* APOLOGIES: THIS TRIP HAS BEEN POSTPONED DUE TO COVID  

Far North Queensland farmers with a track record in soil health improvement are being encouraged to apply to attend a Soil Health Innovation Tour to Tasmania next year.

Nominated as the next innovation destination by participants at the previous event, the Tasmanian edition will tour major agricultural regions near Burnie and Launceston and visit a diverse range of farm industry.

This is the third tour run since 2018, and is being presented by natural resource management organisation Terrain NRM in partnership with Wet Tropics Soilcare and Lower Wet Tropics Soilcare.

Regional Agriculture Landcare Facilitator for the Wet Tropics Evizel Seymour said it is a great opportunity for farmers to broaden their knowledge about soil health innovation across a range of farming types in another region.

“We know from running innovation tours previously that they’re a powerful learning opportunity with long-lasting benefits, so we’re excited to be able to offer it again for more local farmers who are adopting sustainable farming practices.”

She said the schedule is still being finalised but is expecting it to include mixed regenerative farming, regenerative dairy, native berry, native game, and organic horticulture site visits.

The 5-day tour is supported by Terrain NRM, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program.

To be eligible, applicants must operate a farm business, be actively working to improve soil health on their farm and be able to show a track record of involvement with either of the hosting soil care groups, or Terrain NRM.

Australia’s first international Bioreactor Forum was held in the Wet Tropics last month.

Interest in these innovative water treatment systems has spiked over the last two years, with the Wet Tropics Major Integrated Project (MIP) installing seven across the Tully and Johnstone basins.

The two-day event brought together researchers, technical specialists, extension officers, growers and funding bodies from Australia and abroad.

Day one included a visit to bioreactor trial sites on farms, where attendees interacted with landholders and delivery teams involved in the research, design and installation of the treatment systems.

Day two involved focused discussion on the role of denitrifying bioreactors in sustainable food production and potential strategies to enhance their performance.

The MIP’s place-based approach has modified traditional “textbook” wall and bed bioreactor designs and is trialling three other designs (in-drain, ag pipe and partial in-drain bioreactors), which were developed to suit the unique nature of Wet Tropics landscapes.

MIP Catchment Repair Coordinator Suzette Argent presented at the forum on designing bioreactors to fit within the Wet Tropics landscape.

“The input we receive from landholders has been a crucial part of the process,” she said.

They’ve not only provided us with sites to implement trials, but invaluable knowledge on the lay of their land.”

“Farming is full of science and it’s rewarding to work alongside our farming community to trial water treatment systems that can improve sustainability, profitability and the quality of water flowing to the Reef.”

Ms Argent hosted forum delegates at a MIP bioreactor site on a Mourilyan cane farm.

“The field trip was a highlight for attendees because they could see firsthand how bioreactors can be implemented to complement farming operations and improve water quality entering adjoining waterways,” Ms Argent said.

Department of Agriculture and Fisheries Research Agronomist Rhianna Robinson coordinated the event and said they were pleased with the interest generated and contributions of everyone who attended.

“It was a networking and learning opportunity with local, interstate and international speakers sharing their experiences in installing bioreactors on farms,” she said.

They live more than 400 kilometres apart but graziers from the Tablelands and the Burdekin have plenty of common ground when it comes to soil health.

Five Tablelands graziers soaked up Burdekin knowledge recently on a field trip to cattle stations near Charters Towers and Ayr, where pastures have improved since changes were adopted several years ago including more intense grazing of paddocks for shorter periods of time.

Mt Garnet grazier Curtis Archer said the trip, organised by Terrain NRM, confirmed the potential of natural grazing practices that he and other Tablelands cattle station owners were currently introducing on their properties.

“We saw quite intense grazing, which involves more management of the cattle, but does seem to be paying off,’’ Mr Archer said.  “Rather than stocking more lightly, these graziers are creating grasslands through denser stocking for shorter periods.

“If we can slowly improve our country through working cattle a bit more intensely it’s a win-win.”

The four-day field trip, which was part of Terrain NRM’s Herbert Gully and Grazing Program, follows workshops in the Upper and Lower Herbert catchments with ecological grazing specialist Dick Richardson, who was also on the field trip.

“This was a chance to see properties and speak with graziers who Dick has been working with for a couple of years, to see what natural grazing practices have worked and hear about what hasn’t for each property and to get fresh ideas,’’ Terrain NRM’s Jen Mackenzie said.

“Collaborating with southern graziers and NQ Dry Tropics, the natural resource management organisation servicing the region as we do in the Wet Tropics, has been really worthwhile.”

Ms Mackenzie said practice changes included managing grasslands with grazing animals, using paddock-specific grazing patterns, keeping some land in a shorter more productive state during the grazing season and giving other land the opportunity for a long-term spell.

“These kind of changes can capture water and build soil carbon,” she said.  “In both regions, we are targeting better soil outcomes and pastures that also prevent more erosion issues.”

The Herbert Gully and Grazing Program, funded through the Australian Government’s Reef Trust Phase IV program, extends 340km from Herberton and Ravenshoe to Ingham.  It includes major earthworks to reshape gullies, fencing to keep stock from streambanks, off-stream water points, revegetation work and changes to grazing practices including the uptake of natural grazing practices.

The Herbert and Burdekin catchments are two of the three biggest contributors of sediment loads to the Reef so programs in each region aim to reduce run-off while also benefitting properties.

Cane, banana and tropical fruit producers shared sustainable farming practices with a crowd of more than 100 people recently.

Guest speakers at the Tully Sustainable Farming Day spoke about challenges across the industries and opportunities now and into the future.

Wet Tropics Sugar Industry Partnership’s Alex Lindsay said an all-Tully cast of speakers – including cane farmers Jamie Dore and Graham Maifredi, banana grower Leon Collins and tropical fruit producer Peter Salleras – shared their experiences on topics ranging from feral pig control to crop diversification and farm management changes.

The morning also included one-on-one talks with agribusinesses, farming extension officers and representatives from government departments.

“There is a lot of good news to share locally and that’s what this event was all about,’’ Mr Lindsay said.

There were 24 information booths at the event, a new one for the Tully region. Lucky door prizes included GIS and crop monitoring services, metagenomics soil testing and a tonne of fertiliser that was coated to resist leaching.

The Wet Tropics Major Integrated Project’s Fiona George said there had been good feedback from participants.