Broadmeadows Farm - Maureen Piggott

Known for her beloved alpacas and mareema sheepdogs, Maureen tragically lost her life while tending to her property, Broadmeadows Farm in Kin Kin, on 3 January 2020.

Often referred to affectionately as “Aunty”, Maureen was an incredibly knowledgeable, passionate and caring person who gave so much to her community as a stalwart of Country Noosa, and member of the Australian Alpaca Association QLD and the Noosa Community Biosphere Association. Maureen was always thinking about ways to promote the contribution that the rural community surrounding Noosa makes to the Sunshine Coast.

She was extremely proud of her more than 60 alpacas whom she adored, and the fleece they produced. She took part in open farm events, welcoming visitors to Broadmeadows Farm and sharing her love for her animals which she individually named! “Oh, I love them to death. When something goes wrong with them it hurts me, it literally hurts me,” she would say.

Maureen recognised the potential for alpaca farming in the region, focusing on breeding high-quality, specialist pedigree lines to make them affordable for people starting out. She overcame farming challenges of alpacas – including paralysis ticks and wild dog attacks – with the help of “the love of her life”, Vince Cronin, and her much-loved watchdog mareemas.

Maureen would handspin her own fleece to make yarns for crocheting and crafting. This was a passion she was keen to indulge in further post her recent “retirement” after an eclectic career and more than 20 years service to the University of Queensland.

Broadmeadows Farm

Broadmeadows Farm is one of the oldest in the district and has seen many iterations of farming from dairy, a variety of beef cattle breeds, crops, to alpacas today.

Maureen’s father, William (Charlie) Piggott was a founding father of the Noosa Hinterland and a Noosa Councillor from 1979-85. Hailing from Papua New Guinea, the Piggott family brought with them from their heritage a love of the land and animals.

On his passing, the Piggotts were faced with the question many rural families face – what to do with the family farm. At that time it was too small to be a commercial beef property, yet large enough to be an expensive holding.

At Broadmeadows Farm, Maureen combined her passion for fibre production and helping to build a fledgling alpaca industry in Queensland. She experienced the ups and downs of developing a new rural business, the difficulties, the hardships, and the rewards of farming.

Maureen is well loved and much missed by Vince, her family, her friends and her animals.