Growing Greener at Tinamba Turf

Sustainable Turf Production

Tinamba Turf is a leading grower of premium quality turf in Queensland. Many of the turf varieties that Tinamba Turf produces are ideally suited to the climatic conditions of Southeast Queensland and beyond.

A big focus for Tinamba Turf is sustainable turf production methods. With about 1,000 acres of irrigated turf cultivar over three properties, one of their main objectives is to ensure these farms have access to secure water and can utilise typical SEQ weather events to their advantage. They collect overland water flow from about 60-65% of their property, with the ability to catch up to 500 million litres of water during heavy rain events.

Tinamba has three main storage dams, two of which handle the bulk of the overland flow, while the third is mainly for storage and can be pumped into during flood harvest or dry times. An advantage of their overland catchment system is the ability to capture any migrating fertiliser or chemical, thus rediverting it from entering waterways.

The farm employs efficient irrigation systems, with 13 centre pivots and only four lateral irrigation lines covering one hectare. The irrigation system is monitored over the internet and equipped with emergency stop systems if required. In the peak of the drought, Tinamba can use up to five million litres of water a day for irrigation.

Tinamba has a license to pump 500 million litres of water on a part A license (Logan River Scheme) and 868 million litres of flood harvest per year. The farm also operates several bores to supplement the overall irrigation system.

In addition to their sustainable turf production, Tinamba also hosts a broiler farm with over 200,000 chickens on site. The fertiliser from the chicken sheds is used on the property for the long-term sustainable growth of the turf.

Recently, Tinamba has undergone an extensive in-house trial of organic amendments to gauge the short- and long-term effects. The organics come from a local supplier reusing green waste products from the Gold Coast, Brisbane, Logan, and Ipswich city councils.

The trial has resulted in an estimated 30% water savings, increased cation exchange, boosted carbon content in the soil to aid nitrogen uptake and other benefits.

Tinamba has invested in two huge solar energy systems for the farm. One system provides power to the poultry sheds, while the other system runs all the offices and main engineering sheds for the mechanics and boiler makers. The next investment will be in on-site batteries to manage startup loads when technology permits.

In the last 12 months, Tinamba has made a significant investment in six brand new Euro 6 standard carbon emissions trucks. All the trucks have been delivered and are on the road. Tinamba Turf is committed to sustainable turf production and reducing its environmental impact through various initiatives and investments. A truly innovative and sustainable turf operation leading the way for the industry.