COMPLEMENTARY PROJECT ACTIVITIES
The NQ Dry Tropics Landholders Driving Change( LDC) project allocated funding to each property for the completion of paddock subdivisions and improvements in water point distribution, as well as co-funded field events.
This initiative was made possible through a partnership between the Australian Government’ s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation, as well as the Queensland Government through the Queensland Reef Water Quality Program.
Additionally, the NQ Dry Tropics Stomping Out Sediment in the Burdekin project provided co-funding for field events and training, with support from the Australian Government’ s Reef Trust Phase IV.
CSIRO, funded by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation( GBRF), conducted a two-year research project( 2020- 2021) on two properties involved in the PDS project. The findings of this research were published in a paper titled“ Do regenerative grazing management practices improve vegetation and soil health in grazed rangelands? Preliminary insights from a spacefor-time study in the Great Barrier Reef catchments, Australia”, January 2023( Bartley R et al. 2023, The Rangeland Journal).
COLLINSVILLE REGION REGENERATIVE GRAZIER NETWORK PRODUCER DEMONSTRATION SITE( PDS)
NQ Dry Tropics ' Landholders Driving Change( LDC) project successfully secured funding from Meat & Livestock Australia( MLA) to establish two Producer Demonstration Sites( PDS). One of these sites focused on showcasing productive and regenerative grazing practices in the Burdekin region over a five-year period.
MLA, in collaboration with LDC, provided the producerled demonstration sites with facilitation, extension services, monitoring and evaluation of on-farm practice changes, as well as communication and reporting support to oversee the demonstration process.
A key outcome of a PDS is to encourage producers to adopt the demonstrated management practices, leading to improved business performance.
KEY RESULTS FOR ALL DEMONSTRATION SITES Glenalpine Station- Strathalbyn Station- Dartmoor Station
The key project findings have confirmed that regenerative grazing practices are equal to, or superior to the set stock practices previously used on the three participating properties.
Remote sensing data, including VegMachine and dynamic reference cover, has been used to analyse all three properties. The initial results suggest that regenerative grazing practices are producing similar land condition outcomes to those observed in predominantly set-stocked areas.
Nevertheless, additional research conducted by CSIRO and validated through remote sensing data has revealed that significant changes in land condition may take up to five years to become apparent.
At Strathalbyn Station, stock numbers have significantly increased across the past decade, with the stocking rate nearly doubling since the implementation of new practices and infrastructure developments.
The ProfitProbe results at Glenalpine demonstrate a notable improvement in various financial aspects of the business, along with a gradual increase in Livestock Units( LSUs) carried.
Dartmoor Station has experienced enhanced herd management flexibility, improved landscape recovery, and increased mob size, all of which can lead to substantial benefits for overall land condition.