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BENEATH THE BRIM WITH
Sam Rogers
Agricultural Innovator
From cattle stations to cutting-edge technology, Sam Rogers represents a new generation of Australians shaping the future while staying connected to the land.
Growing up on a cattle property in North Queensland, Rogers experienced firsthand the realities of life on the land. Long days, hard work and the challenges of managing large herds were part of everyday life. Watching his father muster thousands of cattle across vast properties sparked a question that would ultimately shape his future: could technology make one of agriculture's toughest jobs easier?
While many teenagers were focused on school and sport, Rogers was teaching himself robotics, coding and artificial intelligence. His passion for problem-solving eventually led him to study mechatronics engineering while continuing to draw inspiration from the practical challenges faced by Australian farmers.
Where Heritage Meets Innovation
Growing up on a North Queensland cattle property, Sam Rogers saw firsthand the challenges of managing livestock across vast distances. That experience inspired him to found GrazeMate, a company developing autonomous drones designed to help farmers muster cattle more efficiently while collecting valuable data on their land.
In early 2026, GrazeMate secured $1.2 million in funding from leading global investors, including Y Combinator, and has since expanded its reach across more than 1.7 million acres of grazing land.
While the technology is forward-looking, Rogers remains deeply connected to the values that shaped him: resilience, practicality and a strong connection to the land. It's a mindset that aligns naturally with the Bushman. Both are rooted in Australian heritage, built to adapt, and made for those who carve their own path outdoors.
Carrying The Bushman Legacy Forward
For more than half a century, the Bushman has been trusted by Australians who work, live and explore in the outdoors. Worn by stockmen, graziers and those with a deep connection to the land, it has become one of Akubra's most enduring icons - built on resilience, practicality and an independent spirit.
Those same qualities are what make Sam Rogers the ideal face of the Bushman today. Raised on a North Queensland cattle property and now helping shape the future of agriculture through innovation, Rogers embodies the balance of heritage and progress that defines the Bushman. Grounded in the values of hard work, adaptability and a strong connection to the Australian landscape, he represents a new generation carrying rural traditions forward while forging their own path.
As the Bushman returns, it's fitting that its story continues with someone who reflects the enduring character of the hat itself.
Bringing Autonomous Drone Technology To Australian Cattle Stations
TELL US ABOUT YOURSELF?
My name is Sam, and I'm the founder of GrazeMate. Growing up around the livestock industry, I saw firsthand the challenges that come with managing cattle across vast and often remote properties. That experience sparked an interest in how technology could support the people working on the land without changing the values and traditions that make the industry what it is. Today, through GrazeMate, we're focused on building practical tools that help producers work more efficiently while staying connected to their stock, their properties and their way of life.
WHAT PROBLEM WERE YOU TRYING TO SOLVE WHEN YOU CREATED GRAZEMATE?
Managing cattle across large properties has always required a huge amount of time, labour and experience. We saw an opportunity to give graziers better visibility of their operations and more control over day-to-day decision making, without adding complexity to their workload.
GrazeMate develops autonomous drones that help producers herd, monitor and manage cattle more effectively. Our goal is to act as an extra set of eyes in the paddock, providing timely information and operational support so graziers can see more, know more and respond faster. Ultimately, we're building tools that help farmers do what they already do best, with greater confidence and efficiency.
YOU'RE WEARING AN ARCHIVAL AKUBRA, THE BUSHMAN, WHERE WOULD YOU WEAR IT TODAY?
Out on a station in Queensland without hesitation.
Over the past year, I've had the opportunity to visit cattle operations across Australia and overseas—from Brahman country in North Queensland and Angus properties in New South Wales, to longhorn ranches in Texas and bison country in Montana. The Akubra came with me every step of the way. It's a hat that feels at home wherever livestock, hard work and open country meet.
WHAT TRADITIONS ARE YOU CARRYING FORWARD, AND WHAT ARE YOU CHANGING?
We're carrying forward far more than we're changing.
The same resilient Australians are still working the same historic landscapes. The values, principles and traditions that underpin life on the land remain remarkably consistent. The way people care for their stock, work cattle and steward their properties continues to define the industry.
Where we're focused on creating change is in the level of control and information available to producers. GrazeMate is designed to give graziers greater visibility over their operations, helping them see more, know more and respond faster. In many ways, we're providing an extra set of eyes in the paddock, enabling farmers to manage their properties with greater confidence and efficiency while preserving the way of life that has always been at the heart of Australian agriculture.
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