New Bendigo racing boss eager to build on strong strategic plan

The new boss will jump straight from job to job, finishing up his role at the Loddon Shire, where he has been employed for the past nearly four years, on February 16.

He is replacing Rob Heinjus, who informed the club in December of his desire to return home to Adelaide, after 14 months in the role.

While it will be a whirlwind introduction to his new job, Scullie wouldn't have it any other way.

"I couldn't be more excited. For me, to be a local and to lead a community organisation, one that provides so many social opportunities for our community, is just such an exciting prospect," he said.

"I'm a race club member, my family are involved - my wife (Nicole) and our two-year-old (Amelia), who has been to many a meeting at Bendigo already.

"I'm pumped by the opportunity.

"There are some very exciting things in the strategic plan the club are obviously working towards to continue to evolve and to provide opportunities for our local trainers.

"Hopefully we are encouraging other trainers to come and be part of our facility. That's something we are looking forward to and continually working towards.

"It's going to be great fun and it's a great team as well."

Scullie said he was eager to catch up with the few BJC staff he hadn't already met, with a meet and greet scheduled for next Friday.

It will be the first of many introductions he is looking forward to over the coming weeks, including a chance to mingle with BJC members at the club's first race meeting for 2024 on Sunday, February 11.

Crucially, he is eager to start getting acquainted with the city's training fraternity with the aim of helping to grow their operations.

With plans on the table for a new state-of-the-art 80 to 100 horse on-course stabling complex, Scullie declared the project as crucial to progressing the fortunes of local trainers and attracting new ones, including a much sought after 'big fish'.

"Racing is at the core of what we do and that's what keeps paying the bills and ticking us over as an organisation," he said.

"And we do host a vast array of events as well.

"The diversification of those events is something I am looking forward to embracing.

"But the new stables are one thing in particular. We have a really good base of trainers and some really young up-and-coming trainers, so we really want to assist them so they are able to grow their businesses.

"That helps us to become a precinct trainers want to be a part of.

"Being in central Victoria, the accessibility to Melbourne, in particular Flemington and Moonee Valley and to other regional tracks, does provide a real good opportunity for trainers to train out of Bendigo.

"It would be nice to land a big fish."

Scullie brings with him an extensive background in sports administration and executive roles, including the past four years at Loddon Shire as its recreation officer and later community partnerships manager.

A former manager of the RACV Bendigo Shop, he credits a stint with AFL Queensland from 2017 to 2019 as opening his eyes to potential new career prospects in the sports management field.

"I have always been involved in volunteer boards and committees, whether it be a presidency role or a secretary role, and have always had that interest since my early 20s back in Wangaratta," he said.

"I was president of my cricket club back there when I was like 20 years old; so that interest in leadership roles within community sporting clubs was always there.

"It wasn't until later on that I thought I could make a living out of this, which led to me to packing up in a very short time while living in Bendigo to move to Mackay in Queensland, 26 hours up the road.

"To be working in AFL in the Whitsundays was an amazing opportunity and one we really embraced and the community really embraced us.

"AFL Queensland have played a big role in my development.

"That put a focus on where I wanted my career to go and that was working in the sporting and rec industry in some form.

"We've always had small shares in racehorses, so being in the industry was something I ended up wanting to explore."

Scullie admitted that becoming CEO of a racing club was never on the radar until the job was advertised in early December.

"I have always had an interest in the jockey club board and committee, but through circumstances at the time, I was never able to jump on," he said.

"But being a member, I've always had that connection with the club.

"For me, I really love the strategic side of it and seeing how we can develop the club.

"I might be biased, but we have one of the best tracks going around, especially in regional Victoria.

"The precinct itself - the beautiful lawn area, indoors and our function centres as well - combined with the heritage aspect, embracing our past but evolving for the future is a great mix.

"There's 165 years of history there and I'm playing a very small role in it, but at the same time I am privileged to do so."

Scullie's professional life is in many ways an extension of his social life.

He has long been heavily involved in local sport, both back in his original home of Wangaratta, where he captained a reserves football premiership at Rovers in 2007 under the coaching of St Kilda premiership player Bob Murray, and in the years since his move to Bendigo in 2009.

He continues to play cricket for BDCA club Golden Square and spent several years on the committee, including a six-year stint as secretary.

While chuffed to be taking the reins at the jockey club, Scullie will depart Loddon Shire with a heavy heart, but proud of his contribution and better for the experience.

"Lincoln Fitzgerald, our CEO, and Wendy Gladman, my director, have been two great mentors for me and my leadership capabilities," he said.

"I love it here at Loddon. It's sad to go, but I'm really excited about the opportunity ahead.

"The team here has been amazing and I just hope I have had a small impact on the community.

"There are some legacy items there that you hang your hat on and are proud of, but there are so many more great things to come in Loddon.

"Leading community partnerships really opened my eyes to leadership in the community and did have a portion of sport and rec in it, as far as community planning, infrastructure and community projects, and a lot of community inclusive aspects.

"There was a lot of working with state and federal governments with funding submissions and things, so hopefully that will leave me in good stead when we look at funding for the racing club."

Scullie acknowledged Heinjus would be a tough act to follow, but was grateful for the early discussions between himself and the departing CEO.

"Rob has done an amazing job in the 14 months he has been here," he said.

"I don't know if it's a good thing or a bad thing - I've had to step into some pretty big shoes.

"But the platform has been set for some really exciting times ahead and that is due to Rob and the team's work.

"I'm just lucky to pick up from that and continue to run with it.

"Even in the last few days, Rob's guidance and expertise has been above and beyond.

"I wish him all the best and as a member of the club, I applaud the role he's played to get the club where it is.

"I want to continue to reinvigorate the club and get people back to the races and really enjoying the social aspects that come with being part of the Bendigo Jockey Club."