‘Our hearts are broken’: Family’s touching move after son killed in NSW farm accident
A teenager’s family victorian era The man who died in a farming accident near Broken Hill has started a scholarship in his honor, hoping to turn his pain into something lasting for the farming community he loved.
Callum Smail, 26, died in the workplace incident at a remote estate in NSW on April 13.
He had recently become engaged to his partner, Brittany, and was preparing for what his family described as the “next chapter” of their life together.
In his tribute, Callum’s father Jaime said they were heartbroken by this loss.
“Like many families experiencing loss in rural communities, we are now learning how to live with something that no parent or sibling expected,” she said.
Jaime said Callum was deeply committed to the farming sector, the people, the business and the life it offered.
Originally from Ballarat, he loved the life working at Australia’s various stations offered him, from the red soil to the endless horizons of social media.
Callum spent three formative years at Longerenong College in Victoria; Here he formed lifelong friendships and developed the values that shaped him as a young leader and agricultural worker.
To honor these qualities, the Smail family is working with the university to establish the Callum Smail Memorial Scholarship, which aims to support students who embody his characteristics of friendship, kindness, leadership, safety awareness and caring for others.
They hope to start offering scholarships starting in 2027.
“While nothing can change what happened to our family, we hope that over time this scholarship can support young people to enter the agricultural sector,” Jaime said.
The family say the initiative is not only a tribute to Callum, but also a recognition of their son’s passion and love for farming.
A fundraising campaign has been started The family expressed their deep gratitude for all support to help establish the scholarship.
