Market Insight – Issue 04
Central QLD Market Insight
Over the past month, cattle prices across Central Queensland have eased across most categories as the recent surge in supply has worked its way through the system.
Recent saleyard results have seen bullocks top at 400–402c/kg, back approximately 45c/kg, while heavy prime heifers have made 360–365c/kg, easing closer to 80c/kg. Heavy cows have reached 339c/kg, softening around 50c/kg, and heavy feeder steers have topped at 450c/kg, back 40–45c/kg.
Message from the Team
The past month has moved quickly in the H&W office, and we’re well into preparations for a strong run of upcoming sales across the district. The lead-up to the Clermont Show Sale is underway, with mouthing commencing tomorrow morning ahead of sale day on Tuesday 26th May. It’s shaping up to be a solid yarding.
The first Emerald Special Feeder & Weaner Sale will be held on Tuesday 5th May, offering a good early option for vendors with weaners or feeder cattle ready to move. The annual Clermont Brahman Female Sale will follow on Friday 15th May, with quality Brahman females set to be on offer once again.
If you’re considering booking cattle into any of the above sales, we’re always available to discuss options and timing. We look forward to catching up with many of you in the yards and out and about over the coming weeks.
As always, we’re proud to share the stories behind the people and businesses that make our community what it is. If there’s someone you think we should feature, we’d love to hear from you.
Upcoming Sales
Emerald Prime & Store Sale
Thursday 23rd April 2026
Clermont Prime & Store Sale
Tuesday 28th April 2026
Emerald Prime & Store Sale
Thursday 30th April 2026
Emerald Special Weaner & Feeder Sale
Tuesday 5th May 2026
Market Insight – Continued
Feeder heifers at the most recent Clermont sale topped at 386c/kg for well-presented, PTE, mouthed and pre-treated lines, back approximately 44c/kg on last month.
At the lighter end, weaner steers have remained firm, still topping at 588c/kg, while weaner heifers have reached 378c/kg, easing around 40c/kg. Importantly, cattle coming forward are presenting well, with weights generally stronger than expected off the back of the season.
What’s Driving the Movement
The recent softening has been largely supply driven rather than demand driven. A strong Central Queensland wet season restricted access to cattle, delayed marketing and resulted in multiple weekly sale cancellations. As paddocks dried out, numbers came forward quickly and in volume. That short-term influx filled meatworks bookings and provided feedlots with plenty of choice.
Shorter kill weeks and increased freight costs have added further pressure at processor level. Despite the correction from recent highs, the market remains historically strong and continues to sit comfortably 40–60c/kg above year-ago levels.
AuctionsPlus
Over the past month, AuctionsPlus offerings have increased significantly, reflecting the same supply release seen in the saleyards. Outcomes have followed a similar trend, with the AYCI easing 49c/kg and clearance rates tightening. However, buyers remain active. Well-presented cattle, marketed correctly with realistic reserves, are continuing to attract competition and in some cases achieve premiums. Buyers are selective, not absent.
Market Outlook
Preparation and positioning are becoming increasingly important in the current environment. Ensuring cattle are in spec, correctly described, professionally presented and exposed to a full buying panel is proving to be the difference between average and premium outcomes.
With drought conditions persisting across the southern half of the eastern states, kill cattle are rapidly losing weight. Should southern processors begin sourcing further north, this has the potential to influence Central Western and Central Queensland fat cattle markets and relieve some of the supply pressure currently being seen locally.
At present levels, weaner and backgrounder heifers appear to represent value, particularly for operators looking beyond the immediate cycle. Market conditions continue to shift quickly. Understanding timing, buyer depth and specification remains critical to achieving the best possible result in any environment.
Market Indicators
90CL (AU c/kg): 1154 – NC
A$ / US: 71.62c +0.75c
Livestock Indicators
EYCI (CW): 803 – 61
Feeder Steer: 456 – 28
Heavy Steer: 412 – 42
Medium Cow: 323 – 52
Property Spotlight
Sunny Plains, Clermont QLD
338 Cheeseborough Rd, Clermont.
42.62ha | 6 Paddocks | Reliable Water | 3 Bedroom + office
Located just 4.6km from Clermont and 90km from Emerald, “Sunny Plains” offers a well-balanced rural lifestyle with the convenience of nearby service centres, while maintaining privacy and space.
Set on a mix of improved and native pastures, the property supports versatile grazing. Established species include Buffel, Biloela & Gayndah, Seca Stylo, Butterfly Pea, Verano Stylo and Bambatsi, alongside native grasses such as Forest Mitchell, Flinders and Black Spear.
The solid three-bedroom homestead plus office has been thoughtfully updated for comfortable family living. Featuring durable concrete construction, a renovated bathroom, modern flooring, and fresh interior finishes, the home is complemented by established gardens, an orchard, and vegetable gardens.
Water infrastructure is a standout, with a bore, multiple rainwater tanks, trough systems, and a dam providing reliable supply for both domestic and stock use.
Improvements across the property are practical and well-suited to both lifestyle and operational needs, including multiple sheds, stables, and functional yard infrastructure.
Producer / Rural Business Spotlight
Natalie Finger
In this issue, we sit down with Natalie Finger. A Clermont local whose story reflects what so many in our region understand. Building a life and business side by side, grounded in family, hard work, and taking opportunities when they arise.
From starting out with no retail experience to now being involved across multiple businesses and a cattle operation. Natalie’s journey is a practical and honest look at what it takes behind the scenes. The juggle, the risks, the learning curves, and the importance of backing yourself along the way.
Natalie’s story begins close to home. She grew up between Clermont and the Brisbane Valley, before settling back in Clermont to finish school. Rather than heading to university, she stepped straight into the workforce, completing a certificate in finance through ANZ as a school-based trainee.
