Graziers who would like to find out how they can increase groundcover, recover degraded land and increase soil fertility are invited to the Healthy Landscapes workshop and field walk being held at the Mt Coolon State School on Wednesday, May 18 from 9am.
NQ Dry Tropics Field Officer, Brendan Smith, said graziers would hear first-hand accounts of how some enterprises have implemented positive land management strategies and grazing systems.
“These strategies have improved landscape health and increased economic resilience, while reducing agricultural impacts on the Great Barrier Reef lagoon,” Mr Smith said.
Beef producers from Central Queensland will be presenting on the day and represent a range of different country types.
David Rankine and wife Donna bought their 28,328ha Western Queensland property, Bunuro, in 2001.
They adopted innovative management and development approaches to deal with many challenges including climate extremes, ‘survival pasture’ country, 16,187ha of heartleaf, and lack of infrastructure.
Ross McLean runs a 15,000ha cattle operation in Central Queensland, in partnership with wife Sue, son Kash and his wife Jos.
They implemented intensive cell grazing in 2000, resulting in a multitude of positive changes to their country. They are passionate about producing quality grass-fed organic beef in a sustainable, holistic and profitable way.
These graziers will be supported by David McLean, General Manager at Resource Consulting Services (RCS), who brings practical experience as a member of a grazing family from South-West Queensland.
He gained high-level, hands-on experience, starting as a RCS client on a North Queensland cell grazing and breeder operation.
The event will also feature an introduction to Keyline farm planning for landscape rehabilitation, followed by a practical in-field demonstration on how to find the keyline.
Ken Yeomans has been delivering Keyline farm planning since the 70s.
He said t management tool uses natural landscape contours, coupled with selected farming techniques to slow, sink, spread and store rainwater, as well as build soil fertility.
“Keyline is an ordered set of principles, techniques and systems,” Mr Yeomans said.
“When fully utilised, Keyline designs produces strategies and tactics to develop the natural or existing landscape through regeneration and enhancement,” he said.
To register please contact Brendan Smith: brendan.smith@nqdrytropics.com.au, 0417 408 587 or (07) 4724 3544.
