12:00 pm Brisbane time
💻 Online via Zoom

There is still time to join! https://events.humanitix.com/leading-in-the-central-west-leaders-in-conversation-series

We hope to see you there!

26/07/2026

Great leadership isn't about treating everyone the same. It's about understanding that people think, communicate and work differently and creating environments where everyone has the opportunity to thrive.

We're delighted to launch the Leading in the Central West – Leaders in Conversation Series with Vikki Granted, in conversation with Heather Ellis.

Neurodiversity in Practice: What Leaders Need to Know

This practical and thought-provoking session will explore what neurodiversity really means in today's workplaces, challenge some common misconceptions, and provide leaders with practical strategies to better support diverse ways of thinking.

Whether you lead a business, manage a team, volunteer in your community or simply want to become a more inclusive leader, you'll leave with valuable insights you can put into practice straight away.

📅 Wednesday, 19 August 2026
🕛 12:00 pm
💬 40-minute conversation + 20-minute live Q&A

This is the first of our four-part Leaders in Conversation Series, bringing together experienced speakers to share practical ideas, fresh perspectives and real conversations on leadership.

💙 All proceeds support Leading in the Central West, helping us continue to strengthen leadership across our region.

We'd love you to join us.

Register via the QR code below https://events.humanitix.com/leading-in-the-central-west-leaders-in-conversation-series?_gl=1*1n5xoeh*_gcl_au*MTQ2NDgyMjMwMy4xNzgxNTg0ODY3*_ga*MTY2NTk3NDU5MS4xNzgxNTg0ODY4*_ga_LHKW5FR9N6*czE3ODQ1MzMxMzIkbzgkZzEkdDE3ODQ1MzM0ODEkajUwJGwwJGgw

25/07/2026

Last month at the World Community Development Conference at the University of Glasgow, Helen Betts and I had the privilege of facilitating a workshop with community development practitioners from across the globe.

Rather than presenting answers, we invited participants to write down their biggest unanswered question about community development.

The conversations that followed were thoughtful, challenging and deeply inspiring. Questions ranged from:
- How do we stay positive with the uncertainty of future funding?

- Why isn't community development better promoted/unstanded in Australia?

- How do we build people's capacity for dialogue in an increasingly polarised world?

and many more.

These weren't just questions they reflected the hopes, challenges and complexities facing our profession worldwide.

We're now reflecting on these questions, looking for the common themes, and exploring what they tell us about the future of community development practice.

Because sometimes the most powerful thing we can do isn't provide the answer it's create the space for the right questions.

20/07/2026

Great leadership isn't about having all the answers. It's about being willing to keep learning.

We're excited to launch the Leading in the Central West – Leaders in Conversation Series: four conversations with experienced leaders who will share practical insights, honest experiences and ideas you can apply in your own leadership journey.

Across the series, we'll explore:

🧠 Neurodiversity in Practice – What leaders need to know with Vikki Granted

🤝 From Good Intentions to Shared Action – Collaboration at its finest with Benny Callaghan

🌾 Leadership on the Ground – Lessons from Rural Australia with Andrew Bryant

💻 Holding the Room Online – More Than Just Zoom with Rachael Wilcox

Each session includes a 40-minute conversation followed by a 20-minute live Q&A, giving you the opportunity to hear practical ideas, ask questions and connect with other leaders.

Whether you're leading a team, a business, a community group or simply looking to grow your own leadership capability, there's something in this series for you.

💙 Every registration helps make a difference. All proceeds are reinvested into Leading in the Central West, supporting leadership development across our region.

We'd love you to join us.

📅 Sessions begin Wednesday, 19 August 2026.

Register via the QR code or https://events.humanitix.com/leading-in-the-central-west-leaders-in-conversation-series

19/06/2026

🌏 Glasgow here we come!

Delighted to be presenting with Helen Betts at the World Community Development Conference 2026.

Our workshop, "What's Your Burning Question? Reigniting Conversations About Community Development Practice", explores a simple but powerful idea:
The questions practitioners ask are evidence of knowledge creation, reflection, learning, and collective action.

Looking forward to sharing insights gathered from 15 workshops and more than 320 community development practitioners across Queensland, Australia.

19/06/2026

The best meetings, workshops and planning sessions don't just happen - they're designed.

When facilitation is done well, people feel heard, participation increases, difficult conversations become productive and groups move from discussion to action.

Join Heather Ellis and Rachael Wilcox for 𝗧𝗵𝗲 𝗔𝗿𝘁 𝗼𝗳 𝗙𝗮𝗰𝗶𝗹𝗶𝘁𝗮𝘁𝗶𝗼𝗻, an immersive two-day workshop that will equip you with practical tools, proven frameworks and real-world techniques to confidently lead groups through conversations that matter.

Whether you work in community development, local government, agriculture, education, the not-for-profit sector or business, this workshop will help you facilitate with greater confidence, clarity and impact.

📅 14-15 September 2026
📍 The Precinct, Fortitude Valley, Brisbane

Places are limited.

👉 Visit https://bluewrenconnections.com/events/event-details/to learn more and secure your place.