THIS year is one of the driest, and one of the toughest yet.
Some, even in traditionally rain-rich Gippsland, arefighting for survival.
Farmers around the state arebattling for water to grow crops, and fighting for better conditions at afinancial level.
In April, Gippsland Far mer spoke with local farmers in Boorool, located between Leongatha and Mirboo North, who said this was their first really dry year in along time and that they had several cracks in their paddocks due to the dry weather
Now, months later, farmers are not only fighting droughts, but also fighting to preserve their livelihoods.
STRADBROKE far mer Ellie Mitterer shared that while she is constantly trying to plan ahead and stick to a schedule, things aren’t that easy on the far m.
“I feel like I'm constantlyjuggling running behind the eight ball, trying to plan ahead,”
Ms Mitterer told Gippsland Far mer
“I'm adry land farmer,soI have to rely on environmental factors. We assumed we would get some spring rain, and we assume we're going toget an autumnbreak. We assume that it won't be as dry for as long as it has been.
“I was lucky that Igot some (rain) early, and it did green up for me for abit, which helped carry me through.”
While Ms Mitterer wasfeeling lucky to get alittle rain, she explained that shestill had to sell two-thirds of her stock of cattle and sheep to help keep spendingcostsdown and offset expenses such as rates, ensuring things remain somewhat manageable on the farm.
Options for fodder have also been challenging this year,with Ms Mitterer having to look elsewherefor food options.
Usually,MsMittererlikes to keep the
Triple treat
Buln Buln farmer Doug Benson could hardly believe his eyes when three healthy calves were born from one mother.
Drought pain felt across Gippsland
far mona closed circuit, only using onfarmfeed to ensureshe isn’t risking farm biosecurity by importing unwanted weeds and unknowns.
“It was very difficult when Ihad to buy fodder this year,because you'resupposed to get an NVD fodder,but nobody offers that,” she said.
“Thereisn't really asystem for farmers to go to and find fodder.Sowegoonthe marketplace, and so it's become asocial media networking exercise to get us through the drought. It's not ideal.”
During the last season, Ms Mitterer cut one large paddock for bales, which left her with 50 bales, rather than the previous season, when she cut two paddocks and obtained 250.
“Last season,I did one largepaddock, and Igot 50,” she said.
“Becauseofthat,insteadofcosting me $25 aroundfor acontractor to prepare for the farm, it cost me about $65 around
because Ihad to pay for the cutting and the raking separately by the hour for the contractor,because it wasn't dense enough for them.
“I only ended up with 50 rounds, which just isn't enough to get even though Idownsized on the cattle, it's still not enough to get me through. So, I had to buy the product, which cost $5000 for asemi-load of silage.
“Everything is going into the far mand the cattle right now.”
Accompanying the property,large swarms of kangaroos havealso been asource of frustrationfor Ms Mitterer,aswell as other farmers.
Theyfeedoff the cattle's food and ruin fences, causing chaos for local drivers.
Ms Mitterer’s property isright of fthe side of the South Gippsland highway and beside multiple plantations, which flocks of kangaroos call home.
Continued -Page7
Photo: Contributed t
Rewarded through regeneration
Katrina BRANDON
POPULARITY is growing in regenerative farming, wherefarmers areenhancing their soils and farming practices in amanner that reduces negative environmental impacts.
Far merssuchasBoorool’s Libbyand Dave Jenkin aremaking amove towards regenerative farming in Gippsland.
“We'reaiming to be regenerative,” Libby told Gippsland Far mer Dave and Libby have a48-acreproperty that is home to Angus beef cows. The property originally belonged to Dave’s parents,who practised traditional farming methods, andhelater bought the property afterhis mother'sdeath in 2024. While
the two have only just embarked on their regenerative farming pathway, Libby said she has already learnt alot about the soil, seed and methods involved.
Having grown up in Scoresby, Libby started with little knowledge offar ming, but jumped in with curiosity as she always had an interest in food.
“Wejust love food," Libby said.
“We're both foodies. We all like trying all sorts of dif ferent cuisines and challenging ourselves with food. It's just really important to me to know where my food comes from and the storiesbehind the food we've invested in, another sort of developing businesses.
“My great auntie was areally good cook,
The ONESTOP SHOP for all
and Iused to spend time in the kitchen with her cooking all the time. And Iguess my love of food and cooking probably came from her.”
As part of knowing wheretheir food came from, Libby saidthat,beinga beef business, it was important to growthe best beef possible with the resources they had and figureout how to give cattle agood life.
The answer came as they visited more farms and spent time with local Landcare groups whereregenerative agriculture showed promising results.
“Wedid acouple of visits to other farms, and Iwas superjealous of the amazing long green grass that they had, and the amount of cattle that they could support on that, how they moved them from one paddock to another, and how the grass just rebounded really quickly, really strongly,” Libby said.
One farminparticular the two visited was in Dollar,Victoria, which had completedthe transition to regenerative farming methods.
Libby said the far mhad afar better economic outcome because it had low cost inputs, not havingtopay alot of super every year,not having to buy in hay, and the cows werereally healthy.
So far,Libby and Dave have reseeded two paddocks and areadjusting their methods as needed.
“I have done alot of research, talked to people, and have done lots of reading. The difference between the first paddock that we reseeded and the second, just learning what we did wrong thereand not doing that on the second one, the second one is so much better,” Libby said.
“I did acourse through Landcare, and I've got abig map of the farm. Understanding the soil types, pastureclassifications, and land suitability is crucial. We've started sectioning of fparts of the land that are eithertoo steep or provide really good wind breaks, and we'll be planting them with a variety of species to help attract animals.
“We've reseeded two of the paddocks that get used most often, thatare closest to the house, with grass that is moresuited to our climate.
“A key method to try andincrease the amountofcarbonthatgetssequestered inthe soil, increase the water that gets down to the roots, and increase some of the microbes and fungiand stuff that grows when you'vegot multiple speciesofcrop in the paddock.
"Wehave also completed afull soil and water quality tests and addressing issues bespokefor the specific problems.We check soil annually and our water tests determined the quality is that good in all ourdamsitwould be fitfor ustodrink! We were going to fence offany dams that had poor results but testing confirmed that isn’t necessary.
"Part of our philosophy is to fix problems rather than spendtime and money on things that aren’t needed so that’s saved usalot of time and money.
Another factor driving the shift towards re generative far ming is concer no ver climate change and the growing risk of intense storms.
Libby said shethinks the next generation of farmers will be moreopen to different methods.
“This year was our first really dry year in along time, but it was really dry, just so quickly from several wet yearsinarow, and we've got cracks in the paddock,” she said.
“I think we've got to change our methods to adapt to the weather conditionsthat are getting more extreme, both from the flood and drought perspective. We'renot getting in abettersituationwith the climate at the moment, so we've got to change what we do to adapt to all of the changing climate around us.”
Further work that Dave and Libby plan to do on the farmincludes creating windbreaks with non-native, late-ripening trees that provide food for the cattle and wildlife duringwinter and autumn. This also allows kangaroos that come through the area to graze to be fed, without depleting food for the cattle.
They also plan to adjust their fencing to help reduce the frequency of fence repairs by increasing the spacing between posts, so that if atreefalls betweentwo posts, the wiring is morelikely to bounce back.
Libby and Dave Jenkin aretransitioning to regenerative farming.
Photo: Katrina Brandon
Lamb pricesuponfive-year average
NEW season milk farmgate prices have been announced, with the response from farmers and advocacy groups ‘disappointed’, according to the June outlook report by Bendigo Bank Agribusiness.
Theaverage souther nfar mgate price of major processors for 2025/26 is about $8.81/kgMS-about nine per cent (70 cents) above last season’s opening, and seven per cent (55-60cents) abovelast season’s closing prices.
Advocacy groups point out the disparity between local and globaldairy prices,which havelifted around24per centsincelast year
"Weanticipate newseason milk prices will reach $9.00/kg MS at some stage,but many aredisappointed opening bids didn’t reach that mark," the report says.
"Milk producerscontinue to facechallenging seasonal conditions. An estimated 60 per cent of Australian dairy farms are thoughttobeimpacted by either drought or flooding. Current season milkproduction is likely to finish slightly below last season’s 8.38 billion litres.
"But2025/26 production is forecastto fall again to around 8.2 billion litres, or as low as 8.1 billion litres if adverse seasonal conditions aresustained."
Bendigo Agribusiness said Australian cattlepriceswerebroadly stronger throughout May. The EasternYoung Cattle Indicator now situates at 728c/kg, up 22 per cent from the beginning of the year.The National YoungCattle Indicatoralsosaw some growth,now at 389c/kg, a23per cent increase from early January.
Competition at local markets between re-stockersand processing centres was prevalent throughout May as the recent rainfall has boosted confidence in the places such as the norther nstates. Souther n processers have followed the trend of late last year and early 2025, travelling into the
northernstates to purchase new stock.
"However,thereare reports now of most of those businesses fully stocked up. This may impact prices in June. Prices arestill expected to be supportedbythe large export demand and the competitive natureoflocal markets," the report says.
Key markets of the United States, China and Japan areforecast to continue being strong, however heading into the back-half of the year may see marginal declines due to the recent news surrounding Brazil. The additional factorofAustralia triggering the safeguardmechanism in trade with China may also contribute to the overall marginal decline in export volume from late July.
Bendigo says Australian lamb prices edged higher throughout the first half of May, beforeliftingsharply over the final two weeks of the month. The National Trade Lamb Indicator finished May at 985 c/ kg. This marks a16.2per centincrease month-on-month and is 30.9 per cent above the five-year average.
Lamb slaughter rates have remained elevated, as weeklylamb slaughter averaged almost502 thousandhead per week in May. Processing rates generally slow down throughout winter as the market awaits the arrival of new season lambs. This should see slaughter rates start to ease over the coming months.
"Lamb prices areexpected to remain firm throughoutJune. Theymay not stayatthe recordlevels seen in the last week of May, butstill well-above the five-year average. Supply is expected to slow over the next few weekswhich will offer support. However, theongoing dryconditionswillcontinue to encourage lamb and mutton tur n-of f which is keeping processing rates up," the report says.
TheNationalMutton Indicator (NMI)had an interesting May. The NMI startedat625
c/kg, its highest point since June 2022, beforefalling 120 c/kg to the middle of the month. The NMI then regained almost allthe losses over the followingtwo weeks,
climbing back to 620 c/kg.Atthis level,the NMI is up 101.5 per cent year -on-year and 36.3 per cent above the five-year average.
Photo: istock
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• Buying ALL types of cattle for export and local trade
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Tuesday, Wednesday & Thursday 9am to 3pm
Beef producersconfident
BEEF producers areconfident in the sector’s outlook, according to the latest Beef Producer Intentions Survey (BPIS) released by Meat &Livestock Australia (MLA).
It also signalled producers aremaintaining stable herdmanagement strategies des pi te re gio nal ,nati on al and glo ba l challenges.
The April edition of the 2025 survey, of 3116 grassfedbeefproducersacross Aus tr al ia ,p ro vi de sac om pr eh en si ve snapshot of herddemographics, producer sentiment, breeding and sales intentions, and market dynamics.
Pr od uce rs en tim ent nati ona lly has strengthened with anet sentiment score of +53, up from +47 in November 2024. Northernproducers reported the highest confidence at +65, while stronger seasonal conditionsinWesternAustralia resulted in asignificant rebound in sentiment, rising to +14 from -25 ayear earlier
When producers weresurveyed about herdintentions, 26 per cent of producers plan to increase their herdsize over the next 12 months, while 56 per cent intend to maintaincurrent levels.Only19per cent expect to reduce herdsize.
According to MLA’s market information manager,Stephen Bignell, thesefigures areconsistentwith the previous survey and reflectastable outlookacross both northern andsouthern production systems. “These intentions reflect acautious but optimistic approach by producers,” Mr Bignell said.
“The majority aremaintaining herdsize, which suggestsconfidence in current market conditions but also awareness of ongoing riskssuch as tradeuncertainty (49 per cent), concernabout weather (29 per cent)and pricesand inputcosts (17 per cent).”
The April 2025survey was conducted during aperiodofmixed seasonal and market conditions.Atthat time, Northern
Australia experienced significant rainfall and flooding, which limited survey participationincentral andsouth-wester n Queensland but improved pastureconditions and marketoptimism in other areas.
In contrast, southernAustralia continued to face dry and droughtconditions influencing breeding and sales strategies. Global market dynamicsalso played arole in shaping producer sentiment. Increased demandfromChina, ongoing herdrebuilding in the United States, and evolvingtariffarrangements contributed to both optimism and uncertainty.
Producers citedimproving prices, stronger seasonal conditions, and better market access as key reasons for amorepositive outlook. However,many wereconcerned about geopolitical instability, rising input costs, and regulatory pressures.
Sales activity remains robust, with producers reporting atotal of 4.82 millionhead sold or expected to be sold in the first half of 2025. Sales wereevenly split between the first and second quarters, with southern producers reporting slightly higher sales in Q1 and northern producers anticipating stronger activity in Q2.
“Souther nproducers’ higher sales in Q1 areprimarily due to earlier seasonal turn-offpatterns and the need to manage feed availability during drier conditions,” Mr Bignell said.
“In contrast, norther nproducers are likely benefiting from improved pasture conditionsfollowing significant rainfall, allowing them to hold stock longer and plan for increased sales in Q2.”
The Beef Producer Intentions Survey was designed by MLA to support the industry with reliable data, and is used by MLA and the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS). It is one of the inputs into theMLA beef industry forecasting models.
To view the full results, visit: Beef Producers Intentions Survey April 2025
Cycling for soil stopover in Latrobe
Katrina BRANDON
LOOKING back at the COVID era, people picked up new hobbies.
For (now)19-year-old Sahil Jha from Kolkata, India, COVID-19 was an educational boom.
During his time locked away at home, Sahil indulged in books. Some books he read wereautobiographiesabout“many great people across the globewho did something for the good of society.” Sahil soon swept over thework of Jagadish 'Jaggi' Vasudev.
Jagadish 'Jaggi' Vasudev, also known as Sadhguru, is an Indian guru and founder of the Isha Foundation, based in Coimbatore, India.
Accor ding to isha.sadh guru.o rg, Sadhguru believes that 87 per cent of life forms on this planet -microbes,worms, insects, birds, animals, human beings, plants, trees, and every other vegetation on Earth -are sustained by an average of 39 inches of topsoil.
Inspired by Sadhguru's message,Sahil joined the 'Save the Soil' movement, and is riding abike worldwide to raise awareness
and get people talking about soil. Before starting this jour ney, Sahil completed a 15,000kilometre pushbike ride across India forthe samemission when he was 16-years-old.
Sahil stopped by Traralgon recently.
“I thought I'll do this on apushbike across India to raise awareness about soil,” Sahil told Gippsland Far mer
“Afterriding about15,000 kilometres on apushbike across India, whichtook me about 15 months, Iamdoingthis internationally.
“Thistimestarted from Bundaberg in Queensland on March 21, and came all the way down to Brisbane, Sydney, Canberra, Lakes Entrance, and nowtoGippsland and from heretoMelbourne, Adelaide, three countries in Asia, 12 countries in Europe, the UK and the States.”
Sahil has had conversations with hundr eds of eager students, pr esented at universitiesand engaged with farmers. He also aims toreach abillionfollowers on social media who aretalking about soil and interested in opening up about the topic.
Sahil expressed that the “younger” generations shouldbeconcer ned about the environment, as the ongoing issueswill affect their future.
