Project Implementation
monitored , and the retention of ground cover at the end of the dry season was a serious management consideration .
Twenty-seven opportunities for grazing planning , including forage budgeting , and one-on-one extension advice were provided to project participants through Bob Shepherd , DAF ; Brian Welhburg , Inside Outside Management ; Dick Richardson , Grazing Naturally ; Raymond Stacey , RCS ; and Jamie Gordon , Mt Pleasant Station ( peer to peer ).
A “ community of practice ” grazing group evolved during project implementation through the delivery of 16 training and extension events . The events provided graziers with a forum to develop , curate and share experience while building on the collective knowledge of members .
At the project ’ s final two-day field walk , key project participants and cooperators synthesised knowledge gained through the project . The discussion was facilitated by former CSIRO senior scientist Dr Christian Roth and project manager Rod Kerr and involved graziers , scientists and grazing extension officers .
Landholders were motivated to undertake additional projects and works as a direct result of their involvement in the Stomping out Sediment in the Burdekin project . One property owner subdivided a paddock to improve grazing and dense weed management and demonstrated the positive impact of marsupial exclusion to improve land condition . Another property implemented a Federal Government Reef Trust III project to complement the adjoining Stomping out Sediment project site .
Two stations joined a five-year Meat and Livestock Australia ( MLA ) funded Producer Demonstrated Sites ( PDS ) project , and a third enterprise
undertook considerable development and property-wide grazing management changes following advice from technical experts .
Project Implementation
Objectives and aims
Objectives of the project were to implement practical gully management approaches on up to 10 properties , to :
1 . remediate gullies on productive soils ;
2 . develop and test suitable techniques for use on a wider range of soil types ( such as dispersive or sodic ) and gully structures ;
3 . encourage spatially-connected properties to adopt successful techniques ;
4 . monitor , document and communicate successful implementation of the approach for broader adoption in other projects and across the Burdekin region ; and
5 . provide training opportunities for graziers to better understand practical and cost-effective methodologies to remediate gully systems .
Objective 1 : Remediate and manage gullies on productive soils across five properties .
Targeted actions included :
• Fencing 40ha of gullies and controlling stock access ( project total : 160ha ).
• Short duration , high density cattle impact followed by periods of recovery with no cattle access . Short duration grazing applied two to three times per annum .
• Revegetation of perennial grasses across 120ha of the gully-contributing subcatchments , including the use of planned
Executive Summary — P5