Lots of dust clouds and potholes, but plenty of good natural resource management as well
Dust clouds, potholes, and rough tracks won’t stop us when there’s a chance to get our project partners out in the field to see natural resource management (NRM) in action.
At the end of April, we loaded up a bus with graziers, government reps, researchers, engineers, and natural resource management staff to tour gully remediation sites that have been closely monitored since 2022. The aim was to see how well different remediation methods are holding up, and what we’ve learnt so far.
Field day attendees visited three remediated sites—two large-scale and one small-scale—and heard firsthand from engineers about the challenges of design and construction. Local graziers also shared their on-ground experience managing the sites day-to-day.
Over three and a half years, the Gully Maintenance and Monitoring project has inspected and maintained 24 gullies across the BBB catchment, originally treated under Landholders Driving Change (2017–2022). The work addressed over 11 km of active erosion from 54 gully heads, preventing an estimated 5,536 tonnes of fine sediment from reaching the Great Barrier Reef annually.
Since 2022, the focus has been on monitoring site stability, assessing effectiveness, and planning maintenance. Wrapping up in June, the project offers valuable insights for future efforts. A final report with findings from monitoring will be released shortly.
The Burdekin Major Integrated Project Gully Maintenance and Monitoring project is part of the Landholders Driving Change project funded by the Queensland Government through the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program.
Brad’s been on the road again, kicking up dust
Senior Grazing Extension Officer Brad Martin has been racking up the kilometres lately, catching up with graziers across the region to find out how NQ Dry Tropics can lend a hand.
He also dropped in on a promising weed trial at Strathmore Station – and word is, it’s shaping up to be a real success.
Keep an eye out for a field day later in the year where we’ll share the juicy details.
Between road trips and dusty boots, Brad’s been spending time with the Grazing Land Management cluster group where the ideas flow as freely as the cuppas and homemade cake. They’ve been diving into the topics that matter most for business growth, healthier soils and pastures, and better water quality in the long run.
Good things are brewing!
Terry Creek grazier Wes Pepper, pictured with NQ Dry Tropics Senior Grazing Extension Officer Brad Martin (green shirt), is exploring how a more strategic grazing approach could help reduce grazing pressure and distribute it more evenly across the property to improve pasture health.
NQ Dry Tropics Senior Grazing Extension Officer Brad Martin checks on the progress of a weed management trial testing different herbicides and methods to control prickly acacia. The aim is to find cost-effective weed control methods that boost ground cover and reduce erosion so that by lowering weed pressure, landholders will be able to focus on pasture management, leading to healthier pastures, better native habitat, and stronger economic outcomes.
Long drives are easy in the BBB with scenery this stunning. It’s been a great season — everything’s looking fresh and full of life. And the sunrises are definitely worth getting up for.
This activity area is part of the Landholders Driving Change (LDC2) project funded by the Queensland Government through the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program.
