Meet the team: Susan Locke

I’ve been a member of the Rare Breeds Trust of Australia for a number of years. I came on as a Director in 2023 to support the membership role and help in other areas where I am of use. I have a background in adult education, community development and First Nations media and advocacy. Working with small rural communities in NSW through the NSW Community Technology Centre in the early 2000s I saw a wide range of agricultural enterprises, the love people had for their animals and properties, and the value of the Internet for growing those enterprises.

That work grew my interest in local histories, media and the diversity of First Nations communities. This led to managing the Aboriginal media organisation Warlpiri Media Association based in the Tanami Desert in Central Australia. And my first real experience with chickens as a sustainability action - having access to fresh produce in a very remote community can be difficult. I’ve been hooked on chickens from that point onwards.

I’ve always had an interest in sustainable living and since retiring to small acreage on the NSW South Coast I’ve been able to combine that with support for rare breed chickens. After road testing quite a few breeds I now breed Bantam Brahma. The Bantam Brahma still has a number of challenges vis a vis the Australian poultry standards since its recreation in Australia in the late 1980s. I’m part of a group of other breeders focussing on improving type in the Bantams. I’m deeply interested in poultry genetics and wish I had paid more attention in high school to Mendel’s work!

I’m passionate about the need to preserve rare breed poultry as a sustainability and biodiversity action for the future. Embedded in that is a deep respect for the breeders who created heritage poultry breeds through talent, inspiration and commitment and respect for those who take that work forward.

Ethical engagement with the natural world is also important to me. Working with animals according to their physical, social and emotional needs is fundamental to the ways I think about my animal husbandry.

The greatness of a nation can be judged by the way its animals are treated. Mahatma Gandhi