Mitchell Newton, aged 16, Australia

My day generally starts off at about 6am when I get up and venture outside to feed the bulls and let the dogs off the chain for a run.

Work on the farm differs depending on the season, however checking the cattle and the troughs are done daily. During harvesting, long days are spent either driving the header, or driving the truck to and from the paddock to the silos.

When it’s not harvest time, the average day is spent fencing, ploughing/planting, maintaining equipment, poisoning trees or branding. During branding all the cattle are mustered and are drafted into either heifers or bulls to be branded, earmarked and vaccinated.

While farm life is time consuming, there is still plenty of time to have some fun. In my spare time, my hobbies include playing footy, motorbike riding, fishing, partying with friends and shooting feral animals.

Although a day on the farm is tough, it’s rewarding to see the crops thriving, the fat cattle grazing and I wouldn’t change it for quids.

To me, the Commonwealth is like a large family and just as ordinary families give us rules and values that help us along, particularly in our early years, so to the Commonwealth provides nations like us with a template to use when forming their systems of government and law.

Because the Commonwealth followed on from the British Empire, countries that belong speak English and their parliament is generally based on the Westminster system. Our legal systems also came from the British. This makes countries that belong to the Commonwealth special as they have a lot in common, much like a large family.

For example, cricket, which is played by most Commonwealth countries, is an example of our common sporting heritage. I am really looking forward to the Ashes Series to be held later this year and hope that our Australian team trounces the English at the game they gave us.