Beef baron Graeme Acton dies after falling from horse

Graeme Acton has died after falling from a horse.. Source: News Limited

Graeme Acton, 63, was surrounded by his family when he died Friday night in the Royal Brisbane Hospital, an industry source said.

The Rockhampton grazier was placed on life support after he fell and his horse rolled on him while he was competing in the Clarke Creek Autumn Classic Campdraft northwest of Rockhampton on May 2.

He is believed to have suffered severe brain damage  and spinal injuries.

The Actons are Queensland’s most successful and wealthiest farming family.

They have been on the land for more than 150 years and now run a herd of more than 150,000 cattle across about 1.4 million hectares in central and northwest parts of the state.

The Actons nudged ahead of the McDonalds as the state’s richest graziers two years ago.

They were ranked number 24 on last year’s Sunday Mail Queensland’s Top 150 Rich List with an estimated wealth of $405 million.

The Acton Land and Cattle Company empire is now in its fourth generation, having started in 1862 by Mr Acton’s grandparents, Irish immigrants William and Eliza Jane Acton when they bought a parcel of grazing land outside Rockhampton.

The Acton home is Paradise Lagoons near Gracemere, which hosts Australia’s largest campdraft each year.

Mr Acton was made a member of the Australian Campdraft Association roll of honour in 2012 and was deputy chairman of the Stockman’s Hall of Fame.

Other family properties include Croydon Station, near Marlborough, which is managed by Graeme’s son Tom. He also has three daughters, Victoria, Hayley and Laura.

The company sold the 122,000ha Moray Downs property, west of Clermont, to Indian mining company Adani for $65 million in 2012, following a $37 million deal with McArthur Coal for part of their Iffley Station, southwest of Mackay the previous year.

Both deals allowed them to continue grazing the land for several years.