Skykeplie Scholarship Recipient

9 June

We are excited to announce Luke O’Sullivan as the recipient of the inaugural SkyKelpie Scholarship, proudly delivered in partnership with Ability Agriculture.

At just 20 years old, Luke has demonstrated extraordinary resilience and passion for agriculture. Living and working on his family’s 57,000-acre cattle station near Collinsville, Queensland, Luke faced a life-changing spinal cord injury two years ago that left him a quadriplegic. Despite this, he has remained determined to contribute meaningfully to his family business and the agricultural industry as a whole.

The SkyKelpie Scholarship is an innovative program designed to support individuals passionate about agriculture and innovation. Luke will receive:

Up to $3,000 in drone credits or CASA-accredited Remote Pilot Licence (RePL).

Access to the SkyKelpie Aerial Stockmanship Course and Simulator.

A ticket to AgriFutures evokeAG 2025.

12 months of mentorship with the SkyKelpie team.

Reflecting on this opportunity, Luke shared:

"I believe I can still reach the same target of being productive and contributing to the agricultural industry despite my injury – it will just take a different form. This scholarship will help me gain a new skill set to further contribute to the family business and explore innovative methods to perform tasks on the property."

This scholarship initiative was inspired by SkyKelpie founder Luke Chaplain, who decided to turn his $3,000 Minister’s Emerging Leader Award prize into something that fosters inclusivity and innovation in agriculture. “Luke’s hard work and determination will undoubtedly inspire many others in similar positions,” said Chaplain, who plans to make this an annual program.

Luke O’Sullivan is the perfect example of how passion, adaptability, and the right support can transform barriers into opportunities. His journey showcases the incredible power of resilience and innovation in agriculture.

Congratulations, Luke! we can’t wait to see what you achieve!

Media:

https://www.abc.net.au/news/rural/2025-03-17/luke-osullivan-drone-mustering-with-skykelpie-after-spine-injury/104890592

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WKLQmiywDzk