“Thereisareason why they put Gen Z, Z as the last alphabetical order,because they somewhat believe that it could be the end of the generation if thereisfood insecurity or loss,” he said.
“So it's not just about education, it's about putting this in the back of the psychology that soil is something thatthey should prioritiseover anything else, because I'll tell you one thing, I wear a t-shirt with the logo, 'Save Soil'.
“When interacting with people, particularly young people,they cannoteven imagine. How can soil go away? They have heardofclimate change or global warming,
food insecurity, overpopulation, immigration, housing inflation, and so many other things. However,soil is impacting us on a big level, but people have no clue.”
For
Sahil Jha from Kolkata, India, is cycling his wayacross the world with amission to raise awareness about the global crisis of soil degradation. Photo: Katrina Brandon
Extreme rarity as triplet calvesborn
Katrina BRANDON
AN UTTER surprise has come knocking at the doors of farmer Doug Benson -one of his cows gave birth to triplet calves.
“I think it's fairly incredible,” Mr Benson told Gippsland Far mer
“I’ve not seen it before, and Ihave been doing this for years! We’ve only had acouple of sets of twins beforenow.”
Since 1951, Mr Benson’s family has lived on theirfar minBuln Buln, north of Warragul, wherethey initially owned a 6.5-hectareproperty, but bought additional land in 2016.
Now farming on 77.5 hectares, plus an additional 25 hectares of leased land, Mr Benson has 115 breeding cows.
Since 1977, Mr Benson’s family has bred shorthorn cattle due to their temperament, fertility and ease of management.
Beforebuying the property, Mr Benson spent 12 years working in FIFO(fly-in, fly-out) operations in northernAustralia.
“I worked for FIFO from 2005 to 2017 in North Queensland,Central Queensland, NorthernTerritory andWesternAustralia. When Icame home, my son had looked after the farm,” he said.
“When Igot the opportunity to buy the farm, Itook it. Since we have had thefarm, we have acouple of grandkids, and one of them is right into the farm.
“He loves bucket-rearing calves.”
According to Mr Benson, so far,the mum and three calves have been exceptional.
The cow that gave birth to the triplets is six-years-old with no prior historyofgiving birth to triplets. The calves weighed in at 30 kilograms each, with one redand two white, and werebornnaturally over three hours.
“I went and checked that she calved, and she had a white one sitting in front of her, and Ithought, ‘Oh yeah, she's carved’.”
“She was a fair way from me, and there were other cows, which I wanted to check. Went around and had alook at them, and by the time Ilooked at them and came back, Ithought,becauseshe was standing up and she had her backside towards me, Ithought, ‘I reckon you'recalving again’,”
Mr Benson said
Needingtogotowork, Mr Benson called in hisdaughter -in-law for help and mentioned that the cow was having twins, only to find out later that it was triplets.
When athirdlot of feet appeared, Mr Benson’s daughter -in-law sent through
the text confirming the incredible news.
“She goes, ‘She's gota redcalfon the ground. Ireckon Ican see feet.’ Isaid,‘There won't be feet’. About 20 minutes later,she texted and said, ‘Yep, she had another white one coming up backwards.’
“It'ssort of blowing me away. Look, we've gotone other set of twins this year,but we don't normally get twins or anything.”
Not only did the cow birth all three naturally and on her own, but Mr Benson said she had bounced back better than most cows. Having three calves, he said that she has kept afirmeye on them at all times,
even getting upset when other cows try to steal her calves.
“She’s agood mother,she's feeding them herself. She's going crooked at themoment becauseI've got her in the paddockwith two other cows, which have just carved, and one of the calves just decided it's going to get adrink offone of the other cows.
“You have some cows,theyhave one calf, and they struggle like hell. This cow has three calves, she's just standing thereasif nothing had happened. And feeding three calves.”
According to localvet Grant Neilsen, the chance of triplets is very rare- one in 10,000; it is even rarer that the three were bornnaturally and all survived.
About35years ago, Mr Bensonsaidthat his older sister also experienced the birth of triplets on her dairy farmatYannathan in South Gippsland.
The six-year -oldcow hasn’treceived any injections that could have caused the incredible event, with the exception of being drenched, receiving vaccinations, and a penicillin injection. Due to the rareodds, Mr Benson spoke to his veterinarian about the circumstances.
Mr Benson told reported the vet saying that sometimes, when acow is ovulating, she can accept two bulls. This means that she could have two calves from two different bulls at once.
“She only gives out one bull run alitter He said that's possibly what's happened. He's probably served twice at two different times, she's conceived both times,” he said.
“It's aonce-in-a-lifetime thing. They're not identical, so the twowhiteonesare different, and thereare two whiteones and ared one. And my daughter-in-law thought that they came out of three different sacks.”
Amiracle happened at aBuln Buln farm recently,after triplet calves wereborn.
Beef farmer Doug Benson won the lottery of three healthy calves from one mother Photo: Contributed
Drought crippling farmers’ patience
FROM PAGE 1
CAUSING damagetofences along the highway, Ms Mitterer’s cattle wander out of her boundary lines near the highway for which she gets fined.
“I don't mind sharing with them (kangaroos),” she said.
“But there's plenty of feed for them out in the bush, but they come into the pasture. Unfortunately,mycattle can't go outinthe bush and do the same. One of the worst problems is they they destroy the fences. They put holes in the fences, and then I get calves and cattle out on the highway, which becomes asafety issue for the general public.
“I'm on sand, so the conductivity of electric fences is negated, so kangaroos come through and wreck any electric fencing anyway. So I'm really struggling to contain cattle and rest paddocks or rotate, and any paddock Idorest with kangaroos.”
Having owned the property herself for the last four years and having built up to owning her own farmover many years,Ms Mitterer has put everything into the farm. With tight expenses and extra cash going into the animals, Ms Mitterer has had to put personal things on hold or weigh the benefits of each against what would bring moresecurity in her life. As awoman in agriculture with the aim of farming, aphysically demanding occupation, she decided that having children wouldn’t be logical.
“I feel like I'mchasingmytail within myselfand within the farm. Ilove the farm,” Ms Mitterer said.
“There's another worry as to, if Iget the place set up, arethey just going to come put solar panels on there? Is the government going to come in and just make it ugly and industrial when all I've done my whole life is forgone having kids so that Ican finally get this security and do my cows.”
With farming being tight for extramoney, things such as a personal vehicle and onfarmvehicle upgrades, such as tractors, have been put on hold to ensure that the animals stayhealthyon-farm andaren’t going hungry.
While not all farmers face situations like Ms Mitterer's,strugglesand challenges resonatethroughoutthe far mingsector in various ways.
ACROSSthe Gippsland fields,aBuln Buln farmer,Doug Benson (who is featured in Gippsland Farmer), mentionedthat while the grass he has isn’t phenomenal,it’s not quite as direfor him as afarmer
He told the Gippsland Far mer that, although it’s not ideal, he has had some rain and the ground is still warm; he has foundthathestill has enoughgrass to “just hang in there”.
“I got about 85-90 head of cattle on 116 acres,” he told the Gippsland Far mer.“It's
pretty goodcountry down here. So, it's not very oftenthat we have abad year
“I'm abit disillusioned by all these blokes saying how bad it is. This little lot that we've got heremust be exceptional, because I've had paddock shut for three or four weeks, and they got abit of growth in them.”
RECENTLY, Dairy Australia released a Situation and Outlook Report as well as a Hay Report outlining the 2024/25 season.
Industry confidence is at the lowest level in the last five years, according to the Situation and Outlook Report.
The report stated, Significant declines areevident in the Murray, WesternVictoria, Gippsland and South Australia (SA) dairy regions compared to ayear ago. Difficult weather conditions, particularly the ongoing rainfall deficiencies in southwest Victoria, SA and the morerecent deficiencies in parts of Gippsland, have dramatically affected the statusquo, causing widespread impactson input costs and profits.
“In Gippsland, production has continued to grow; however, pressures have mounted in the finalmonthsofthe season.The regionmanagedtoavoidmost o fthe weatherchallenges until December,with milk flows particularly supported by those with access to irrigation in the Macalister Irrigation District.
“Morerecently,drier conditions in the re gi on ’s we st er na nd s ou th er na re as have led to feed and stock water issues for many farmers,resulting in increased culling. Considering the lingering impacts of thesechallengesintothe newseason, Gippsland’s production is likely to ease in the 2025/26 season.”
Accor ding to the Hay Report, until longer-ter mrainfall patternsimprove, fodder availability and pricing pressure areexpected to persist. It also mentioned thatthe state gover nmenthas of ficially expanded the drought zone to include parts of central Victoria, Wimmera and West Gippsland.
The federal government has committed an additional $36 million to extend the Future Drought Fund CommunitiesProgram, helping drought-affected communities in South Australia and Victoria stay connected and supported. An additional $800,000 will be allocated to enhanceaccess to Rural Financial Counselling Services in the most severely affected areas.
While fundinghas been allocated to farmers, the Member for EasternVictoria Melina Bath, has expressed concer nthat none of the funds arebeing directed towards Gippsland farmers, who arealso struggling
“While dollar -for -dollar infrastructure grants arewoefully insufficient, it is insulting thattheyremain unavailablefor eastern Victorian far mers in drought-impacted areas," she said.
“This program has been operational in westernVictoria -access to eligible local farmers should have been seamless. Labor must listen, announce transportation subsidies andopen thesegrants without hesitation.”
The Leader of The Nationals and Member for Gippsland South, Danny O’Brien, said it was inexplicable that Labor was making farmers wait for drought support.
“I have been hearing fr om tiredand frustratedfar mers whoreceivenoreply upon application, while others areinformed that only Expressions of Interest arebeing taken," he said.
“TheLabor Government’sonlyfocus is theopticsand not the outcomes for our
farmers. How does it take over amonth to allow farmers to apply?”
Ms Bath said many Gippsland primary producers werebattling mounting bills and limited or no feed or water
“Victorian far mers and The Nationals arecallingfor fodder,agistmentand water support," she said.
“Our local Rural Financial Counselling Services arebeing inundated with farmers in mental and financial distress as drought conditions biteintoevery aspect of their life.”
For moreinformation on Dairy Australia industry reports, go to www.dairyaustralia. com.au/industry-reports
Something fishy amid budget cuts
Aidan KNIGHT
THE statebudgetcuts to Parks Victoria have hit the natureprotection sectors, spe cifi cal ly tho se con cer ning fi s h er y enforcement.
Labor’s20per cent cuttonatureprotection as awhole has left these agencies reeling, with predictions of an influx in illegal fishing within Gippsland, as resources to manageand police these illegalactivities have been reduced.
The Victorian National Parks Association’s (VPNA)NatureConservation Campaigner, Shannon Hurley, describedthe cuts as “environmental neglect disguised as budget management”.
This comes after the Victorian Fisheries Authority (VFA) has seen a50per cent cut in staffing overall, which comes after years of already being understaffed as an organisation.
The authority currently employs 73 legal enforcement of ficers whose job it is to protect fisheries by ensuringcompliance with fishing regulationsand laws, such as licensing, catch limits, animalcruelty and poaching. These areall efforts to maintain the qualityand quantityofAustralian seafood and their habitats.
The budget cuts will diminish these 73 roles to 36 and also gut the officers of any law enforcement ability,leavingthem to transition to anew role of engagement of ficer.This restrictsthe staf fto merely educating offenders, ratherthan fine them or hold them accountable.
The Community Service and Public Sector Union has released atable displaying the current figures for the sum positions lost
across the VFAasa result of these cuts. This presents the obvious risk of removing the deterrentfromillegalfishing activities,leaving room for apotential rise in the industry for an illegalfishing surge, one that the VPNA and other agencies are already predicting.
Senior officers in the VFAhave expressed this, with one such officer, David Burgess, likening the fishing black market to that of organised tobacco crime.
Gippsland East Nationals MP,T im Bull que sti one dt he Min ist er fo rO ut doo r Recreation, Steve Dimopoulous, on the numbersof of fenders and resources to deal with them.
He asked: “What will be the reduction in the number of on-water hours of fisheries officers inVictoria as aresult, and what was the number of patrol craft beforethe cuts in comparison to post the reduction in staff?"
Mr Bull said unfortunately, the Minister simply refused to answer either question.
Mr Bull also cited the VFA’s public compliance rate of 90 per cent out of the one million recreational anglers recorded within Victoria,meaning “ther eare 100,000 anglers not doing the right thing."
The government maintains it has made budgetallocations in other areas of nature protection.
Threatened wildlife have been allocated $2.3 m illio nf or one s pecif ic pr ojec t; Landcare will receive $17.3 million over a two year period; and other areas of Victoria have received $20 million, the largest bushfirerecovery allocation ever,with another additional $23.5 million put aside for fuel breaks and planned burnings.
Have your sayonBlue Rock water
SOUTHERNRural Water is seekingexpressions of interest from Latrobe Valley farmers about additional waterallocations from Blue Rock Dam.
Vi cto ri a' sM in is te rf or Wa te r, Gayl e Tierney, recently announced 16 gigalitres (GL) of water previously set aside for power generation will be allocated and shared equally to supply agriculture, Traditional Owners and the environment. The decision was made through the Centraland Gippsland Region Sustainable Water
This means 5.3 GL will be availableto support operations, expansion or droughtproofing for irrigators in the Latrobe region. The allocation will open up morewater for production, providing opportunities for innovation, expansionorfuture-proofing of operations. Thiswilllead to economic improvements and the creation of more employment.
Expressions of interest can be made by completing aformand returning it to VicAg by July 30, 2025.Far mers will need to provide evidence they can access the water via aproperty they own, or that they have permission to use. Farmers may express interest inasmuchwater as they like however,they must be able to demonstrate that they can use the water
Those who are successfulmustmeet relevant licencing requirements under the Water Act 1989. Also, this may include other statutory requirements, depending on the intended use. For moreinformation, call 1300 139 510.
Maximising paddock usage
PROVIDED good rain comes,farmers may be looking to retur nstock to paddocks following months of containment feeding. Agriculture VictoriaLivestock andLand Management Extension Officer,Neil James, said returning stock too early may result in damage or deathofdeep-rooted perennials
such as phalaris, cocksfoot and fescue.
"The loss of perennial pastureisprimarily caused by over grazing, but when combined with extended dry periods,pasturedecline canintensify.Perennial ryegrass,however, rarelysurvives prolongeddry periods, regardless of grazing pressure," he said.
"Many pastures arealready understress due to the prolonged dry conditions. Late season rainfall will have triggered some green leaf growth. However,repeated grazing of these new shoots can deplete the plants’ root reserves, ultimately leading to plant death. Ideally, livestock should be held in containment until pastures have grown sufficient leaf area to maximise photosynthesis and rebuildtheirrootreserves.
This may take four -to-six weeks following rain or longer,depending on the starting condition and temperature.
"Wherestock containment is not possible due to the onset of lambing, or excessively wet conditions, farmers might consider containing stock in apaddock corner or using part of alaneway to formasmall sacrifice paddock. Keeping the area small minimises paddock damageand reducesenergy requirements of stock when compared with searching for feed over larger areas.
Resowing perennial pastures is extremely expensive, often exceeding $200/ha, and producers planningtosow new pastures areencouraged to review how those species have per formed in environmentssimilar to their own.
"ThePastureT rial Networkdeveloped and hosted by Meat &Livestock Australia, compiles datafromindependent trial sites assessing awide range of pasturevarieties. It canbeused to comparethe performance (seasonal and total dry matter production) of tested varieties of legumes and grasses."
