Resilience in Grazing Open Day attracts nearly 100 North Queensland graziers
Market fluctuations and the ongoing Big Dry are two major challenges faced by North Queensland graziers, and nearly 100 of them attended NQ Dry Tropics’ Resilience In Grazing Open Day to look at ways to deal with these issues.
The event, held on Tuesday 5 April, featured graziers discussing land management techniques to improve productivity, while reducing the impacts of sediment erosion on the Great Barrier Reef.
Graziers Tom and Karen Murphy hosted the event at their 19,000ha Tabletop Station, near Collinsville.
More than 100 people attended the Open Day
NQ Dry Tropics CEO, Dr Scott Crawford, said that Tabletop is one of three grazing properties that have been trialing Holistic Management practices over the past 18 months as part of NQ Dry Tropics’ Building Resilience in the Burdekin Grazing Industry project, funded through the Queensland Government Regional NRM Investment Programme.
“NQ Dry Tropics supports North Queensland graziers to trial practices that build resilience into their enterprises while reducing the amount of sediment leaving their properties and impacting the reef,” he said.
“Many graziers travelled here today to find out whether a Holistic Management approach could improve pasture composition and water quality, while taking care of their bottom line, and some of the evidence we’ve heard today has been very promising,” he said
“We’ve heard some encouraging stories from graziers across the region who have adopted practices that have boosted their soil quality, helped reduce erosion, and increased their pasture rates, enabling them to better cope with ongoing challenging weather conditions.
Holistic management trainer Brian Wehlburg discusses pasture
“Holistic Management is a planning process that helps graziers to consider the financial, environmental, and social impacts of every decision they make on their property. This helps them to improve their performance, and implement practical, cost-effective and innovative solutions to land management and restoration issues,” he said.
Tom and Karen shared their experiences operating a single mob of breeders, implementing new watering systems, and allowing pasture to recover. They hosted a field tour of the property that gave participants an opportunity to see trial results on the ground after a run of really dry seasons.
Attendees also heard from a group of Charters Towers graziers who recently completed NQ Dry Tropics’ Holistic Management Training programme.
Tom Murphy said: “It was really good to see so much interest and so many people interested in the concept of high-density grazing. We are happy to share what we have learnt, and if it helps someone that’s good.”
The Building Resilience in the Burdekin Grazing Industry project, funded through the Queensland Government Regional NRM Investment Programme, aims to improve the economic, social and productive resilience of properties in the Burdekin region.