Jacqueline Donoghue: A life of courage, compassion and achievement

Jacqueline Mary Donoghue was a woman who loved life and her family and her death on 6 August, at the age of 62, was met with sadness and regret by everyone who knew her.

Jacqui, as she was affectionately known, achieved great success in the business world placing the spotlight on her family-owned Australian agribusiness, Lively Linseed, based on the black soil plains of Mullaley.

Born at Swan Hill, Victoria, on 7 April, 1964, Jacqui was the third child of Mary and Trevor Power.

She had a happy childhood growing up with her brothers Craig, Ashley, Peter and Gerard and sister Angelique.

Jacqui attended St Xavier’s School in Gunnedah followed by four years at St Mary’s College, completing her education as a boarder for Years 11 and 12 at St Vincent’s College in Potts Point.

Here she was a member of the IGSSA inaugural basketball team, played netball and tennis and enjoyed athletics and swimming.

Jacqui’s school friend Sally Maxwell (Knight) recalled many fun times with her friend of 47 years.

Sally said she was in awe of her brilliance, her quality as a person and her courage through the highs and lows of life. The fact that she never lost her love of the bush and her kindness that shone through in everything she did – if you were her friend or family, nothing was too much, Sally said.

Jacqui was six months short of completing a Biomedical Science degree at the University of Technology Sydney (UTS) when her father died unexpectedly on 8 September, 1984, at the age of 50; and she returned home to Gunnedah.

She married Chris Donoghue at St Joseph’s Catholic Church, on 2 August, 1986, and raised her family on the property Plain Camp near Tambar Springs, with Samuel arriving in 1989, followed by Laura in 1991 and Maxwell in 1999.

Jacqui’s father, Trevor Power, had a vision: to transform his sheep farm into a highly productive, intensive irrigation farm.

After going from bank to bank to find a backer, finally one took a risk on him – a risk that paid off.

Trevor Power was one of the first to grow cotton on the Breeza Plains, a crop most said couldn’t be grown that far south.

This risk-taking entrepreneurial spirit flowed through to his daughter Jacqui who came up with an idea to value add to their farming enterprise at Plain Camp.

Lively Linseed as a stand-alone brand was launched in 2007, selling low volumes of ground linseed mix and linseed biscuits – baked in Narrabri, hand-packed by all members of the family, and sold on market stalls.

In 2008, Lively Linseed won a silver medal in the cereal category of the Sydney Royal Fine Food Show, making its mark on the fine food market.

The late Jacqueline Donoghue has been remembered as a devoted mother and grandmother, accomplished businesswoman and passionate advocate for regional communities.

In 2017, Lively Linseed was recognised at the Hong Kong Australia Business Awards in Sydney and took home the NSW Export Scholarship Award at the Premier’s NSW Export Awards. Jacqui went to great lengths to secure the Chinese market by even learning Mandarin.

Jacqui had a passion for helping others, she wanted to encourage other producers to embrace the export market because statistics revealed that companies that export are more successful.

She believed that living in a regional area should not be a hindrance to being an exporter. She also believed in community and when drought ravaged the area, she was involved in the program to secure drinking water and distribute hay to struggling graziers.

When the Tambar Springs war memorial reached its centenary, Jacqui played a role in securing funding for its restoration.

In the eulogy at the final farewell, Jacqui’s sister Angelique said her sister gave herself wholeheartedly to the people she loved: “She was always quick to act for those in need, it didn’t matter who they were, friends, family or the security guard at her office. She was always thinking of others even when she was the most in need.”

Angelique said Jacqui had an extraordinary belief in herself and in her ability to make things happen, she was a good student and one who loved to learn – at school she inspired her to always strive to do her best.

A new chapter began for Jacqui in 2019; following her separation, she relocated to the Gold Coast, where she worked for the Gold Coast Council. Here she studied a Master of Business Administration at Griffith University and later became a lecturer at Bond University, sharing her international business knowledge with students.

Four years ago, Jacqui found love again in her partner Rod West who was attracted to her values, her warm heart, her resilience and her honesty – she was kind to people and she was generous with her time. She brought people together and had an extraordinary zest for life, he said.

Last year, Jacqui competed in the Sydney to Hobart Yacht Race on Rod’s yacht Esprit and despite never having sailed on the ocean before, Jacqui just kept getting on with the job. Rod said Jacqui was tough, resilient and always task orientated, and when things became difficult, she dug in and kept going – a quality that went far beyond sailing.

When life became difficult, she didn’t run away from it, she faced it. Even during her illness, when she knew just how serious things were, she showed that same courage and resilience and was more concerned for others than herself.

Aside from Jacqui’s business, community and academic accomplishments, her proudest achievement and the one which describes her best, was a mother, and in more recent years a loving grandmother.

Jacqui loved all children, their joy and innocence. So, while her cancer battle was short, her days were brightened by visits from her friends and family, but most especially ‘the grandies’ – John, Wilf, Anna, Jim and Joe.

Seven weeks after Jacqui’s diagnosis of pancreatic cancer, her life’s journey came to an end on 6 August, 2026, at the age of 62.

The late Jacqueline Mary Donoghue is survived by her mother Mary Power, partner Rod and her family, Sam and Bonnie, Laura and Dave and Max. She is also survived by her grandchildren John, Wilfred, Anna, Jim and Joseph.

She was predeceased by her father Trevor and brother Craig.

A large crowd of mourners attended the farewell mass at St Joseph’s Catholic Church on 24 August, 2026, which was followed by interment at Gunnedah Memorial Park Lawn Cemetery.