For moreinfor mation about perennial pastures, visit the AgricultureVictoria website: Getting the most out of your old
perennial pastures. Email Neil James for moreinformation:neil.james@agriculture. vic.gov.au
Effective water supply quiz
FARMERS can use asimple online quiz to evaluate the effectiveness of their farm water supply system -which is available on the VicAg website.
Agriculture Victoria Climate Change Service Development Officer,HeatherField said theshort quiz could help far mers develop afar mwaterimprovement plan for their property.
"Thereare 14 questions to help farmers assess their current farmwater system," Ms Field said.
"The quiz is designed to help you assess whether your farmwater system is easy to maintain, performs well and is suitable for climate challengessuchas war mer, drier climatic conditions, firerisk and other natural disasters such as stormevents.
At the end of the quiz, you will receive a scoreand summary report based on your responses.
The quiz is best suitedfor livestock enterprisesthathavedams andareticulated farmwater supply system.
Go to https://go.vic.gov.au/4l4PKDJ and visit the GoalsCatalogue to access the quiz. Sign into the Learning Management System to complete the quiz.
Irrigation plumbing expansion
AG IPPS LAN Da gri cul tura li rri gat ion plumbingbusinesswill expand,witha grant from the state government's Forestry Transition Fund.
The Minister for Agriculture, Ros Spence, announced a$130,000 investment into DL Jackson Contracting Australia to expand their agricultural services from designing and building specialty irrigation and pumping systems to also providing technical support and repairs.
The current business has been providing plumbing services to Gippsland and other parts of Victoria since 2015.
It currently works on large-scale agricultural projects and identified the need to expand the business to meet the needs of its customers.
The new business,Macalister Poly & Irrigation,willprovide specialist services to use best industry practices in theinstallation of large efficient irrigationsystems whichconserve the water being applied to either crops or paddocks.
Two full-time positions willbecreated from the funding,adding to the current workforce -helpingthe business as it intends to employ morestaffasitgrows.
The Forestry Transition Fund is currently taking applications from interested businesses and organisationslooking to create new jobs in communities hit by the end of native timber harvesting.
Expressions of interest close August 29, 2025.
Visit: deeca.vic.gov.au/forestry or call 1800 318 182.
Australian research shared worldwide GROUND-BREAKING Australian dairy researchwas showcased last month at the world’s premier globaldairyscience conference in America.
Fifteen abstracts from Dairy UP researchers wereacceptedtothe American Dairy Science Association (ADSA) conference from June 22 to 25, in Louisville, Kentucky, with several DairyUPresearchers presentingat the conference, including PhD students supported by the University of Sydney. The ADSA conference is considered a cornerstone event in dairy science, bringing together people from across the world to explore the latestresearch, shareinnovative practices and advance the science of dairy as acommunity.
Dairy UP researchers addressed asymposium on production, management and the environment, highlighting how major challenges for dairy arebeing attacked in amultidisciplinary project.
Pr oject leader Pr ofessor Yani Gar cia said the special Dairy UP session and the acceptance of multiple abstracts reflected the importance of the work being done by Dairy UP researchers.
“Our goal is to ensurethat our research findings arebased on solid science that can be turned into recommendations for farmers and the rigorous peer -review process is an important part of that,” he said.
“ADSA is the most prestigiousand largest dairy conference in the world, and Dairy UP is having amassive impact with 15 pieces of research.”
Professor IanLeanoutlined the need for moreaccuraterecording of metabolic disorders to improve research, prevention, and treatment for feed efficiency, ruminal acidosis and lameness.
PhD student David Sheedy presented the topic `Do cowsin total mixedration systemshaveold lipid profiles compared with pasture-based cows?’
Other abstracts from Dairy UP researchers acceptedatthe conference covered arange of topics, including the positive associations between calf and lactation per for mance, investigatinggeneticand environmental effectsonthe rumen microbiome, dairy far ming system and landuse influence on soil organic carbon stocks, integrating artificial intelligence into the modelfor theAustralianBreeding Value for Heat Tolerance,factorsinfluencinglactose production in dairy cows, and greenhouse gas emissions of confinement and pasturebased dairy farms.
Recognition for hard work
THE Aus tra lia nB ee fS ust ain abi lit y Framework (ABSF) has welcomed the ann ou nc em en tf ro mt he Eu ro pe an Commission thatAustralia is considered alow risk under its upcomingEuropean Union Deforestation Regulation (EUDR).
Chair of the ABSF Steering Group, Patrick
Hutchinson,saidthis was well-deserved recognitionofthe industry’sefforts with vegetation management.
“This is apositive reflection of industry’s strong sustainability credentials.The ABSF will continue objective measurement of forests, woodlands, and grasslandsmanaged within ourindustry,” Mr Hutchinson said.
The latest vegetation figuresfromthe Balance of Tree and Grass Cover mapping showed that in 2022, net woody vegetation on cattle grazing land increased by almost 750,000 hectares in one year.The area of cattle grazingland meetingAustralian forest thresholds reached 69.95 million hectares -its highest point since monitoring began in 1995.
Mr Hutchinson said the ABSF understood the importanceoftransparent reporting, and noted that 927,000 hectares of forest was lost across national cattle grazing land between 2021-2022.
While thisisa decrease inloss compared to previousyears, there is currentlyno process to determine the cause of the forest loss and for what purpose; however,areas of fireencroaching from national parks have been identified in some cases.
“Weknow some of this loss is the removal of regrowth that may be weedy or too thick, in order to enhance ecosystems and promote biodiversity,” he said.
Review for beef levy
THEtimeis right for Australia’s beef cattle levy to be reviewed to ensurethe funding system is appropriate for the modern challenges facing the industry, says Cattle Australia.
Alevy of $5 per head is collected at point of sale, with these funds used for research, development and marketing initiatives by Meat and Livestock Australia (MLA).
The R&D componentattracts amatching C om mo nw ea lt hc o- co nt ri bu ti on Components of the levy also go to support Animal HealthAustralia (AHA), and the National Residue Survey (NRS).
CattleAustralia'sChiefExecutive, Dr ChrisParker,saidCAwould work with other peak industrybodiesintakinga
holistic view of the redmeat production industry, its futureneeds and appropriate supportfromthe levysystem.
“Thereisacase to be made to improvelevy arrangements, including the collection and distribution of funds, to securethe future of this vital industry,” Dr Parker said.
“The first part of this review process is to get the work done on this case. Therewill be wide consultation on both the case for and against change,and we must of course meet the levy principles set out by federal government.Thiswillnot bea quick fix We anticipate the full review process and consultation will take at least two years, but we must start now if we aretoensurethat our industry stays in front of the game and maintains its position as areliable source of safe, nutritious protein.”
The redmeat supply chain employs more than 430,000 people nationwide and has a turnover of morethan $81 billion per year
CA is the national peak body representing Australia’s 52,000 grass-fed cattle levy payers
Crop density tool
THE Crop Density tool is AgVic’s latest agronomy tool.
An early estimation of crop emergence in these challenging, dry winter conditions is an important agronomy tool to later manage canopy density for the season and spring outlook.
If plant establishment is poor it can have amajor influence on final crop yield.
Agricultur eVictoria Seasonal Risk
Agronomist, Dale Boyd, said successful crop establishment depends largely on soil moisturewhich has beenlimited due to May’s decile one rainfall.
"Having the planting equipmentand good quality seed can really help make the most of what moistureisthere,” he said.
“The cr op density calculator can be easily downloaded to your home screen of asmart phone, and is partof the soil moisturedashboard, which provides real time moistureprofiles across the state.
"The crop density calculator is asimple tool thatwill assist cropping farmers and/
or their agronomists, to make infor med decisions on crop management strategies according to the number of plants they have successfully managed to emerge this season."
To findmoreinformation on drought and dry seasons and technical decision-making support, visit: www.agriculture.vic.gov.au/ dryseasons or call 136 186.
Water bill assistance
GIPPSLANDWaterisencouraging customers to reach out if they need help paying their bills thr ough its Customer Car e campaign.
The company’s managing director,Sarah Cumming, said that confidential financial support is always available for Gippsland Water customers.
“Wewant our customers to know that we getitand we’reheretohelp,” she said. “We offer arange of flexible payment options, and ourteam will assist and work out what’s best for you and your needs."
To findout moreaboutthe assistance Gippsland Water can provide or request a call back from the customer careteam, visit: www.gippswater.com.au/customercare.
Safety Learning Network
PRACTICAL safety videos, the implementation of QR codes and streamlining the inductionprocess for new and casual workers have been among the achievements of 26 farms signed up to the Safety Learning Network.
FUNDED by WorkSafe, and driven by experts Velisha Education Group (VEG) and agricultureconsultancy ORM Consultancy and Communications, theproject involved regular catch-ups and farms visits where safe systems of work and practical safety improvementswerethe main topics of conversation.
Amanda Smith, from Gippsland’s Riviera Farms, said the network sparked important conversations about safety, which led them to create new training videos for multicultural workers.
The SafetyLearning Networkprogram is now undergoing an evaluation process.
Taxislottery on farmers: Littleproud
Philip HOPKINS
AN unfairmanipulation of property and farm valuationswillbethe resultof the federal government plans to raise the tax on superannuation accounts above $3 million and tax unrealised gains, according to the LeaderofThe Nationals, David Littleproud.
Mr Litt lepr oud, inte rview ed on Sk y News,agreed with this criticism by one of Australia's biggest auditors,ASF audits. "That's what's going to happen if you've got an unfair tax. What happensisthat people who arecaught up in this aregoing to try whatever they can to get themselves out of it," he said.
"When you think about farmers, they've bought large capital assets costing millions of dollarsand look to actuallypass that on totheir kids through succession through their superannuation fund. And this is a vehiclethey'vedone for some time to protect the family's assets and to make surethat young people can come back.
"And that's when we'vegot an ageing
demographic of far mers. We actuallydo need young people to come back. The biggest inhibitor is to buy land because it's the most expensive. So what happens is thata lot of this land's already been put in self-managedsuperfunds so that the family can have asuccession plan.
"So what's going to happen is that you can have farmers that have tens of millions of dollars worth of property in, in their selfmanaged super fund, they pay arentback to that every year.But if there's nocrop, if theyspend hundreds ofthousands of dollars on acropand then the rain stops, they have no cash flow to pay the tax.
"What they'redoing now is they'regoing to have to get it revalued and all get revalued every year.Therecould behundredsof thousands of dollars every year just in valuation costs. So the gover nment has created thismess without clearlinesof whereit's going to go. And if they have to value aproperty every year,that could be in the hundreds of thousands of dollars every year
"Then if you have afailed crop and you don't have the cash flow to pay for the tax, you'reactually going to have to sell the property. Some farmers arealready getting out, they'reactually transferring someof their propertybackacrossinto other entities. But that comes at agreat cost as well. That comes with stamp duty costs.”
Mr Littleproud said the Treasurer,Jim Chalmers, and the Prime Minister,Anthony Albanese, had not thoughtthisthrough "They aredeterring young farmers coming back into the industry. They'retearing up thelivelihoodsofmany farmers across the country in atime when they can at least afforditindrought and whenwe've had floods," he said.
"This is agovernment that's out of touch and not understanding the consequences of the policies that they'rebringing through. We should be staying out of the lives of our farmers, our business people, they'rethe ones who create jobs.
"Butit'snot just far mers, it'sactually small businesses aregoing to get caught up
with this. They might have their commercial property in aself-managed super fund, but this is wheregovernments should not overreach."
Mr Littleproud said the principle that "we should alwayswalk away from" was taxing unrealised capital gains.
"Once you go down this slippery slope of taxingunrealised capital gains justonsuper funds, you'll have aLabor government that opens up the floodgates for other parts of the economy,whether thatbeyour shares, whether that be your house, whether that be anything else," he said.
"Some willsimplysay,'I mightaswell cash all my chips in now, put it into my self-managed super fund as cash and Ican get out and Ican go and live at the coast. The problem is we haven't got young people comingthrough taking over with the expertise to be able to build them up. And this is the challenge that Anthony Albanese is creating with this tax that has no principle to it whatsoever.But the practical reality has severeconsequences for our farmers."
Photo: File
Victoria first
VICTORIA'S primary producers and food manufacturers have delivered another year of record-breaking exports, leadingthe nation and hitting the state’s $20 billion target six years ahead of schedule.
The 2023/24 Foodand FibreExport Per for mance Reportshows Victoria is Australia’s top food and fibreexporter, capturing 27 per cent of the total national export value.
The results cement Victoria’s position as the nation’s premier state for food and fibre,building on twoconsecutive years of record-breakingnumbers andseeing the state exceed the government’s ambitious target of $20 billion in food and fibre exports by 2030.
Victoria was one of only two states to recordgrowth in food and fibreexport value in 2023/24. Butterexports, for example, surged by 81 per cent.
The Minister for Economic Growth and Jobs, Danny Pearson, said this result was atestament to the qualityofVictorian produce, sustainable practices and safety standards.
China remained Victoria’s largest export market, totaling almost $5 billion in value in 2023/24.Victoria registered growth in export value to many key markets in addition to China, including theUnited States, Japan, South Korea, Vietnam and India.
"Weare facing an uncertain global trade environment," Mr Pearson said.
"That’s why we’rebacking our exporters -investing $34.9 million in the Victorian Budget2025/26tosupport small and medium-sized businesses to identify new markets and diversify their customer base.
"We’realso investing $18.8 million in our tradeand investment networkwhich supports Victorianexporters,creatingmore opportunities for businessright across our state."
Mr Pea rso ns ai dt he gover nme nt’ s Economic Growth Statement identifies agribusiness as apriority sectorand trade as acritical driver of economic growth. "Agricultureproduction is an integral part of Victoria’s regionaleconomy, whichis home to around 75 per cent of the industry's workforce," he said.
To read the report, visit: global.vic.gov au/victorias-export-performance
The Minister for Agriculture, Ros Spence, said the 2030export targetswereachieved well ahead of schedule. "That’s thanks to the tirelessefforts of our world-class primary producers and food manufacturers,"she said.
The Minister for Industry and Advanced Manufacturing, Colin Brooks, said these outstandingresults were acredit to the state’s hardworking food and beverage producers and manufacturers.
"They werepivotal in creating local jobs, boosting business and supporting communities across regional Victoria," he said.
Geeseleaving trail ofdestruction
Philip HOPKINS
FARMERS on Phillip Islandare batt lin gt he damag ed on et o agriculturedue to the expanding number of Cape Barren Geese.
The Vi cto rian F ar mers Federation Bass president,Bill Cleeland, told the Phillip Island Advertiser that progress had been made in trying to stop the geese damaging farming.
"When we first started we could only get permits to scareand now we get permits (to cull) relatively quickly for areasonablenumber," he said.
Never the less, geese werecontinuing to damage pastures and cost money, with aflock of geese equivalenttoa flock ofsheep in terms of feed eaten.
"It costs us and other farmers thousands of dollars every year."
Mr Cleeland said geese populations had exploded since Phillip Island had become fox-free,while wallabies and increasinglyswamp hens werealsocausing damage to pastures and tree plantations.
"Geese and swamphensalso cause problems when they poo in water troughs, as they carry bacteria thatcan impact lambs and calves, whereas wallabies make it almost impossible to grow trees," he said.
Mr Cleela nd has been on a workinggroup set up as part of aWildlife Plan originally released in 2021 by Phillip Island Nature Parks, Bass Coast Shire,far mers and the stategover nment It detailed measures that aimed
to balance populations of Cape Barren geese, wallabies and possums on the island.
