Matthew Hayden Travels from Brisbane, QLD

Topics

Cricket
Food / Wine
Leadership
Management
Motivational
Sport
Sustainability
Team Sport

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The saying, "You can take the boy out of the country, but you can never take the country out of the boy," is certainly applicable to Matthew Hayden. Growing up in Kingaroy, Queensland, instilled in him a deep love for the outdoors, and to this day, he continues to embrace adventure in Australia's countryside and cherish time spent at the family property, where many wonderful memories were made.

Matthew Hayden is extremely proud of his achievements as a professional cricketer, but at the centre of his life is his family. He is passionate about building a legacy beyond the world’s famous sporting grounds, he has replaced his 20-year mantra of "watch the ball" with "doing, sharing, being." He now focuses on projects that inspire him as much as cricket did, but on different fields—media businesses, public speaking, and humanitarian endeavours.

His cricketing journey began at an early age on a homemade turf pitch on the family farm, many highly competitive pretend "Test Matches" were played. It was there that his infatuation with the game began at the age of three, wearing pads that covered his entire body as he faced off against his older brother, who was eight. It wasn’t long before selectors recognised his talent, advancing him through the Junior Cricket ranks. His transformation from backyard cricket to earning the coveted Baggy Green cap happened at just 21 years old.

For Matthew, the best feeling in life is achieving something once thought impossible. The realisation of those childhood "Test Matches" becoming a reality has been a constant source of inspiration.

He is honoured to serve as an Ambassador for the Global Public School of Kerala in India, Co-Patron of Ronald McDonald House and the Prostate Cancer Foundation of Australia, as well as Co-Patron of The Champagnat Trust, an initiative of his alma mater, Marist College Ashgrove in Brisbane. Through The Hayden Way, he leads various community initiatives and continues to drive a long-standing partnership with the people of the Tiwi Islands through www.tiwigarden.com, an initiative that has been ongoing for the past eight years. Additionally, he actively encourages his commercial partners to participate in community-driven initiatives.

On 26 January 2010, Matthew was appointed a Member of the Order of Australia for his service to cricket and the community through support for various health, youth, and charitable organisations. In 2009, he was honoured as a #QueenslandGreat, and in 2014, he was inducted into the #QueenslandSportsHallofFame. These national and state honours are a source of immense pride, celebrating his contributions to Australian society.

Extending his professional playing career for an additional four seasons, he participated in T20 Cricket competitions, playing three seasons for the inaugural #IPL with Chennai Super Kings. In 2011, he stepped away from his roles on the Queensland and Australian Cricket Boards to support, launch, and play for Brisbane Heat in the inaugural Australian Big Bash League.

It was during this time that he developed a keen appreciation for the evolving media and entertainment landscape—how branded media properties like Bollywood and Sport collided during the 2008 IPL, and how traditional broadcasters were forced to collaborate with the rise of Digital and Social Media Assets. He also recognised how talent brands could integrate with mainstream broadcast media to enrich customer and client experiences.