In this episode of Rural Leadership Unearthed, we sit down with Tristan Campbell, an academic researcher, beekeeper, and graduate of the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation’s TRAIL Emerging Leaders Program.
Tristan shares his unique journey—from his early love of science, gadgets, and nature, to leading within the honey bee industry, to the profound shift that came with his diagnosis of young onset Parkinson’s at age 39.
What follows is a deeply honest conversation about leadership, resilience, advocacy, and the surprising new directions his life has taken, including international axe throwing competitions and spearheading the “Give Parkinson’s the Axe” campaign.
Tristan reflects on his experiences on the TRAIL program and how it shaped his leadership approach; the grief of farewelling old plans, and the power of embracing new ways to make the world a better place.
This is a story about courage, adaptability, and leading with empathy.
Some highlights:
• Leadership is situational — sometimes the strongest contribution is to lead from the front, other times it’s to listen and support.
• Diagnosis changed his path — young onset Parkinson’s forced Tristan to reimagine his life and leadership, moving from industry roles into advocacy and research support.
• Advocacy through axe throwing — what began as a family activity became an international fundraiser, helping to raise awareness and funds for Parkinson’s research.
• Kindness first — Tristan encourages us never to make assumptions about others, as you can’t see the battles they may be facing.
• Redefining goals — while long-term plans may shift, Tristan shows how focusing on meaningful short-term goals and community impact creates new opportunities for purpose.
Our host:
Claire Delahunty, is a writer and journalist who has worked with the ARLF for more than ten years, interviewing leaders having a positive impact on rural and regional Australia.
Resources:
ARLF podcast blog
ARLF website
Rural Leadership Unearthed
TRAIL Emerging Leaders Program
Give Parkinson’s the Axe
Parkinson’s WA
Shake It Up
The Michael J. Fox Foundation for Parkinson’s Research