The thirdupdate of the Phillip Island Wildlife Plan, which started in Augustlastyearaspart ofa Melbourne University PhD project, said100 GPS loggers hadbeen attached to the geese. Afurther 22 geese have been tagged with plastic neck collars, with atotal of 200 to be attached this year,the Phillip IslandAdvertiser reported.
Res ul ts s how ed so m eg ees e hadtravelled almost 100 kilometres from Rhyll to areservoir near Morwell, whileothers have reached Moe and Yanakienear Wilsons Promontory.
Mos tm ove men ts of fP hi ll ip isl and occu ra lo ng the Bas s Coast, between LangLangand San Remo. Six even visit French Island regularly, while onewas tracked to nearTyabb on the Mornington Peninsula.
Many geese have shown a preference for specific far mers' paddocks, often returning to the same locations many times.
The stud yf ou n dt ha tg ee s e numbers in the pastyearhad totalled 3120 -354 morethat the 2023 survey.
The study, which began in May last year,will run until December 2027. It is inve stigat ing the geeses' migratory and territorial behaviours, which in tur nwill help clarify their seasonal use of breeding and feeding grounds.
The Wildlife Plan was prompted by complaints in 2019 by farmers and other groups that geese
were"pooing and chewing" their way through the landscape, with residentsalso reporting significant damage from swamp wallabies and brushtail possums.
The thirdupdate has shown that wallaby numbers on the SutherlandPeninsulahave grown by about750 to1227since the last census adecade ago, "with densities increasingfromtwo to three individuals per hectare".
Pos sum numb ers on the Summerland Peninsula show a "high abundant" 2.3 per hectare, suggesting they have spread to a wide range of habitats across the island, even pen habitats without woodland.
A12-month study of possum browsing on the health of eucalypts -using cameras to capture images -had sown that the majority of 16 swamp gums that had protective collars to protect them fr om possums had register ed canopy growth.
The averagesurvivalrates of unguarded trees wereone per cent after 12 months compared to survival rates of guarded plants averaging 44 per cent after 12
months.
"Thefindings emphasise the profound impact of browsing on conservation plantings," the study said.
The wildlife plan showed that several pr oposed solutions to deter wildlife damage had failed.
The use of decoy crops to relieve grazing pr essur ef ro mC ape Barron geese had been ineffective.
Also, trials to evaluatecommercial deterrents including Sen-Tree and D-Ter showed both products wereineffectiveatreducingthe impacts of br owsing by Cape Bar re ng ees ea nd w al la bie s.
Seabirdhabitat, including erosion and collapse of burrows, had also been affected.
Exclusion fencing to protect six hectares of eucalypt plantation on the island had proven "extremely effective atsafeguardingkoalas" againstthe impacts of wallabies andpossums, with a"floppy top" overhang design and "hot wires" to stop possums from gaining access.
The plan also hopes power ful owls on Phillip Island could prey on possums, with asingleowl
preying on up to 300 possums each year
Successes include using possum carcasses for Aboriginal cultural practices, such as creating possum skin cloaks. Possums are "harvested humanelyand sustainably",and Bunurong Land Council will "continue to access possums for cultural use by the Bunurong community with the support of DEECA and Nature Parks".
To improve the resilience of the LittlePenguincolony, projects include 5.5 hectares of firebreaks and the planting of 12,415 plants across seven hectares, focusing on expanding tree canopy and shade coverage in penguin habitats. The Gap road wetland has had an extra 2000 plants planted across the eight-hectaresite.
The Advertiser reported that a PhD candidate from Melbour ne University, VinceKnowles, said little was known about the Cape Barren geese, especially on Phillip Island, wherenoformal study had beencompleted. Despitebeing common on the island, the geese had asmall total range confined to the islands of fs outher n Australia, he told the Phillip Island Conservation Society.
"Thereforeitisvital to understand their basicecology and biologysothat the geesecan be managed in away that maintains aviablepopulation, as wellas minimising theeffectstheyare currentlyhavingonagriculture and revegetation in conservation areas on Phillip Island," he said
Cape Barren Australian geese arecausing issues for farmers. Photo: iStock
Tangled up in turbine uncertainty
Philip HOPKINS
THE Lakes EntranceFishing Co-op, now a private business, has embarked on anew growth path, but faces several challenges, includingpotentially losing fishing grounds from the offshorewind farms planned off the Gippsland coast..
This possible blow comes after the fleet lost some fishing areas due to the recent expansion of marine parks in Bass Strait, while any potential reclaim of some fishing rights after Esso decommissions its offshore oil and gas platforms arealong way off.
The general manager of Lakes Entrance Fishermen's Ltd, Anthony Woodland, told Gippsland Far mer that theLakes fishing industry was not just ajob, but away of life -but it's still got to make money and be viable.
About three-to-four years ago, the business agreed upon afinancial splitfrom LEFCO, which hadprovided equipment for fishermen suchasgills, netting and boats "It was amutual separation,"said Mr Woodland, along-time resident of Lakes Entrance.
"Costshave risen over the past seven years."
The upshot was that the 'co-op', as it's still known, is aprivate company with 20-30 shareholders.
The mantra for the 'new' business is value-adding. An initialprojectwas the construction of anew fish cafe that opened in December2023, with outside and inside seating and lovely views over the lake.
Mr Woodland said the business had now become moreproactive in selling its product.
"Wefilletourselvesand sell wholesale to outlets in Gippsland. We cutcosts by gettingrid of the middle man andsell direct to cafes," he said.
The business has three per manent filleters, with up to six on busy days.
"Wecan havesix cutting at the same time," he said.
Despite the large area, deliveries can be made in aday to cafes in Lakes itself, Bair nsdale,Paynesville,Sale,Rosedale, Cowwarr,Heyfield and Maffra.
The Latrobe Valley is part of the eventual plan. This gives the businessanadvantage over fish thatare sent to Melbourne and thendistributed tothe region; the fish spend twodaysinafreezer, threedays in achiller
"That's five or six days beforethey'recut," Mr Woodland said.
However,toadd value to everything is a big challenge.
"Electricity bills and insurance have gone up astronomically," he added.
Old troublesome parts of the LEFCO buildings arealso alegacy of the past. Thenumberoftrawlers based at Lakes Entrance has fallen from past numbers of
50-60 to 28-30 now, with some 'gummy boat' visitors from South Australia.
The inland fisherywas closed three years ago.
"A lot of those fish werehandled through theco-op. It's another little hit to the business,"hesaid.
Mr Wo odl an ds ai da ni ss ue fo rt he futurewas the qualityand condition of the trawlers.
"Some companies buy abig boat and put in askipper,but most hereare 'mum and dad' owners going back generations. Some of the boats couldbe up to 40-50 years old. The owners put alot of work into the boats, but it's an expensive exercise. The cost of fuel -diesel, oil and parts -isgoing up," he said.
The fishing has been consistent over the past three to four years.
"Werely heavily on the weather; the guys have got to be able to get out. There are afew rough days. If you go out and get a good catch, you returnand go out again," he said.
"Fishermen say, 'If thereis adrought on land, thereisadrought on the sea'."
The business had had agood run with gummy shark in the past few years,catching about 30 tonnes of gummy. Gummy and flatheadwerethe mostpopularfish sent to market. Apart from gummy, the co-op's main species caught and sold are flathead, whiting, octopus, scallopsand seasonal prawns.
The business took about 250-300tonnes of fish last year,with atotal estimated value $5 million-$6 millioninsales ayear.Lakes Entrance remains the biggest fishing fleet in Victoria, with Mr Woodland estimating its market shareat75per cent. It dwarfs fleetsatSan Remo, Torquay, Port Albert and Welshpool.
Mr Woodland said the proposed offshore windfar ms in Gippslandwer ea huge challenge.
"Itwillhave asignificant
"Buthow?Fishingtrawlers requirea lot of space. It's not true we can coexist around turbines. The nets get tangled. It costs $50,000-$60,000 to change netting," he said.
"Therehas been no discussion of how this could happen, the windfarms arenot even talking compensation.
"Thewindfarms will go ahead,but the ripple effects will be huge - there are local mums anddads in thetown,with kids. Thereisafear of the unknown."
Mr Woodland saidEastGippsland and Wellington shires had shown great support, as had local state and federal MPs -T im Bull in East Gippsland and Darren Chester in Gippsland.
“It's astalemate," he said.
The chief executive of the SeafoodIndustry Council, Matt Wassnig, said it was difficult to ascertain the impact of proposed wind far ms to Victorianmanaged fisheries at this point in time given the detail around design of proposed projectsand number of projects that might proceed was not fully understood.
"The A ustral ian gov er nment has a responsibility to protect Victoria’s valuable seafood industry and the communities it help ssupp or t; ther efo re ,eve ry ef for t should be made to avoid negative impacts on the sector," he told Gippsland Far mer SIV,for med in 1989, is anot-for -profit, non-government organisation that is the peak body for Victorian commercial fishing licence holders.
Thelikelihood of gaining back some fishing fields whenEssodecommissions its oil and gas platforms is also fading. The industry was assured that would happen when Esso set up the platforms 60 years ago.
"Wewill not get our fishing grounds back. It will be good for recreational fishing, but not good for us."
Australiaspokesman panywas committed
"Weare decommissioning our facilities in a stagedapproach, with early works currently underway. Therewillbefurther decommissioning works required in the future, includingthe eventualdecommissioning offacilitiesthat todayare still delivering much-needed gas to Australia.
"Once our facilities have been decommissionedinBass Strait, reduction or removal of current exclusion zones will be managed by the offshore Commonwealth regulator From the outset, Esso identified and actively engaged withkey stakeholders including fishing groups across the Gippsland region and will continue to consult them as we progress our decommissioning."
Mr Wassnig said SIV's understanding was that most existing oil and gas platforms are in areas that would be otherwise accessible by commercial fisheries.
"In the interests of the Victorian seafood industry and seafood consuming public, SIV requeststhat when existing infrastructureassets associated with offshoreenergy production reach the end of useful life, they be removed from the marine area to the extent that enduring negative impacts areamelioratedand obstructionorrisk to operations of the commercial seafood industry areeliminated," he said.
Mr Woodland saidindustry had lost more fishing ground when the marine parks were extended in the past six months.
"It' sd eath by at housa nd cut s. Generational fishermen have seen it before -they fight and fight, but they don't have many wins," he said.
Mr Wassnig cautioned againstlimiting fishing grounds that provide local seafood for Victorian seafood consumers.
"The unintended consequence can be reduced availability of local seafood and a higher dependence on imported products," he said.
An Esso Australia spokesman said the om decommiss Bass facilities, deli ene
The new South-east Marine Parks network management plan 2025-2035 introduces changes that increased protection within the network through zoning and rules for allowableuses, recognising what it says are the risks facing the zone over the next decade. These include the impacts of climate change; illegal, unregulated and unreported fishing, plastic and other pollution; offshore industries; and marine noise.
The 60 marine parks arespread across five networks, and the Coral Sea and Indian Ocean territories -3.8 squarekilometres, or 43 per cent, of Australian waters.
Underpinning the changes is the role of Traditional Owners as partners, not stakeholders. This includes protecting important tangible and intangibleFirst Nations values, suchasareas nowunder seathat were part of the landscape used by First Nations people during the late ice age when Victoria and Tasmania werephysically joined.
The Committee for Gippsland was also asked for acomment.
Longwarry to thesaleyardrescue?
Lydia BURTON
DISRUPTIONS to cattle movements and transporters continue despite it being nearly 12 months since Victoria’s fourth largestsaleyardclosed, withanew sale yardatLongwarry potentially coming to the rescue.
TheVictoria Livestock Exchange held its last cattle sale at Pakenham in June 2024, after rising land taxes andrates made it unviable to continue.
The manager of Elders Delaney Livestock and Property, Anthony Delaney said it had forced cattle into other sale yards, putting them at capacity and making it harder for cattle to be booked.
“It’s had amajor impact,and Ithink we’re only really now 12 months in seeing exactly how pivotal Pakenham or aMelbourne central market was to the industry,”hesaid.
“There’s now alot of pressureonalot of otherselling centres and quite possibly categories of cattle are going to market for logistic reasons which may not be the best financial decision.
“Other centres arecoping, but Iwould say just coping. And every country market that has amonthly sale,they areat capacity every month.
“The agents at Leongathahavesplit up so halfthe agentsgoone week andthe other half on another,which helps them cope with the numbers, but it brings some disjointedness.”
Mr Delaney said moreorganisationand planningisrequired with the loss of VLE, as producers can no longer move cattle at the drop of ahat.
“I think we arestarting to get through the rushofnumbers downhere, so we aren’t weeks and weeks out but it’s still going to be two to three weeks wait to move cattle. So we need to be organised and be thinking
about cattle movements weeks in advance,” he said.
Mr Delaney saidusually whenaselling centrecloses, it’s becauseofconsistent low numbers or if anew alter native facility has opened. However,that was not the case for Pakenham.
“We’ve never seen amajor market, selling in excess of over 100,000cattle ayear,just shut with no obvious alter native of moving the sale from one centretoanother,” he said.
“It’s left amajor hole in our area, and I think the Victorian industry.”
The closureofVLE has also put pressure on transporters as they areshifting the same amount of cattle in amorecongested timeframe, given thereare fewer sale days.
“It is stretching the transporters because the cattle need to be moved in aday rather
than two days,” said Rob Hodge from Hodge Livestock Transport.
The closureof thetruck washthatwas part of the VLE had also had amajor impact on transporters.
“Pakenham was very close toseveral abattoirs, which plenty of sheep and cattle go into, but now thereisnotruck wash on that side of town, we have to cross the city to wash out and then take it back through Melbour ne,” Mr Hodge said.
“It’s adding an extra couple of hours just to wash out …and join the queue if they’re preparing for asale the next day.”
Mr Hodge explained his company carts a large amountofstock from Tasmania intothe meat works on the easternside of Melbourne and that trucks arerequired to wash out between each load from the mainland to
Tasmania.
But the extra time it takes to travel through Melbour ne to wash out means his trucks aredoing less trips to Tasmania as they can’t always make it back in time for the retur nbarge.
“Instead of doing three trips aweek we areback to two,” he said.
Longwarry
The proponents behind the private venture to build new saleyards at Longwarry say it is full steam ahead,with capital raising in the next financialyear
“The yar ds will be called the We st Gippsland Livestock Exchange,and we expect the build from start to finish will be inexcessive of $30 million,” said Chairman ofthe Longwarry Saleyards, Greg Price.
“It’s become painfully obvious, in the 12 months since Pakenham closed,that afacility in West Gippsland close to processors is needed.
“When you look at the huge volumes of cattle and prime cattle that West Gippsland produces and the huge numbers we have seen atKoonwarra saleyards(Victorian Livestock Exchange at Leongatha), it is clear Koonwarra cannot fill the holeof Pakenham.”
Mr Price said the plan is for the West Gippsland Livestock Exchange to mirror Pakenham in size and will run in asimilar way.
“In aperfect world it wouldbenice to think that Longwarry could be up and running in two-and-a-half-yearsbecause it’sa big project to raise the capital and it’s probably aone-year build,” he said.
Mr Price confir med the plans do include truck wash facilities.
Beef Central
Plans areinplace to look at building anew West Gippsland sale yardsfacility at Longwarry.Photo:iStock
Money Matters
Get aCarePlan: Why Planning and Self-CareMatter
THERE’S awell-worn bit of advice shared on every flight: “In the event of an emergency,put your ownoxygen mask on beforeassisting others.”
