2021 Distinguished Past Student Award Winner

Dianne Fullelove is the Director of Dianne Fullelove & Associates Pty Ltd, a successful industry and workforce development business that focuses on strategic initiatives, capacity building and learning. She has guided the Australian Melon industry recovery following a food safety incident which has resulted in significant, long-lasting impact on both domestic and export markets 

Dianne was awarded a Bachelor Applied Science in Horticultural Technology (Honours) from the Queensland Agricultural College (QAC) in 1981.

She is an experienced horticultural industry scientist, educator and industry development strategist. In her career to date, Dianne has worked for government, industry organisations and in vocational education.  

In her application, Dianne said she felt the range of subjects she studied and QAC's Science with Practice approach was invaluable to her future career. She said:

“We learnt how to grow vegetables and we grew vegetables. This meant that I could always talk with farmers in a way that understood their love of farming. We had been involved in doing exactly what they did for a business.  

I have worked for many parts of the horticultural supply chain including growing, industry organisations, wholesale market and training. We were given the opportunity to develop our leadership skills in group activities and tours.  

In my case, I volunteered to organise the provisioning for the fourth-year study tour to North Qld (by train with a griddle car). This was a huge effort to ensure the food was sufficient for around 25 hungry mouths. However, by the end of the tour, I knew that I could organise and plan very well. And everyone was fed. Consequently, I have held a strong belief that you can do anything if you plan it well enough.  

I started my own consulting company in 2009 and have completed many successful projects while leading a team of staff. I have also applied leadership skills to farming groups during my career including the Bundaberg Fruit & Vegetable Growers and Melons Australia.  

Such is my belief in leadership skills that I organised and conducted many leadership programs for industries such as melons, bananas, pineapples, and seafood.

Working in a rural environment has given me the confidence to take on many challenges. One such occasion was when I commenced talkback radio gardening on ABC Wide Bay in 1991.  Every Friday morning for 10 years, I fielded random questions from a range of listeners. I was also working as Executive Officer for Bundaberg Fruit & Vegetable Growers at this time and growers used to listen in while driving their tractors or utes.  

I have changed careers between industry leadership, TAFE and secondary teaching, leadership training, working with curators at Queensland Museum and gardening journalism.  Quite a range, but I feel strongly that the breadth of studies at Gatton enabled such change.”