Robbie Sefton reflects on the importance of bringing high-profile Australians and meaningful opportunities to regional communities, using Nathan Lyon’s regional cricket tour as an example of how sport, leadership and visibility can inspire the next generation and strengthen rural Australia.
02 June 2026
Insight from: Robbie Sefton
Nathan Lyon has travelled the world as a member of Australian cricket teams, and now ranks as the nation’s second highest Test wicket taker of all time and sixth in the world for Test cricket with more than 500 wickets. So much success and so many accolades and incredible memories, and like so many of our great sportspeople this incredible journey had humble beginnings in regional Australia.
Nathan grew up in Young in regional NSW, getting his start in local teams and dreaming of one day being presented with a prized Australian ‘Baggy Green ‘. He had to leave his hometown to pursue his cricket dreams, but he’s never forgotten his country upbringing and the teammates, coaches and administrators who provided the platform for his early development. So now this cricket hero is keen to give back, embarking on a tour of rural and regional communities to present cricket clinics and community leadership forums.
My business has been proud to support this most recent tour, getting a sense of the enthusiasm these communities have to meet, and potentially learn from, a cricket superstar. Nathan says he feels it’s time to share all he’s learned from cricket, both in terms of his skills on the field, and in building his career and honing the attributes that have contributed to his success and longevity.
“I was lucky enough to grow up in the regional town of Young, and play my first cricket there, so I know how important it is to bring sporting development opportunities to rural and regional locations and appreciate the passion there is for cricket in these areas,” Nathan said.
Having grown up in a rural town myself, I know the importance of bringing these kinds of opportunities to country areas. It’s always been a time consuming and expensive exercise for rural and regional people to travel to metropolitan centres for the likes of sporting clinics, business and leadership presentations, theatre performances or concerts. In the current environment, it would be out of reach for many. So, when someone of Nathan’s stature brings his experience to the bush, the significance of an opportunity like this can’t be understated.
Not only is it a chance for young people, and others in the community, to learn from someone with so much to share, it’s also the chance to meet that individual and see what’s possible, particularly when you have grown up in a country town. It’s a reminder of the adage, ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’, and for kids in particular to have the opportunity to see in person someone at the top of their field – whether it be in sport, the arts, business – can be a real eye-opener or even just confirmation that their dreams have as much of coming true as those of kids with more ready access to those kind of experiences.
I applaud Nathan for this series of rural and regional tours, and every well-known, successful individual who makes the time to visit the regions and share their wisdom, skills and experience. For those in the country, it’s up to us then to support these visits in any way we can, in order to encourage more of these opportunities in the future. So, next time a well-known athlete brings and show or concert to your community, or performer, or top-level football teams stage a game in town, or a spin-bowler of renown puts on a junior cricket clinic, buy a ticket – if you can – and give them a reason to return.
