#80: From Music Festivals to Farming with Mark Vass

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 Mark Vass, a fifth-generation cane farmer from the Burdekin in North Queensland.

Mark’s journey into agriculture hasn’t been a straight line.

Starting out as a boilermaker, Mark spent time working across the country before jumping into running a music festival with his brother in his early 20s — an experience that taught him plenty about risk, business, and resilience.

Like many people who grow up in the bush though, agriculture has a way of pulling you back.

What started with a simple conversation with his dad eventually turned into leasing country, stepping into the family operation, and building his own farming business — all while continuing to grow and expand through diversification and business outside of agriculture.

This is a conversation about taking risks, learning through failure, building from the ground up, and the importance of integrity, community, and backing yourself.

In this episode, we chat about:

🏡 Growing up in the Burdekin and life on a cane farm
 🔧 Starting out as a boilermaker and working away
 🎶 Running a music festival in his early 20s — and what it taught him
 📉 Losing money in business and the lessons that come with it
 🌱 The decision to return to agriculture and lease family country
 🚜 Building a farming business from the ground up
 🌾 Diversifying beyond sugarcane and exploring alternative crops
 📊 Why relying on one commodity can limit growth
 🏗️ Building a business outside of agriculture alongside farming
 💰 The realities of getting started in farming today
 👨‍👩‍👧‍👦 Succession, family, and thinking long-term
 🔥 Dealing with naysayers and focusing on your own path
 🌱 Why integrity and community matter in business and life

Resources mentioned:

🤝 How to Win Friends and Influence People | Dale Carnegie

Follow Mark and Next Gen Building co

🌏 Website: Next Gen Building Co

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🌏 Website: www.aplacetocallhome.com.au

🎙️ Podcast Partner — The Cathedral School

This episode is proudly partnered with The Cathedral School of St Anne and St James in Townsville.

If you’re a family in regional or remote Australia thinking about schooling options, Cathedral offers a strong boarding experience designed to support students both in and out of the classroom.

They’re hosting a Boarding Experience Weekend on the 9th and 10th of May, giving families the opportunity to explore the school, meet staff and students, and experience boarding life firsthand.

It’s completely free to attend, but places are limited.

Boarding Experience - Cathedral