Former Meat and Livestock Australia Chairman Don Heatley has been awarded the prestigious Queensland Country Life Red Meat Achiever of the Year at a dinner at Beef Australia 2012.

Beef Australia 2012 Chairman and last year's award recipient Geoff Murphy congratulated Mr Heatley and praised his life-long dedication to the betterment of the beef industry.

"Don has been a wonderful leader in the beef industry and those who have dealt with him will agree that he is always generous with his time and knowledge, even when the industry has been challenged by difficult circumstances," Mr Murphy said.

Mr Heatley, who runs a cattle property at Charters Towers, was MLA chairman from 2005 through until 2011.

He was joined on stage at the Rabobank Beef Industry Awards Dinner by the Rabobank Young Beef Ambassador, Sarah Becker, of Rockhampton; MLA On Farm Sustainability Award winners John and Ronda Lyons, Wambiana, Charters Towers; Queensland Department of Agriculture Fisheries & Forestry Food Innovation & Productivity Award winners, Coles Supermarkets; Bayer Bo Synch Award winner Dr Ian Braithwaite, Mount Isa; and the Australian Registered Cattle Breeders Association RW Vincent Award went to Dr Hans Grasser.

Meanwhile, Ken and Kerrie McKenzie of Bluff, starred at the Ruralco CRT Australian Beef Cattle Championships awards dinner, also held at the Rockhampton Showgrounds.

The McKenzies were named most successful exhibitor after winning prizes for grand champion pen, champion steer grainfed pen, and champion steer pasture fed pen with his Droughtmaster cattle.

Ian & Kaye Hutchinson, Moura, were awarded the prize for champion heifer grainfed pen, and Mark and Belinda Wilson, Banana Station, Banana, were awarded the trophy for champion heifer pasture fed pen.

The prize for best lot feeder went to Duaringa Station Feedlot, while Corey Evans was named the champion young judge.

More than 2000 commercial cattle were judged at the Central Queensland Livestock Exchange on Monday as part of the Ruralco CRT Australian Beef Cattle Championships, and were sold at auction.