It ’s not just asafety instruction;it’sapowerful metaphor for life, especially when you’re running afarm or agribusiness through difficult seasons likethe one many farmers aregoing throughnow
Many across Gippsland aredoing it tough
Thestress of drought conditions is mounting, and for many,it feels likethe wheels could fall off at any moment.
It ’s in these times many start to look sideways—to neighbours, to social media, to others who seem to be doing just fine.
Youknowthe type: Mr andMrs Bloggs who always look like they’ve got it together, somehowalwaysoptimistic, organised, seemly well off with cashflowmoreofa flowing stream than atrickle through adry creekbed, business thriving.
Their kids arekicking goals, the in-laws pitch in, and just roll with the punches better than most.
But here’s the truth:t hey’ren ot doing anything magic.
Chances are, they’ve just made agreat plan and stuck to it.
CarePlans Aren’t Just for Injuries.
IF you injured your back, chances are you’d head to the doctor and walk out with a care plan.
Afew sessions in with the physio, you’re not just healing, you’relearning: how to lift properly,how to recognise strain beforeit becomes damage, and how to ask for help when you need it.
The same thinking can—andshould—be applied to your financ ial and mental wellbeing.
ACarePlan for your business and for yourself.
Planning isn’t just about budgets or contingency spreadsheets.
It ’s about acknowledging the reality that hardtimes willcome, so why not be ready for them?
Whenyou put aplan in place forall aspects you giveyourself permission and room to breathe emotionally,physicallyand financially
Then your neighbourwill look at you the same way you look at the Bloggs, you’reno longer scrambling in crisis; instead moving with purpose, protecting your wellbeing and your business because you’ve been preparing for this.
This isn’t about weakness—it ’s aboutwisdom.
When you takecareofyourself first,you’re in abetter place to support your business, your family,and your community
Consider what areal reset might look like. MakeaCarePlan.
Creating aCarePlan starts with one simple step: talk about it.
Have aconversation with your partner,your team, your family
What will you do if cash flow tightensagain?
What signs of burnoutare you watchingfor?
Who can step in to help if you need to step back?
At NEX, they understand the realitiesof running afarm or small business—because they’ve been doing this for over 40 years.
They areanot-for-profit organisation committed to strengthening the resilience and
prosperity of rural and regional communities.
NEX deliversexpert businesscoaching, strategic planning, and tailored consulting servicesfor farmers, agribusinesses,and small business owners—at acost that ’s far more affordable than many realise.
Because they’renot herefor profit.
They’reherefor people likeyou.
Is yourbusinessworth it to you?
LET NEX build your Care Plan with you.
Money That Works forYou
YOUhave heardthese before...”Work smarter, notharder”... “Don’t work for money,let money work for you.”
But what doesthis mean and how can you apply this practically to your farm or business?
Areyou experiencingfrustration with your currentfinancial situation?
Perhaps you feel that financial freedom and contentmentare just out of reach.
While externalfactors likebushfires, droughts, andfloods canimpactyour business, you may have reacheda point whereyour hardwork and effort isn’t enough to combat rising costs of living and operating expenses.
Do you find yourself treading water,maintaining your positionbut unable to move forwardand grow your business?
Haveyou noticed the shifting landscape of money,business, and global economics, wherewealth seems to concentrate at the top while small businesses struggletokeep pace?
Youmay have actively soughtguidance to enhance your business operations, only to encounter knowledgegapsand rapidly evolving technological advancements and increasing compliance effort.
The desiretoincrease revenue without increasing expenses creates achallenging
cycle, and the prospectofnavigating these changes—such as integrating AI technology—can be daunting and potentially costly
The point has now been reached where innovative thinkingabout money and business is not just beneficial—it ’s essential.
This paradigm shift is reflected in the educational system, wherechildren arenow learning about investing rather than simply saving.
The focus has shifted from working for money to making money work for you.
While NEX can’t provide you with an instant money-making scheme or awinning lottery ticket,they can offer you apath forwardto improve your financial future.
Their goal is to guide you towards success by equipping you with the skillsand knowledge to thrive, much liketeaching you to fish rather than simply providing ameal.
This is the time when you call the experts, a team that has been supporting farmers and small businesses for 40 years.
NEX BusinessFarmingWellness,deliveringthe Rural FinancialCounselling Service program is now offering other services.
Theyprovide expert businesscoaching, strategic planning, advisory services,financial counselling, and dedicated wellbeing support to help businesses thrive.
The NEX name represents the critical connection, or nexus, between healthy businesses, sustainable farming and community wellbeing.
NEX is anot-for-profit organisation with 40 years’ experience empoweringbusinessesto navigate challenges, seize opportunities and build better futures.
Call them for achat today to see how they can help your business not only survive but thrive.
NEX |1300 045 747|nexsolutions.org.au
Net-zeronot one-size-fits-all solution
Lydia BURTON
AREPOR Tbythe Tasmania Institute of Agriculture hasfound that the most cost-effective way for livestock businesses to achievenet-zeroisbyimplementing multiple strategies.
While therehas been alot of research on the effectiveness of methods to reduce greenhousegas (GHG) emissions,this report focusedspecifically on how different interventions impactedproductivity, profitability and emissions of the beef and sheep industries.
It looked at several practices aimed at reducing or removing GHG emissions:
-Improving soil carbon storage by grazing management and pasturerenovation;
-Improving carbon storage in vegetation by planting native tree species;
-Adopting anti-methanogenic feed additives, such as Asparagopsis or biochar,and;
-Revenue diversification with renewable energy or irrigation to reduce dependence on rainfall for income.
The lead author,ProfessorMatthew Harrison, said the easiest option was also the most costly,while the moredif ficult changes werethe most lucrative, with the cost of transitioning to net-zerointhe latter case improving profitability.
The report worked with aregional referencegroup of industry practitioners and useddata from two far ms in souther n Australia toensurerelevance, credibility and legitimacy of proposed interventions.
The study found that few interventions
enhancedprofitabilityand reducedGHG emissions, but costsoftransitioning to net-zer owerelower when appropriate interventionswerestacked and boosted productivity.
“Toget to net-zeroinaprofitable way -you would need to improve livestock feed conversion efficiency, reduce enteric methane through anti-methanogenic feed additives and sequestercarbonthrough planting native trees,” Professor Harrison said.
“You have got to have all three to get to net-zeroinaprofitable way.
“I cannot see farms doing that to negate all of theirGHG emissions,although it may be necessary to offset some remaining emissions.”
Profit vs emissions reduction
THE report found anti-methanogenic feed supplementsand plantingtrees hadthe greatest impact on emissions abatement, while revenue diversification with wind turbines and adoption of livestock genotypes with enhanced feed conversion efficiency werebest for improving profit.
In particular, those interventions that resulted in aproductivity co-benefit (ie improvementinlive-weightgainor wool production) were often themostprofitable.
Hereare some morein-depth findings from thereport: (The study assumedfarmers would be paid $28/tonne CO2 reduced or removedand taxed $80/tonne CO2that increased above baseline levels; the latter known as the social cost of carbon).
Feed additives
INDIVIDUAL interventions targeting
livestock enteric CH4 (CH4 produced by fermentation in the gut) weremost promising for reducing GHG emissions, such as the seaweed feed additive Asparagopsis taxiformis.
Asparagopsis feed additive reduced farm enterprise CO2 by 46-72 per cent under futureclimates. However,this was also one of the most expensive singular interventions, reducing profits by $23-25 tonne per CO2 mitigated.
The regional reference group considered biochar feed supplementation as highly adoptable based on ease of implementation in comparison with other interventions.
The study showed that biochar feed supplementation reduced net GHG emissions by 8pc and increased profit of the cattle enterprise by 18pc, but reduced profit of the sheep enterprise by 10pc.
The studies do not account for upstream (pre-farm) GHG emissions associated with biochar production, which may reduce perceived climate benefits at the farmscale.
In contrast, interventions that wer e considered most adoptable by the group of expertpractitionersoftenhad the lowest mitigation potential.
Revenue diversification
PURCHASINGafar minadistinctively different climatic zone and altering lambing or calving times accordingly, evoked the greatest improvement in productivity (16-18pc), while enterprise diversification (ca pit al inv est me nt to en abl ei nco me generation from irrigatedgrapevinesor wind turbines), pasturerenovationwith deep-rooted legumes andimprovements in
IMPROVING live-weight gain per unit of feed consumed was operationalised by increasing pastureutilisation.
This increased profit $70-250 tonne CO2 but only had modest impacts on productivity (0-6pcincrease) and GHG abatement (-9 to 15pc reduction).
Impr oving feed conversion ef ficiency through genetics increased livestock production and profit by 8–39pc while reducing net GHG emissions by 11–17pc.
Planting trees
PLANTINGtrees on farmdecreased profits for each unit of CO2 mitigated compared with incorporating lucerne into pastures. This occurred because lucerne enabled pasture growthand improved livestock production, whereas planting trees was assumed torepresent anew investment or occur within remnant vegetation, with no effect on livestock production. This assumption was made for conservatism, acknowledging that some tree species could provide productivity co-benefits.
Conclusions
THE report found stackingseveral interventions to mitigate entericmethane, improve feedconversionefficiencyand sequester carbon -entirely negated enterprise emissions in aprofitable way.
Professor Harrison said one of the simplest ways to reduce emissions intensity was to improve production efficiency. Beef Central
Feedlot sector’s clear path forward
THE federal gover nment hasr evised the feedlot industry’scontribution to emissions after the release of Australia’s National Gr eenhouse Gas Inventory Report 2023.
The DepartmentofClimateChange, Energy, the Envir onment and Water (DCCEEW) has adopted anew Australianspecificequation to calculate enteric methane emissions from grainfed cattle following research conducted by University of New England (UNE).
This research was initiated and funded by Meat &Livestock Australia on behalf of AustralianLot Feeders’ Association (ALFA)and revises the previousestimates of enteric methane emissions from Australian feedlot cattle downwards by 56 per cent on average in the last five years, and 57 per cent in 2021-22.
The National Gr eenhouse Accounts pr eviously used the Moe and Tyrr ell (1979) equation for predicting the beef feedlot sector’s methane emissions. This
previous equationused datafromdairy cattle in the United States, wherediet and production systems aremarkedly different from that of moderngrain-fed beef cattle in Australia.
According to the MLA's managing director, Michael Crowley, the results gave the industry amuch moreaccurate picture of the industry andpath forwardfor addressing the Australian feedlot sector’s emissions.
“The development of an Australianspec ifi cm eth odo log yf or ca lcu la tin g Australian grain-fed cattle emissions is ahelpful step-forwardfor the feedlot industry,” Mr Crowley said.
“As technology has improved over time, measurements have become moreaccurate and now we have proven thorough research that grain-fed cattle have lower emissions than previously thought.
"The grain -fed secto ri sa dopting sustainable practices such as reducing methane emissions through advanced
feed and management strategies. To have amoreaccurate method to calculate and analyseour emissions, we can focus more closely on addressing enteric methane emissions, making our product even more environmentally sustainable.”
The President of the AustralianLot Feeders’ Association (ALFA), Grant Garey, said the results showed that feedlots are committed to understanding their emissions and how to reduce them.
“AL FA and M LA ha ve p artn er ed in re sear ching and developi ng tools to address theclimatechallenge for over 20 years.This recent advancement in accurate measurement of emissions gives us the toolstofurther target methane reductionwithinthe feedlot industry, Mr Garey said.
“The research provides lot feeders with accurate information to meet the growing demand for climate-related evidence and reporting.”
Professor of Livestock Production at UNE,
Frances Cowley,statedthatresearched evaluated equations for predicting methane emissionsofbeef cattlewhenfed tempered barley-based diets, whichare typical of the Australian feedlot industry.
“The research involved analysis of previous methane studies on livestock as well as new measurements of methane output at UNE’s facilities,” Prof Cowley said.
“The data co l l e c te ds uppor ted the theory that Australian cattlethat were fed atempered barley-based diet, which is typical of the Australian feedlot industry, produced less emissions than what was calculated with the historic Moe and Tyrrell equation.”
To viewAustralia’s National Greenhouse Gas Inventory Reports, visit: National Inve ntor yR epor ts and view e missionsonlineatthe Australian National Greenhouse Accounts MLA
Using the nine letters in the grid,how many words of four letters or morecan you list? The centreletter must be included and each letter may only be used once. No colloquial or foreign words. No capitalised nouns, apostrophes or plural nouns ending in “s”.
Countr yhouses (6)
percentofthe
th’s atmosphere(8)
Eveningprayer(8)
Grow worse(10)
16 Flood (8) 17 European countr y(8)
18 Relating to cultivated land (8) 21 As snug as abug –––(2,1, 3) 22 US st ate(6) 23 Just (6) 26 Prefixmeaning water (4)
Farming For the Future
Australian-made water conditioning systems from Hydrosmart can significantly increase the utility of highly mineralised water
Based in South Australia and family-owned by Mr Pearce, along with his sons, Jai and Zac, the Hydrosmart team have built abusiness with morethan two decades worth of success stories.
“The Hydrosmart electronic system is proven to perform across arange of agricultural markets, including livestock, crops, pivots and flood irrigation,” Mr Pearce said.
“Initially working with South Australian winemakers, Hydrosmart has been able to help everyonefromstrawberry, olive, and citrus growers to broadacreand livestock farmers.”
He said other satisfied customers include large-scale commercial miners and small-scale domestic gardeners.
The company’s coretechnology is acomputerised, chemical- and filter-free water conditioning system which softens hardwater that’s high in salt,iron, calcium, and other minerals and works for decades.
Amicroprocessor unit is
Hydrosmart systemboosts waterquality
attached to the outside of apipe and directs resonance frequencies onto the water inside, breaking down the bonds in its minerals and in any existing mineral deposits in the pipe.
“Although it sounds complex, the devices areeasy to install, don’t requiremaintenance, and only cost around $10per year to run,” Mr Pearce said.
“The benefits they can bring include improved growth rates, reduced scale layers and corrosion in pipes and troughs, decreased water use, and livestock that fatten morequickly.”
According to Mr Pearce, one NSWfeedlot reported a15per cent weight increase on hard borewater used on its stock, while many sheep, cattle and goat farmers have seen aturnaround
in stock health and scouring, especially when lactating females and their young drink treated water at levels considered unpalatable.
He said asignificant lowering of algae and scale build-up in troughs is also often observed.
Visit hydrosmart.com.au or phone 08 8357 3334
Future Farming
VICTORIAN farmers face many changes in their lifetimes with the sustainability of the family business relying on the decisions they makenow
Should Idiversify?
Should Iincorporate robotics and drones?
Should Ibethinking moreabout the environmental impactofmy farm?
These and manyother hard questions needtobe answered and plannedfor now Farmers need to not only put best practices into action, but also continually look ahead to what they wanttheir children and grandchildren to inherit.
That way,the new generation will benefit from their wisdom as they in turn takeon the responsibility to provide for their families and farm for the future.
Nowintheir 26th year of business, the South Australian-based Hydrosmartwater conditioning team includes Paul Pearce, Matt Steeleand JaiPearce. Picture supplied
Your Fields Deserve Better Than aBlindfolded Guess
Geospatial science kickedoff in style when Galileo Galilei, everyone’sfavouriterebellious astronomer, pointed his telescope at thesky andsaid, “Wow,Earth isn’tthe centre of theuniverse…take that, Ptolemy!” (Okay alittle poetic license,but the gististhere). Duringthis period cartographers were still messingup maps so badly that explorers keptcrashing into continents they didn’tmeantofind.(Hello, Columbus).
