Sarah Zeibarth , Eilis Walker and Carleigh Drew
AGRICULTURE TRAINEES : THE NEXT GENERATION
This year we welcomed two agricultural extension trainees into the organisation . Sarah Ziebarth joined us on a 12 month placement as part of the Queensland Farmers ’ Federation ( QFF ) and Queensland Government ’ s Agriculture Extension Work Placement Program . This program is delivered in collaboration with the Rural Jobs and Skills Alliance and the Reef Alliance , and is funded by the Queensland Government Reef Water Quality Program .
Sarah said she was gaining invaluable extension skills across the grazing sector : “ Graduate programs like these are extremely important and should be more widely adopted . My time at NQ Dry Tropics is providing opportunities to support our graziers and protect our environment ," she said .
Carleigh Drew also joined us on a 12 month placement as part of the Great Barrier Reef Foundation-funded Agricultural Extension Trainee project , managed by QFF . Both Carleigh and Sarah will develop the skills needed to support primary producers to improve land management practices .
This year we were also delighted to offer a full‐time Grazing Field Officer position to former extension trainee Eilis Walker .
CANBERRA STUDY TOUR INCREASES LANDSCAPE REHYDRATION KNOWLEDGE
Back in October members of our team joined regional delivery partners and landcare group members on a week-long study tour to Canberra and the surrounding region . They visited properties implementing Landscape Rehydration and Regenerative Agriculture principles .
Hosted by the Mulloon Institute , participants saw first-hand how moisture can be retained on property , and how to implement costeffective solutions to issues such as erosion in the landscape . They had the chance to observe both on-farm and catchment wide projects , and learned how to navigate legislative requirements to undertake works .
Out in the paddock on the study tour .
17