This project has been completed.
A Healthier Burdekin for a Healthier Reef
From 2008-2013 the Australian Government invested over $32 million into grazing/farming communities within the Burdekin Dry Tropics region to assist with practice changes that will reduce sediment, nutrients and pesticides leaving farms and entering the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. These grants were made available by the Australian Government’s Caring for Our Country program through the $200 million Reef Rescue initiative.Building on the success of the Reef Rescue Program, the Reef Programme is a current Australian Government initiative to minimise the impacts of agricultural run-off and improve water quality entering the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. It includes a $146 million Water Quality Grants Scheme. The programme forms part of a $200 million 2013-2018 initiative.
A further $15 million was allocated to the Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM region over the three years (2013-2016) to continue the work towards a healthy Great Barrier Reef. This funded the implementation of a water quality improvement program to achieve sustainable agricultural practices in the sugar and other intensive farming systems, and grazing industries of the Burdekin Dry Tropics NRM region, through a targeted extension and financial incentives program.
Project outputs included:
| Sugarcane | Engage a minimum of 116 farmers in water quality improvement grants and build capacity through training, farm planning and extension of 622 activities over the period July 2013-Jun 2016 in order to reduce anthropogenic impact on the water quality of the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. |
| Horticulture | Engage a minimum of 32 farmers in water quality improvement grants and build capacity through training, farm planning and extension of 74 activities over the period July 2013-Jun 2016 in order to reduce anthropogenic impact on the water quality of the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. |
| Grains | Engage a minimum of 17 farmers in water quality improvement grants and build capacity through training, farm planning and extension of 37 activities over the period July 2013-Jun 2016 in order to reduce anthropogenic impact on the water quality of the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. |
| Grazing | Engage a minimum of 143 graziers in water quality improvement grants and build capacity through training, farm planning and extension of 319 activities over the period July 2013-Jun 2016 in order to reduce anthropogenic impact on the water quality of the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon. |