Thenalong came theodolite triangulation (Hattip to Jesse Ramsden), the OG of precise land measurement, which was basically surveyors playing the world’smosttediousgame of connect-the-dots with theodolites.
Sure, it was slow,but at least they got to wear those sweet pith helmets while doing it.
On 22nd February1978the first
launch of the Global Positioning System(GPS) occurred GPS burstonto the scene like a tech-savvy superhero, except its earlyaccuracywas about as reliable as adrunk pirate’s treasuremap.
Enter RTK(Real-TimeKinematic) GPSinthe late 1990s, theplucky little sibling to GPS, who showed up and said, “Hold my satellite signal.”
Suddenly, locations could be pinpointed downtothe centimetre, making farmers, surveyors, andeventhatone guyobsessively mapping potholes in his neighbourhood unreasonably happy
From Galileo’sstargazing to RTK’shyper-precision, geospatial science hascome along way,proving that humanity will stop at nothing to avoidasking for directions.
Alongside this revolution in positioning accuracy,the rise
of automation in agriculture hasturnedfarmmachineryinto theoverachieving robots we never knew we needed -until they started ploughing fields straighterthanaZen Buddhist with arakeand some pebbles. GPS-guided tractorsnow navigate fields with extreme precision, thanks to autosteer systems that make human drivers look like they must be steering withtheir feet.
No moredrunken-lookingcrop rows or accidental overlaps -these machines follow pre-programmed paths like they’re on rails, allwhile the farmer kicksback, sips coffee, andpretends to supervise whilelisteningtoher favourite podcast
And with RTKcorrection, the peak of nitpicking has been reached:these systems adjust in real-time to GPSdrift.
Whoneedshired hands when yourtractor hasa better sense
of direction than your dad on a familyroadtrip?
For automatedfarmmachinery to be ‘real world accurate’, it needsbasedatasoprecisethat even acontrol-freak agronomist would nodinapproval. Thesehigh-tech rigsrelyon ultra-accurateelevation models, soil andcrop-health maps, and boundarylines -because if your tractor’sguidancesystemthinks adrainage ditch is just a“slight incline”,you’re in foraverybad day Farmsurveys help, but garbage in means garbage out: asingle outdated fieldboundary or a wonky elevation point can turn your autonomous planter intoa roguebulldozer. Whether it’scentimetre-level GPSaccuracy or crop health maps sharperthan afarmer’s memoryofwho owes him money,the machinesdemand data that mirrors reality- or
they’ll happilyplough straight throughyour fence justtoprove apoint. For RTKcorrected data so accurate it makes your tractor’s GPS blush, Worker Bee Drones have thetech, theskills,and the aerial experiencetoturn your fields intoaprecision-ag masterpiece. Slopeanalysis? Check. Crophealth maps? Done. Contour plans so sharp they’ll make topography nerdsweep? Absolutely They caneven helpyou find those“lost” fieldboundaries your granddadswore were “somewherearoundhere”
Nomoreflying blind-justdrop them aline, and they’ll buzz over with thekind of datathat keepsyour agribusiness runningsmootherthana combine with afresh oilchange.
Contact WorkerBee Drones today- before your crops stage an intervention
LIKE many industries these days, the rural sector is encumbered with plastic waste that it is difficult to know how it is to be managed.
While the original purpose of theplastic productmay have serveda good purpose, when it comes to the end of its purpose, many arewringing their hands as to what to do withit.
The originalsuppliersdon’twanttoknow about it.
Acommon waste productisthe wrap around silage bales.
With each bale using about 75mofplastic film, the amount of waste can quickly build up.
Burying it in the ground is not asolution as it will persist for 100’s of years and requiremore and moreholes to be dug.
Plastic is not amaterial made by nature, so naturehas no way to deal with it.
Incinerating it on the farm is not asolution eitherasthe emissionsintothe atmosphere aretoxic.
If the material can be recycled that is the best solution.
Recycling means turning the used film back into new silage filmorasimilarproduct that can be used again.
It does not mean diverting the film to aoneoff application to be made into road base or concrete.
Recycling to makenew film reduces the amount of virgin plastic to be used.
Diverting into another low-grade use does not allow this.
The main issues with recycling are;
Collection of the film from widely spaced farms
Finding aprocessor willing to takethe used film and convert it into asuitable form for remanufacturing
Having amanufacturer that can take the reprocessed material and makethe new product
In Australia these can be significant hurdles,
but agood option if they can be overcome.
Anew technology that has potential to help solve this problem is to usea technology developed in the USA in recent years.
By adding anaturally biodegradablesupplement into the polyethylene at the time of film manufacture, it makes the film attractive to microbes in amodern landfill to digest it away
The film with the supplementinitiscalled landfill biodegradable.
It will biodegrade at agreatlyacceleratedrate (ten times faster or more) in amodern landfill.
Abenefit of this technology is that as it is biodegrading,the embodied energy of the plastic is converted to abiogas which can be captured and used to generate electricity displacing energy from coal for example.
Both recycling and using landfill biodegradablematerials,however, requirepartnerships with regional councils or agencies to collect waste film from farms and transport it to central locations.
Once there,itbecomes moreeconomic to bulk haul it to the next step.
The recycler for recycling or amodern landfill if landfill-biodegradable films have been used
Another big advantage of using alandfillbiodegradable film is that it does not change the recyclability of the film.
The film can still be recycled just the same as conventional silage film.
Landfill-biodegradable silage wrap offersthe best of two solutions available now
It can be recycled wheresuch facilities and partnerships exist to get it to afacility or if recycling is not an option it can be sent,using asimilar partnership collection agency,toa modernlandfill to biodegrade away
Formoreinformation see: www.biogone.com.au
AGOATFARM WORLD 2025
We had an incredible time exhibiting at Farm World 2025 at Lardner Park,and we’d like to extendahuge thank you to everyone who stopped by the AGO (Automatic Gate Openers) stall!
Over the three days, we had the chance to meet with hundreds of property owners, farmers, and contractors looking for practical, secure, and efficient gate automation solutions. It was fantastic to chat with so many of you aboutyour specific access needs and show you how our systems can make life easier—whether it’s aswing gate at the farm entrance or asliding gate at acommercial depot
What We Showcased
This year’s display featured some of our most popular and powerful products, including:
Merlin L300
Grifco LG-Drive
Avariety of remote, keypad, andsolar-powered control options.
Why EventsLikeFarm World Matter
Farm Worldgives us aunique opportunity to connect with the local community,shareour latest innovations, and better understand the everyday challenges facedbythose who live andworkonthe land. We’reproud to support rural properties with automation solutions that bring convenience, safety,and peaceofmind.
Next Steps
If you missed us at the stall or would like a follow-up quote or site visit ,feelfreetocontact our team directly.We’rebased in Traralgon and service from Pakenham to Lakes Entrance. Once again, thank you for the warm welcome and support .Welookforwardtoseeingyou at the next event—or at your property for an installation!
—The AGOTeam
Experience the difference
GATE AUTOMATION DONE RIGHT- WITH AUTOMATICGATE OPENERS
BasedinTraralgon, Automatic Gate Openers (AGO) specialises in the supply and installation of qualitygateautomation systems.
We work exclusively with trusted brands Merlin and Grifco, offering tailored solutions forhomes, businesses, and rural proper ties.
From sliding and swinginggates to
solar-powered and smar tphone-controlled systems, our expert team handles ever ything from siteassessment through to installation and ongoing servicing.
Whetheryou need secureaccess foryour driveway,farm, factor y, or commercial premises,we’ll deliver areliable,longlasting solution that suits your needs
We also offersystem upgrades, safet y accessories,and responsivebreakdown suppor t–all backed by genuine local service.
Change for the better
KEENAN understands the work that farmers need to put in every day in order to keep food on the world’s table.
In such achanging landscape, the daily workload on farms is not without its challenges —unpredictability of income, rising costs, volatility of markets, legislation, changing consumer tastesand importantmessagingaround climate change.
However,KEENAN knows that farmers are motivated, capableand multi-talented— they need to be when working in complexand unpredictable environments.
Farming is also abusiness, and everychange a farmer makes needs to pay back, in terms of
profit, time-saving, herd health and safeguarding the environment for futuregenerations.
With this in mind, a KEENAN diet feeder is a soundinvestment and deliversprovenresults through precision feeding.
Their philosophy can be distilled down to one simple principle: even the smallest details can contribute to overall performance.
They take the guesswork out of feeding and provide the farmer with all the tools needed to ensure consistent feed-out, nutritional support, optimisedherdperformance andsimplified tasks that save time, all while meeting their commitment to run alow-carbon farm.
Harnessing the performanceand insight of the Carbon TRUST-VALIDATED KEENAN diet feedingsystem is achange for the better Constant control with consistent returns AKEENAN diet feeder helps mitigate against the unpredictability of income through constant returns.
With precision feeding,you have oversight of productivity improvements and cost inputs. Increased yield with reduced impact THECarbonTrust-validatedKEENANdiet feederimproves yield and herdhealth while reducing methane per litre produced through increased feed efficiency
This helps you play your part in safeguarding theenvironment for futuregenerations.
Hands-on change with real-time insights THE KEENAN diet feeder is a fully integrated system, combining build quality and technology that helps save time and labour Easy to use and with data at your fingertips, the KEENAN can makea real impactonyour work-life balance.
Higher milkyields withhealthyherds EVERYchange you makeonthe farm needs to pay back, and aKEENAN diet feeder enables you to make the changes you want for consistency,improved herdhealth and yield.
Gippsland Agricultural Drone Spraying
Gippsland Agricultural Drone Spraying arealocal business redefining the way farmers manage their land.
Their mission is simple—deliver accurate, efficient,and soil-friendly solutions using the latest drone technology
Over the last couple of years, they have been using high-performance DJI agricultural drones to tackle the challenges of farming on rugged, steep, and waterlogged land in Gippsland.
LedByExperience
The company is proudly led by Jeremiah, who brings over adecade of experienceworking in the dairy industry
His background in agriculture, hands-on understanding of farm operations, and strong workethic
shape every part of the business.
Driven by adeep passion for the land and afirm belief that technology is the futureoffarming, Jeremiah started Gippsland Agricultural Drone Spraying to help farmers gain access to tools that improve efficiency,reduce waste, and makethe most of every hectare.
Why Use Drones?
Traditional ground-based equipment struggles on steep or soft terrain—and can cause soil compaction or damage to sensitive crops.
Drones, on the other hand, glide above the surface, delivering ultra-precise applications with zero ground impact.
Drone spraying provides unmatched benefits:
Faster turnaround times
High precision application of product, minimising waste and harmful chemical runoff
Eliminates soil compaction from heavy machinery
Enhanced safety andefficiency from remote application
Adaptable to various terrains and enterprises, hard-to-access locations, and waterways
Cost Effective
Oneofthe major advantages of using drone technology is the potential for significant cost savings.
We are alocally owned &operatedbusiness with apassionfor innovative technology and sustainable agricultural practices. Servicing Gippsland & Surrounds
By precisely targeting chemical applications only whereneeded, drones reduce the amount of fertiliser, herbicide, and pesticide used—cutting input costs without compromising crop health.
Additionally,drones requireless labour and operate faster than traditional ground equipment, helping farmers complete tasks more efficiently and freeing up valuable time to focus onother important areas of their business.
Overall, investing in drone technology can lead to improved returns and better resource management,making it asmart and cost-effective choice for modern farming.
Services:
Spot Spraying, Broadacre Spraying
Herbicide, Pesticide, Fungicide Application
Waterway,Lagoon Spraying
Granular Fertiliser,Seed Dispersion ranging from 1kgper HA up to 350kgper HA
Mapping and Surveying Services
Multispectral Crop Health
Imaging
OrchardSpraying
Expanding Capability
The team at Gippsland Agricultural Drone Spraying now includes two licensed drone pilots operating a fleet of three DJI agricultural drones.
This expansion allows them to take on larger projects and deliver faster, moreefficient service to customers across the Gippsland region.
With multiple drones working simultaneously,they’reable to cover moreground while maintaining the precision and quality their customers expect.
DJI Sales
Interested in bringing drone technology to your own farm?
Gippsland Agricultural Drone Spraying also offers:
DJI Agriculturedrone sales
On-site setup and hands-on training included in price
They will support you from the first flight to full-scale use on your property
Let’sWork Together
Gippsland Agricultural Drone Spraying has grown through wordof mouth, repeat clients, and results that speak for themselves.
Whether it’s asmall block or hundreds of hectares, they’reready to help you spray,seed, or spread smarter
Visit: www.gippsagdronespraying. com, call 0477 551589 or email jez@gippsagdronespraying.com
Gippsland Agricultural DroneSpraying
Our Services
Spot Spraying &BroadacreSpraying
Herbicide, Pesticide &Fungicide Application
Fertiliser &Seed Dispersion
Waterway &Lagoon Spraying
OrchardSpraying
Mapping&Surveying Services
Multi-spectral Crop Health Imaging
DJISales
Ph:0477551 589
Email:jez@gippsagdronespraying.com
Website: www.gippsagdronespraying.com
Australia’sfarmersare no strangerstochangeunpredictable weatherand shifting marketdemands makeresilience and adaptability akey par tofdaily life. But now, as energy price volatility continues to increase across the country, finding ways to operate moreefficientlyisfront of mind formany.
To combat rising electricity bills, manyfarmersand regional businesses areseeking newways to take control of their energy costs,byinvesting in battery storagetosecuretheir energy future.
Howdobatteries work?
Batteries provide onsite energy storage. They allow you to store electricity when wholesale market prices arelow,then use it during periods when prices and demand arehigh. Many far mers on wholesale electricity contracts will already be familiar with this concept, running irrigation, borepumpsand other equipment with flexible operating hours during low-cost times, to drive down energy bills. However,for some far mers, changing irrigation or pumping schedules may not be possible due to the sensitive natureoftheir crops and seasonal demand for water.With abatter y, you can run irrigation pumps, refrigeration units, processing equipment, and other critical systems using abatter ycharged with cheap stored electricity,rather than the grid itself.
Why batteries arethe energy asset of the futurefor Australia’sfar ms Around 1in5Flow Power customers areagribusinesses, so we know how critical areliable and affordable power supply is for your bottom line. Many of those have solar power and use that cheap daytime energy to run impor tant far mequipment.
Batteries arethe logical next step for far mers with solar power,or far mers that don’thave flexible energy demand. Whether you’re irrigating crops or running machiner y, far ming is energy intensive –if you can’trun that equipment offsolarorcheap wholesale prices, batteries will do that for you.
Utilising batteries as par tofyourenergystrategy can reduce your exposuretoprice peaks, helping you manage costs. Sized correctly,they can also help maintain continuity of operations, even during extreme energy events like power outages.
4key benef its of batteries for farms
1. LOWER ENERGY COSTS
Irrigation is one of the most energy-hungr yprocesses on the far m and can lead to significant monthly costs on your electricity bills. Pumps often need to run for hours at atime, and the timing of irrigation is critical for crop health.
Traditionally,far mers had to run pumps when water is needed, regardless of electricity prices. However,abatter ygives far ms the flexibility to irrigate when it makes the most sense for both your crops and your bottom line.
By using stored energy to run irrigation pumps or other equipment during high price peak periods, you can significantly reduce your power bills. For many far ms, this can mean thousands of dollars in annual savings.
