The 2026 Fairley Leadership cohort is off and away.
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While Formula One drivers went racing for the first weekend of the season, the new leaders of the Goulburn Murray region were launching into their own high-speed journey with the 2026 Fairley Leadership Program.
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Kicking off the program with a two-day launch, the 22 participants, hailing from 15 towns around the region, met for the first time on March 4 and 5.
The opening intensive event was held at The Paddock in Ulupna and was hosted by Fairley fellow John Hall, who shared his experiences and ignited inspiration for the incoming class.
The next day, an official launch was held at Cactus Country at Strathmerton, hosted by the graduates of the 2025 Fairley program.
The event was a formal welcome for the new cohort, attended by alumni, sponsors, partners and community leaders, and celebrated the legacy of leadership the program has built in its 30-year history.
During the launch, executive officer Jesse Mitchell delivered inspiring advice for the new participants.
“Throughout this program, participants will be challenged — not because they need to prove that they are a leader, but because great leaders never stop growing,” she said.
“They will step into difficult conversations, explore different perspectives and push themselves beyond what feels comfortable.
“That’s what real leadership is — stepping forward even when the path is uncertain.”
Several well-known community members are joining the program this year from the Echuca-Moama region, each proudly sponsored by local organisations.
Participants include Harley Haber and Linda Tubb, both sponsored by Murray River Council, Jayden Howe, sponsored by C4EM Peter Marks Scholarship, and Michelle Taylor, sponsored by Cadell Food Service.
The event set an inspiring tone for the year ahead, where each participant will embark on their own transformative journey of skill and leadership development — forging lasting connections along the way.
Echuca-Moama Fairley Leadership participants Harley Haber and Linda Tubb (second and third from left) with Mesh Thomson, Ricki Thompson and Marnie Rowden from Murray River Council.
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Echuca Moama Fairley Leadership participants. Michelle Taylor with Rick Sellars, Fairley fellow 2023, and Maree Harris Fairley, fellow 2025 from Cadell Food Service.
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Echuca-Moama Fairley Leadership participant Jayden Howe with C4EM chair Tim Ford.
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