#87: From Digger to Stockman with Jack Blaine
G’day and welcome to the A Place to Call Home Podcast, a podcast sharing the stories of people building a life in agriculture across rural Australia.
In this episode, I sit down with Jack Blaine, a former Australian Army serviceman, founder of Diggers Cattle Co. and the man behind Diggers to Stockmans, an initiative helping veterans transition into the cattle industry.
Jack grew up on the Gold Coast with a love for rugby league and a growing interest in agriculture. After finishing school, he chose the Army over the bush, eventually travelling the world playing rugby league for the Defence Force.
But the pull towards agriculture never disappeared.
After leaving the Army, Jack found his way into the cattle industry, working at a stud before setting out to build his own business in northern New South Wales.
We talk about his journey into agriculture, using property and share market investments to get ahead, thinking creatively to access land and the challenges of establishing a paddock-to-plate beef business.
Jack also shares how he partnered with his in-laws to purchase their property and why creating a place to raise his family has been such an important part of his journey.
A big part of our conversation is Jack's latest initiative, Diggers to Stockmans, which is helping veterans transition from military life into the cattle industry by giving them practical experience and industry connections.
This is a great conversation about thinking outside the box, backing yourself, making the most of opportunities and helping others find their own pathway into agriculture.
In this episode, we chat about:
🌾 Jack's journey from the Gold Coast to the Army and into agriculture
🏉 Playing rugby league around the world with the Defence Force
🐂 Getting a foothold in the cattle industry through stud work and agistment
💰 Using property and share market investments to build wealth
🏡 Partnering with family to purchase land and create a place to call home
🥩 Building Diggers Cattle Co. and navigating the paddock-to-plate business
🎖️ Starting Diggers to Stockmans to help veterans transition into agriculture
🤝 The importance of relationships, creative thinking and making the most of opportunities
Resources Mentioned
Stay connected with Jack:
📘 Facebook: Digger Cattle Co
📸 Instagram: @diggerscattleco
🔗 LinkedIn: Jack Blaine | LinkedIn
🌏 Website: Diggers Cattle Co.
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Stay connected with A Place to Call Home:
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📸 Instagram: @aplacetocallhomepodcast
🔗 LinkedIn: A Place to Call Home Podcast
🌏 Website: www.aplacetocallhome.com.au
This season of A Place to Call Home is proudly brought to you by
A big thank you to Rabobank Australia for supporting the podcast and helping us continue sharing the stories of people building their future in Australian agriculture.
At A Place to Call Home, we believe in the power of stories to connect, inspire, and shape a future grounded in purpose and place. These values guide everything we do — from conversations on the podcast to the community we’re building around it.