2. RELIABLE POWER FOR CRITICAL OPERATIONS
Power interruptions can be disruptive for far mers. Asudden outage during irrigation can stress crops or lead to spoilage and lost income.
Batteries can be configured to provide backup power,keeping essential systems running smoothly even when the grid goes down.
This reliability is especially valuable in remote or regional areas whereoutages aremorecommon.
3. MAXIMISE YOUR SOLAR INVESTMENT
Many Australian far ms have already invested in solar panels. Batteries can help you maximise your investment by storing excess solar energy for later use, rather than expor ting it to the grid at low rates or even getting charged for expor t.
This means moreofyourown renewablepower can be used onsite, increasing your energy independence while boosting your return on investment.
4. REDUCE PEAK DEMAND CHARGES
Some of the highest costs on your electricity bill come from peak demand charges from your local network provider.These arefees based on your highest usage during cer tain periods.
By using stored energy to run high-demand equipment during these times, you can smooth out your energy usage and avoid costly price spikes. This is par ticularly useful for large-scale irrigation or processing operations that requirealot of power at once.
Do Ineed solar panels to benef it from abattery ?
As mentioned above, batteries areespecially power ful when paired with renewableenergy assets, like solar panels. During the day, when the sun is shining and your panels aregenerating more electricity than you can use, that excess energy can be stored to charge your batter y.
Later,when the sun goes downorwhengridprices spike, you can draw on your stored energy to keep your operations running, without paying apremium for electricity from the grid.
However,you don’tneed onsite solar to benefit from batter y storage. Australia's growing rooftop solar capacity provides asignificant amount of electricity to the grid ever yday,which can be used to charge your batter ywith cheap, renewableenergy.InVictoria, over night prices areoften ver ylow or negative through winter and spring, due to the influence of wind far ms on energy supply
(Note: if you’replanning toapply for the upcoming Cheaper Home Batteries Program, pairing your batter ywithnew or existing solar is arequirement to access gover nment rebates.)
Flexibilityfor thefuture
Australia’senergy market is changing fast. As morerenewables come online and our shared electricity grid becomes more dynamic, having onsite batter ystorage gives your far mthe flexibility to adapt.
To get the greatest potential for cost savings from abatter y, your far mshould consider aretail contractwithwholesale market exposure–like anyofour contracts at Flow Power.Wholesale price fluctuations can lead to significantly greater savings than flat rates or peak/off-peak tariffs.
In the future, you may also wish to par ticipate in demand response programs, getting paid to reduce or shift your energy use when the grid needs suppor t, or evenear nadditional revenue by providing stored energy back to the market.
By taking control of your energy use now,you’resetting your far m up for long-ter msuccess,nomatter how the market evolves.
Charge aheadwitha batteryfor your farm
Partnering with an experiencedenergy provider like Flow Power can help you find the right solution tailored to your needs -unlocking savings, boosting sustainability,and powering your business into the future.
Bio-Boostisagamechanger
IT has long been recognised that plants and soil need morethan NKP to produce.
Sustainable Agricultural Solutions saw aneed to comeupwithproductsthat were notonly beneficial to plans and soils but werevery cost effective.
The Bio-Boost range of fertilisers supply every element that agrowing crop needs while alsobuildingupsoilreservesfor futurecrop requirements.
Bio-Boost your waytothe bank
BIO-BOOSTCal/Mag 5:1 is amulti-purpose sup pl eme nt s peci al ly fo rmu la ted fo rl ow calcium/Magnesium soils.
It is aunique blend of Ca/Mg, Nand trace elementsthat providesunique benefits that many other fertilizers cannot offer
Calcium/Mg for stableN Crop Nutrition
DUE to the presence of calciuminthe Cal/ Mag 5:1 composition, the usual loss of nitrogen that takes place due to ammonia volatilisation when urea is applied is minimised. This is important in sandy soil because Nitrate nitrogen leachesfromthe soil veryquickly whereas the ammonia form of nitrogen in this productismuch morestable.
Calcium/Mg for amending sodium affected soils.
CALCIUM has long been recognised as an important soil amendment.
By using ahighly soluble source of calcium likeCal/Mag5:1 liquid calcium, the grower is able to quickly remove harmful sodium salts from the root zone, leaving behind valuable calcium, magnesium and nitrogen nutrients to
provide proper nutrition for rapid recovery and vegetative regrowth.
Magnesium the essential Catalyst
MAGNESIUM is the element that is absolutely essentialfor the formation of chlorophyll and all chemical processes in leaves.
Withoutchlorophyll,plantsare unable to convert sunlight and carbon dioxide.
Thereisnolife without magnesium.
Lowmagnesiumsoils produce weak plants with small leaves, often the leaf margin is withered
or burnt to concentrate the magnesiuminto the centre of the leaf so it canphotosynthesised moreefficiently
By applying Cal/Mag 5:1 into soil and also foliar spraying the leaf size will increase.
This will increase productivity
Forinstance doubling the width of pasture leaves will double the volumewithout increasing height.
Dual purpose
SUITABLE for soil and foliage application.
Features
Ratio 5:1 is the efficient ratio for calcium and magnesium whereboth of these vitally essential elements work in harmony
Cal/Mag 5:1 +N Liquid Advantages:
Easy to freight,storeand apply with indefinite shelf life.
Calcium and Magnesium areconcentrated sea minerals
Highly Concentrated apply from only 5litres per Ha
Bio-Boost NPK Foliar Spray
BIO-BOOSTNPK Foliage Spray is high energy for crops/pasturewith premium levels of Phosphorous, Nitrogen, Potassiumand trace elements that are essential for good pasture/ crop energy and nutrition.
Withinsecondsofapplication Bio-Boost NPK Foliage Spray starts to worksystemically helping to correctdeficiencies and improving pasture health.
It reducesthe need for supplements and helps with weight gain and productivity
Because it travels systemically down into the roots it compensates soil ‘lockup’ and deficiencies in crops and also helps with faster pasture recovery
Application: apply anytimetoa growing plant 5ltrs of fertiliser to 100ltrs of water
Spray for maximum foliage surface coverage. Works best in conjunctionwith Bio-BoostCal/ Mag
CONTAINED Australia’s enclosed container systems areinnovativestructures designed for versatileuse in various applications, ranging from commercial and industrial to residential and recreational purposes.
These systems consistoftwo or moreshipping containers spaced up to 10 metersapart and featurea robust kitset mono pitch roof that entirely covers the containers and the space between them.
The structureisframed with asteel kitset, complete with arear wall and asectionalfront door,creating afully enclosed environment that is supported by screw piles, allowing for easy demounting and relocation.
Below is adetailed description of the features and benefits of this unique enclosed container system.
KeyFeatures:
1. Modular Design with Shipping Containers
USE of shipping containers: The systemisbuilt around two or morestandardshipping containers, ensuring high durability and security for storing equipment,goods, or serving as functional workspaces.
Spacing for versatility: The spacing between the containers allows for additional customisation up to 10m.
2. Mono Pitch Roof Structure
STEEL frame Kitsetconstruction: The structureis supported by astrong steelframe, providing a reliable and stable roof that protects against all elements, while the pitched roof enables effective water runoff and collection, also providing complete protection to the containers.
3. Complete Enclosure
REAR wall and sectional front door: The addition of asturdy rear wall ensures weatherproof security,while the sectional front door allows for easyaccess for loading, unloading, or vehicular entry
Fully enclosed space: The entireconfiguration creates asafe and secureenvironment,suited for various uses,including workshops, storage units, pop-up shops, events, equestrian,sports clubs, trade depots…the possibilities arelimited only by your imagination!
4. Foundation on Screw Piles
EASYInstallation and Relocation: The system is anchored on screw piles, allowing for swift installation without extensive site preparation. This feature facilitates demounting andrelocating the entirecontainer system with minimal disruption.
Stablebase: The screwpiles offerstability across different terrains and soil types,ensuring that the structureremains secureand level over time.
5. Flexible Application
MULTI-USE functionality: This enclosed system can be adapted for various uses, such as workshops: Providing asecure, work-ready environment for tradespeople.
With ahuge workspaceinbetween, the containers themselves securely hold the tool racks, machinery and other equipmentas well as an office, bathroom and lunchroom.
Storage units: Ideal for businesses needing securestorage solutions -especially storage businesses already utilising existing containers. Contained systems create an additional
lock-up space, massively increasing revenue while protecting the containers and giving the entireoperation hugely improved aesthetic appeal.
Recreational space: Customisable for entertainment or hobby spaces, suchas a man cave, gym or art studio, games room or outdoor bar/bbq area.
Benefits:
1. Cost-Effective Solution
REDUCED construction costs: By utilising shipping containers and akitset construction model, the overall costs for building and materials aresignificantly lowered compared to traditional building methods.
Quicksetup and relocation: Thedesign allows for rapid assembly,which saves time and labor costs.
Additionally,the ability to relocate the system enhances investment flexibility
2. Environmental Sustainability
REUSING containers: This design encourages the upcycling of shipping containers, effectively reducing waste in landfills and contributing to sustainable building practices.
Minimal footprint: The use of screw piles minimises environmental disturbance, making it suitable for eco-conscious projects.
3. Security and Durability
STRONG lateral stability: Shipping containers themselves aredesigned for safety and security, making this structureinherently durable against external elements and potential theft.
Weatherresistance:The enclosed system protects its contents from the elements (rated
all the way up to cyclone D) allowing for yearround use, regardless of weather conditions.
4. Customisation and Aesthetic Appeal
VERSATILE design options: Users have the freedom to customise their systems with various cladding options, and additional features such as windows, ventilation, and access points enhancing aesthetic and functional qualities.
Professional appearance: The enclosed container systemsprovide apolished and professional appearance, far superior to the worndowncanvas domes or rusted standalonecontainers.
5. Adaptability to Changing Needs
SCALABILITY: The modularnatureenables easy expansion with additional containers as needs evolve, making it along-term investment.
Contained Australia’s enclosed container systems offer apractical and flexible solution for variousindustrial usage includingstorage, workspace, retail, construction aswellas recreational needs.
Combining robust construction with innovative design, these systemseffectively utilise shipping containers to create secure, functional, and adaptable environments.
With features such as asteel frame mono pitch roof,screw pile foundation for easy relocation, and the capacity for customisation, these products are ideal for thoseseeking efficient and sustainable building options. Whether for personal use, commercial needs, or industrial purposes, Contained Australia’s enclosed container systems represent asmart andinnovativechoicefor modern living and working spaces.
beDroned’s fleet of unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs) and software offers the newest innovations in agricultural technology
Their mapping drone, equipped with advanced sensing and imaging, generates data driven results providing detailed analysis of crop health, weed burden, pest or disease in crops. Their softwareuses this data to create precise flight paths for their agricultural drones.
Precision flight is guided by real time kinematics (RTK) that reduces error in satellite navigation to merecentimetres. This allows exacttargeting of chemical application to crops, weeds and pastures thus minimising chemical usage and runoff
Their computer controlled mixingrig ensures batch uniformity and precise chemical application.
beDroned Ag drones can reach areas that appear impossible to reach using traditional methods.
On some of the jobs they wonder how weeds were ever controlled in some locations.
Wetground is another win for drone technology with no impactonsoil structure.
beDroned’s chief pilot,Ian, comes from both farming and science backgrounds.
The beDroned team understands the language of both farming andagronomy and workpersonally with clients throughout the entireprocess to understand their needs and obtain desired results with afocus on quality
With some autumn rain at last,the beDroned team is presently focused on fertiliser application, seed spreading and broadleaf weed spraying in difficult terrain.
Formoreinformation on how drone innovationcan reduce the workload andimprove efficiency in yourAgbusiness visit www.bedroned.com.au
contact@bedroned.com.au like us on facebook/ beDRONED2023
Drone country
RTK used for precision flight paths
Sue WEBSTER
VICTORIAN law-makers have sidesteppedacall to ban animal activists from illegally filming on farms, feedlots and abattoirsand then sharing the images publicly.
Astate parliamentary inquiry instead suggestedthat Victorianfar mersor employers be responsible for preventing illegal spy-cam footage of staff.
The inquirycommittee’s finalreport was tabled in mid-May and reinforces
[HEADLINE]y
the Victorian law that allowsillicitanimal activist footage to be shown ‘inthe public interest’.
Mor ethan 100 anti-meat activists invaded aMillmerran feedlot in 2019.
The Vi cto ria nF ar mers Feder ati on had argued that vision misrepresenting ordinary, lawful practices should not be considered in the public interest and not allowed to be distributed.
However, the Inquiry into Workplace Surveillance overruled the call, saying it was out of the inquiry’s scope.The
committee acknowledgedthat: “While such surveillance is unlawful under the Surveillance Devices Act, it is exempted under apublic interest clause.”
The VFF asked for the public interest protection be removed,ashappensin NSW.The ag-lobby group sought to make surveillance undertaken by trespass unlawful.
In reply,the committee said it recognised that unauthorised surveillance causes stress andanxietyfor farmers, but ruled: “This type of surveillance falls
outsideofthe inquiry’s scope, which focuses on the surveillance of employees in the course of their employment, rather than the recordingofbusinesspractices.”
Ins te ad ,t he re po rt re co mm en ds employers“be required to take all reasonable steps to prevent surveillance of an employee while at work by a party other than the employer without the employee’s consent”.
Beef Central
Award-winningBerrysCreek cheese
Katrina BRANDON
BLUE it is for Berrys Cr eek Gour met Cheese, as the South Gippsland company reels in morewins for the business.
Businessowners Barry Charlton and Cheryl Hull areall about blue and teamwork, and their business continues to spark conversations about cheese.
For 18 years, Barry and Cherylhave run a team of blue cheesemakers and adventured through many trials and tribulations in pursuit of their passion.
“Weprimarily make blue cheese. We make four varieties of blue, and we used to do a little brie just for our locals,” Cheryl told Gippsland Far mer
Barryreplied, “The marketplace was just full of white mould, and as asmall company trying to compete with the bigger companies for volume,particularly, it just wouldn't make it,and Ihad made blue cheese in my life beforethat.”
In early 1975, Barry began his journey in cheese making, working in apowder plant that produced milk powders, beforemoving to the butter room.
As acreative person, he soon grew tired of the butter room and then the separator room. Then, an opportunity opened up.
“They had acheesemaker going on holiday for two weeks. The general manager there said, ‘Would you like to go to the cheese room for acouple of weeks?’” Barry recalled.
“Nearly 10 years later,and finished up there was only becauseofthe drought. That'swheremycareerbegan.Iwas trained there to makemild cheddar, semi-tasty cheddar,vintage cheddar and tasty cheddar
“I was really intrigued by how culture worked and how we made the cheese.”
Not long after that, Barrymovedonto Jindi CheeseinJindivick, wherehe was therefor 17 years.
After leaving Jindi, Cheryl helped Barry
come to the idea of opening his own place, which they initially said they would do for 10 years.
Over the last 18 years, Barry and Cheryl have built ateam of cheesemakers, taken their cheese to markets and festivals, and entered multiple competitions,which have helped establish their name.
Morerecently,Barry and Cherylwon multiple awar ds in this year’s Dairy Industry AssociationofAustralia(DIAA) Dairy Products Competition,announced in lateMay,aswellasthe 2025 Sydney RoyalCheese and DairyProduceShow, announced in February.
The Berrys Creek cheese range caters to vegetariancheese-lovers, asitusesonly non-animalrennet and is preservative-free.