Today, life is firmly centred around family and business. Natalie and her husband Scott Finger, married in 2009, are raising four children Luke, Chelsea, Cody and Hudson while living on Hillview, Scott’s family property, alongside his Dad.
The move into business started early, buying the Clermont newsagency in 2013 when their first two children were still young. At the time, Natalie had been doing some bookkeeping and was keen to work for herself. Seeing an opportunity, she approached her parents about going into business together, despite having no prior retail or newsagency experience. Like many things since, it was a matter of backing themselves and learning along the way.
From there, the business journey expanded steadily. In 2017, Natalie and Scott partnered with her brother and sister in law, Casey and Kate Flohr to purchase the Clermont Post Office, followed by Capella Post Office in 2019. In 2021, they opened Finstones with her parents, while also remaining actively involved in Hillview Cattle Co, where Natalie and Scott have been a partner since 2017.
Rather than one defining moment, growth has come from consistently recognising opportunities and acting on them. Each decision has been grounded in a few key considerations. Whether there is a genuine need for the business within the community, whether it is financially viable, and whether the right staff are available to support it.
At the same time, knowing when to say no has been just as important. Despite often being presented with new opportunities, Natalie is clear that more isn’t always better. With multiple businesses already in operation, decisions are made carefully, ensuring they align with both capacity and lifestyle.
A key part of their success has been the way their businesses are structured, working alongside family. While many might shy away from mixing business and family, Natalie sees it as a strength. Sharing responsibilities, supporting each other through challenges, and stepping in when needed. Particularly during illness, injury or difficult times has helped create resilience across all their operations. Natalie expressed how grateful she is that even though they all work together they all get along and enjoy family gatherings like Christmas lunch together.
There hasn’t been formal mentors along the way, but strong influences have come from family, particularly lessons in work ethic and values passed down through generations. Those early experiences have shaped the way Natalie approaches both business and life today.
No two days look the same. Some are spent in town across the businesses, others at home catching up on bookwork or heling with the cattle work. It’s a matter of going where she’s needed most, balancing business priorities with family responsibilities.
That balance is a constant juggle. Between managing staff, covering shifts, and staying on top of operations, there’s also the role of Mum, school runs, sport, and everything in between. During school terms, Natalie makes a conscious effort to try to finish work by 3pm most days to be present for the kids, knowing that without that boundary, it quickly becomes too much.
To stay organised, everything runs through a shared family calendar, backed up with phone reminders. Once it’s written down, it’s off her mind, a simple system that helps manage the mental load.
Over the years, Natalie claims one of the biggest lessons has been around people. Building a strong team isn’t just about skills, it’s about attitude, honesty, work ethic and the ability to fit within the team culture, as the rest can be taught. Investing time into training and giving staff responsibility not only supports the business but creates a more engaged and capable team.
Of course, challenges come with any workplace. Knowing when to step in and when to let situations resolve themselves is part of managing people, along with ensuring staff have the skills and support to handle issues as they arise.
Like many business owners, Natalie acknowledges there’s always more to learn, particularly when it comes to understanding the numbers and spending more time working on the business, not just in it.
Risk has been part of every step. Taking on businesses without prior experience, learning as they go and making decisions without certainty. It hasn’t always been perfect, but each mistake has brought lessons, and importantly, they haven’t been repeated.
Her perspective on money and growth reflects that experience. Debt, when managed properly, is simply a tool, often necessary to enable growth and create opportunity.
One of the biggest personal shifts has been learning to delegate. Moving away from trying to do everything herself, to trusting others and focusing on her role, has been critical in managing multiple businesses effectively.
Despite the workload, there are few regrets. The path taken both in business and family feels like the right one.
Working alongside Scott brings its own dynamic. While he focuses primarily on Hillview, he remains a sounding board for the day-to-day challenges even if at times he might be switching off more than listening. Together, they work closely on the property with his Dad, and like any couple, while most days run smoothly, there are always moments that test the balance of work and home.
Importantly, they complement each other in how they approach decisions, Scott tends to see the risks and potential downsides, while Natalie naturally looks for the positives and opportunities. That balance has played a key role in the way they operate across both business and family life.
Family remains at the centre of everything. Across all businesses, each member plays a role, from parents to siblings and with the kids also growing up around the day-to-day operations, learning by being involved.
Boarding school has added another layer to the juggle, with children both at home and away. It’s a transition that takes time, often a full year for kids to settle into routines and friendships. While it gets easier with time, it’s still something the whole family works through together, with regular trips to Rockhampton and a constant balancing of commitments.
There are moments of doubt, particularly during busy periods, but they are short-lived. In small business, there’s no option but to keep moving forward.
That mindset carries through the tougher seasons. As Natalie puts it, there’s no one else to pass responsibility to, you simply work through the problem, find a solution, and keep going.
For those looking to step into business, the advice is simple, do your research, build your knowledge, and give it a go. And above all, value your staff, because they are the backbone of any business.
Looking more broadly, there is still strong opportunity within rural communities. While online shopping continues to grow, local businesses remain essential to the life of a town. Without community support, it becomes difficult for those businesses to survive and contribute back.
There’s also a common misconception that business ownership equals financial success. In reality, once expenses, wages and tax are covered, margins can be tight and the pressure is constant.
Looking ahead, the next five to ten years will continue to revolve around family, supporting the kids as they grow and find their own paths while also continuing to improve and strengthen the businesses. And, as Natalie jokes, learning how to live with Scott once the kids are all away at boarding school.
If starting again, the focus would be on education and gaining as much experience as possible early on, being proactive in learning and seeking out knowledge.
At the centre of it all, through the businesses, the challenges and the juggle, one thing remains unchanged, family always comes first.