All cheeses aremade from locally sourced milk in bothbuffaloand cowmilk varieties Berrys Creek has five cheeses, with the majoritybeing blues:Oak Blue, Riverine Blue, Tarwin Blue, Mossvale Blue and Cow Milk Brie.
During the 2025 Sydney Royal Cheese and Dairy Produce Show, Barry and Cheryl won the NSW Food Authority Perpetual Trophy for Champion Specialty Cheese for their Oak Blue,wererecipients of the Australian CheeseboardPerpetual Trophy -awarded to five Gold medal-winning cheeses chosen by the chair of judges, to comprise the perfect Australian cheeseboard, and Gold medals for both Tarwin Blue and Riverine Blue.
Riverine Blue was named in honour of the buffalo breed grazing near Woodside in Gippsland; this cheese is steadily becoming their signaturevariety.
For mo re inf or mat io no nB err ys Cr ee kG ou rm et Che es e, go to : https://www.berryscreekcheese.com/
Berry’s Creek Gourmet Cheese owners Barry Charlton and Cheryl Hull have produced some internationally-recognised blue cheese varieties this year
Photo: Katrina Brandon
Delving into dairy innovations
BRANDON
Katrina
TECHNOLOGY is constantly evolvingin every industry, and thedairyindustry is no exception.
Gip ps Da iry h eld i ts fou rt ha nn ua l GippsDairy Muster at the Federation UniversityGippsland campus withthe key theme, ‘Farming into the Future: Imagine Inquire, and Innovate’.
About 200dairy farmersattended multiple speechesdiscussing innovative changes in the dairy industry through technology, accompanied by anetworking breakfast and lunch. The event aimed to provide Gippsland’s dairy far merswithways to enhance the futureoftheir farmbusiness using new and developing technologies.
The MC for theday was CallumMoscript, who dairy far ms with his par ents in Leongatha South and runs agenetics company that has advanced Australian livestock by importing unique genetics from global markets.
“Callum is aleader in genetics and farm management and continues to hone his skills in international markets,” GippsDairy board chair and farmer,SarahO’Brien, told the crowd. “Innovation and fostering leadership is whatCallum is most passionate about, andIthink they'reprobably the two main ingredients important to our industry now and into the future.”
When asked to be the MC, Mr Moscript told the crowd that to emphasise the farming past, his grandmother had just given him apictureof aFergie tractor,barbed wirefences and piles of hay. “Isn't it ironic thatthose barbedwirefences, when put up, wereatthe forefront of the industry?” he said.
“Now we'retalking about companieswith virtualfencing. We'retalkingabout internal boluses to manage cow health, and in so many ways, we've been able to push this industry forward.”
Throughout the event, about 20 people sharedtheirinnovative ideas withthe crowd,explaininghow the ideaswork, wherethey have been implemented in practice, and answering questions related to those ideas.
First up was Alex Tur ner fr om New Zealand, who has morethan 25 years' of experienceinall facets of dairy management and looks after a250-cow dairy farm. He hasworked inagribusinessacross pigs, poultry, dairy feed lots and feed mills; over the past 14 years, Mr Turner has beeninvolvedin forageconservation feed additives, as well as so many global technologies, including the smaXtec.
Mr Turner spoke about the accuracy of the smaXtecbolus, which allows farmers to read accurate and precise data from their cows,making better andmoreinformed decisions on farm. The bolus helps monitor levels within the cows’ rumen, such as temperature, reproductive health, disease detection and identification, and more.
Duringhis pr esentation, Mr Tur ner explained how to read the information from the bolus, noting that it is afrequent data transmission through the cloud via acellularconnection. The device's range varies depending on the topography of each farm. After explaining the technology's use,
far mers Glen Gordon and Chris Bagot joined MrTur ner for apanel discussion led by Mr Moscript.
Due to circumstanceson his far m, Mr Gordon could not attend the Muster,but he could join the conversation via the internet. In the morning, he discussed his experience with alame cow, in whichthe bolushelped diagnosethe issue and arrive at asolution morequickly.
Mr Bagot joined the conversation, sharing similar experiences with the bolus and discussing how hisprevious experiences with different technologies had affected his farming experience. He also mentioned that the bolus currently works better than other devices that he has trialed on his farm.
Movingforwardtothe next presentation, Mr Moscript welcomed Jason Hornbuckle from Bunyip Drone Services to the stage. According to Mr Moscript, Mr Hornbuckle comes from an IT background but has always had apassion for far ming. Over the past 10 years, he has takensteps to bridge the gap in the market to start his ag-training business. He has been at the forefront of technologyand working with farmers toprovide aservicethatisn’t at the cost of ahelicopter or plane.
Ta king am or ed ir ect app ro ach, Mr Hornbuckle spoke to the group about how drones could be “handy” on the farmand their applications for different purposes. Some of the novel uses included cleaning roofs and solar panels, navigating rugged terrain to install solarpanels,and being used on greenhouse facilities.
Far mers Alex Maple son and Laur en Finger joined Mr Hornbuckle in the drone panel discussion.
Ms Fingerowns adrone with a10-litre capacity, which she uses on her dairy far m, whereshe milks about 550cows.
Throughout the panel, Ms Fingershared herexperience as afarmer using drones and how she has utilised adrone herself, rather than hiring acontractor.
Duringthe paneldiscussion, they discussedthe progression of drones,which are now capable of flying with higher capacities, and the potential for automatedsettings usingartificial intelligence. Some drones can carry up to 40 litres of liquid payload for spraying or 75 litres of spreading payload.
Next up on the stage was the Gardiner Foun dati on’ sc hief exe cuti ve of ficer, Allan Cameron, who has beenwiththe Foundationsince2021.MrCameron spoke to theMuster groupabout the various initiativesthe Foundation has undertaken, discussedtheir five-yearstrategicplan, and how they have explored ways to maximise theircontributions to the Victoriandairy industry and communities.
Since 2008, the Gardiner Foundation has supported children from mentoring dairy communities. The Foundation currently supports seven scholarship opportunities eachyear, withathree-yearduration.
Mr Cameron added that the amount was $10,000, but the boardapproved a$30,000 per annum student scholarshipearlier this year
The Foundation also funds theGippsland Community Leadership Program and aims to hold additional dairy immersion days, enablingparticipantstounderstand the region's importance to dairy and vice versa. Looking at ways to supportdairy communities, Mr Cameronsaid thatin dairy communities wherethey want to attract moredairy people, about 98 per cent of all habitable homes in those areas aretenanted. He hopes to unlock ideas to secure morehousing in Victorian dairy regions. Alongside supporting communities and students, Mr Cameron explained that the Foundationhas adiversifiedportfolio of investments that aims to benefit Victorian dairy farmers and communities.
Nextuponstagewas Wolfie Wagner who works within thedairy industry, who discus sed his involve ment with PastureSmarts. PastureSmartsis aweb application tool that helps manage pasture across farms by centralising grazing records and estimating current pastureavailability.
The applicationprovides far mers with afeed wedge daily. It was designed using apastureyield modelling system that AgricultureVictoria developed, and from farmer data.
Donna G ibson and David Brumb y joined Wolfie on stage after he introduced PastureSmartsand shared its capabilities. Ms Gibson led the panel session, and Mr Brumby shared his experience.
The GippsDairy Muster wasn’t just about
tech and panels;italso recognised the hard work put in by one agricultural icon. The Australian Dairy Industry Council (ADIC) awarded John Mulvany the 2024 ADIC Outstanding Service Award.
ADIC chair Ben Bennett said Mr Mulvany became known for his unwavering commitmenttodeveloping profitable and resilient farming practicesand ensuringbetter client outcomes.
“John took aholistic approach in working towards better outcomes fordairy farmers,” Mr Bennett said.
“He’s worked with far mers and far m businesses of all sizes across the country, helping achieve their dreams and improve their operations.
“Most would agr ee he br ought wit, humour and astrong focus in his approach to consulting.”
AfterMrMulvanythankedthe room, theMuster moved onto the networking lunch. Presentations after lunch wereled by Dairy Farmers Victoria president Mark Billing,who talkedabout initiatives that Agriculture Victoria is working towards and explaining why we have access to the technology today.
Mr Billing said other states have acompetitive advantage over Victoria because they have the necessary technology. Alongside others, Mr Billing is advocating for Victorian farmers to get research help from Victorian farmers to supply themwith what they need to thrive. He also mentioned different partnerships working with him to ensurethe best for farmers.
Next up was Brett Good from Halter.In his presentation, Mr Good shared some background on the company. Halter aims to find easier ways to make dairy farming easier,such as using acollar on cows and aGPS map. Using the website connected to the collar,users can draw up fences, allocate pasture, look at cows' health, and more.
Troy Ainslie, Megan Douglas, and Chris Paynter joined Mr Good and Mr Billing for the final panel discussion.
Ainslie, Douglas, and Paynter shared their experiences with the cow collars throughout the panel, and all five speakers answered tough questions put by the audience. One question in particular was proposed: What wouldhappen if promises from state and federalgover nmentsregarding the agriculture sector changed due to achange in government during elections?
Mr Billing said, “I can't answer that question.I think thatwewill havea change beforewechange the government.
“We've spoken to the Opposition, the state Opposition, and they'rewell across pretty mucheverything thatwe'vegivento the gover nment, the oppositionhas seenas well.”
Throughoutthe Muster,all speakers expressed positive outlooks for the future of agricultureinAustralia. They arealways looking at other ways to make far ming easier and moreefficient with innovative ideas.
For moreinformation on GippsDairy, go to https://www.dairyaustralia.com.au/ gippsdairy
Some 200 people attended the GippsDairy Muster held at Federation University
Photo: Katrina Brandon
Drought Solutions
As SouthAustralia, Victoria and Southern New South Wales suffer what looks likeaserious drought, farmerslookaroundfor somesigns of potential governmentinnovation to work on providing water security for the future.
Aussie Pumps are specialists in droughts, floods and dealing with what we hope is not an upcoming severefireseason.
IF ONLY
If only the water from the Queensland floods that flowed into the Pacific Ocean could have been diverted to South Australia and Victoria!
Now we arealso seeingTasmania suffering as well
Yousee the Burdekin River watershed being channeled south to provide acompletely different situation to theone farmers now face.
AUSSIE HASSOMEANSWERS
AustralianPumpisa 31 yearold startup that began in abackyardshed.
The original founders realised that corporations weretaking over the pump industry
Big companies likeGUD (Davy Pumps), Grundfos and even Pentair,are majorAmerican pump groups brought anew approach.
Aussiesaw corporations lookafter the welfare of their shareholders and sometimes, chooseto ignorethe real requirements for the man or the woman on the land.
In today’s world, the continually increasing cost of living, farmers and their customers,everyday consumers, need valuefor money
That means buying good quality products, not thirdworld cheapies, so they get the value for moneythey deserve.
AUSSIE UPDATE
Australian Pump Industries has come along way
The company now exports itstop qualityproducts all over the world, even to provide floodrelief with their big 6” pumps in South Sudan.
The good news is some local government bodies arerealisingthat Aussie’sbig 6” floodpumps can help fill dams to provide water security and insurance against the next drought.
Allitneeds is afew super hot daysinAugust or September to suddenly find it ’s on again.
We salute the CFAvolunteers for the wonderful work they do
They put their lives on the line to serve others and deserve our appreciation and applause.
They also deserve to get access to the best equipment,including our AussieFireChiefand Mr Ttwin impeller firepump.
Thesepumps arehead and shoulders above all other lightweight portable firepumps,offering superior performance and even afiveyear warranty.
They arebuilt with either Honda petrol or Yanmar diesel engines.
It ’s local government who should take steps to avoid thatwater goingtowaste.
Winton Council in Central Queensland recently bought four of Aussie’s big 6” pumps for flood protection.
It ’s arelief to see somebody doing something to get ready for the next disaster
Winton bought these big 6” mobile trailer mountedmachines, each capable of pumping 6,000 litres per minute.
That ’s 24,000 litres per minute!
DAIRYWASHDOWN
Aussie is represented throughout Victoria, and right throughout Australia, by top quality outlets who really have the farmers’ interest at heart.
Brown Wigg in Gippsland is aclassic example.
Go into any of their stores and you will find Aussie Pump Smart pumps, in 2” and 3”, designed to handle fertiliser
These30percent glass filled polyester pumps will handle the most corrosive liquids and are powered by Honda engines.
Aussie dealersoffer great prices at this time of year
The products come with Aussie’s unique five year warranty
Youwon’t see any five year warranties from the big corporate pump businesses.
GET READYFOR FIRE
We all know the cycle.
Sooner or later,wewillbefaced with afire.
Great performers include the 3” Mr Tdelivering 200 litres aminute at 80 metres head.
Imagine having one of those on your farm for transferring water from one dam to the other
Their pump range is phenomenal with arecent introduction of 316stainless steel pumps for dairy processing applications.
FIGHTING FLOODS …THE NEXT CHALLENGE
We know the seasons change.
As farmers say,“every day of drought brings us one day closer to rain”.
Theyalsoknow thatafterthe rain,everyday brings us closer to the next drought.
Prepping for both is the responsibility of governments but,frankly theyseemtobealittle slow when it comes to the realisation that prevention is better than passivity
Aussie’s big 6” pumps can easily fill dams during flood time.
Dairies and piggeries don’t only need high pressure motorpumps likeAussie’s GMP range but also need portable trash pumps for livestock waste handling.
Aussie arespecialists in that area,with heavy duty trash pumps on the market with special deals from washdown pumps to steam cleaners, super high pressurewater blasters and even big drain cleaning Jetters for clearing blocked drains fast. “We’repleased to say that we owe alot to the market.
It ’s what you taught us about the requirements that generate our R& Dprogram”, said Aussie Pumps Chief Engineer,JohnHales.
Hales claims that Aussie Pumps are unique in that their policy is amplified by the sign on the wall in his office in Sydney’s Norwest business district.
It says, “Wedesign and build machines as if we weregoing to use them ourselves”.
That ’s what it ’s all about and is what separates Aussie from the corporates.
Further information is available from Brown Wigg stores or for directdairy hot water pressurecleaners, call the Aussie hotline for great deals.
Winton Council is well prepared for the next flood
This Aussie flood buster saved the town of Horsham from flooding.
Aussie’s self-priming pumps provide real quality and performance.
Spills, thrills at Farm World rodeo
Katrina BRANDON
ADRENALINE was high at the PBR Farm World Rodeo2025asriders jumpedthe gun to show offtheir talents.
The rodeo showcased bothlocal and international talents throughout the evening.
The gates opened at 4.30pm, and hundreds of people lined up to fill premium seats over an hour beforethe event started While most werecivil and lined up, others bunched in as much as possible.
No rumbles, but the “race” to get in started as soon as the gatesopened,and eventhen, people wereracing in every direction to get where theywanted tobe, whether it be seating or drinks.
The line for alcohol was the longest, stretchingthe length of the course, and doubled in some areas wherepeople were travelling together.Itwas clear which people
knew the drilland who werenew to the racket.
From the gates opening to the event starting, attendeeshad two hours to spare in between, ensuring they had enough time to get food, settle intotheir seats and share their expectations for this year’s rodeo.
The motocross team started the show, perfor ming sky-high stunts and revving their bikes and the crowd. This only got the crowd moreexcited for what was to come next. Theweather was perfect, leading into agreat night for watching the rodeo.
Minutes after the motocross concluded, the rodeo grew in excitement and started with the Junior Steer Ride category. Matty AhernfromQueensland won this section. Startingearly, steers werefierce and ready to buck, and they kept up the intensity throughout the night.
The Challengerseries Bull Ride wasnext,
such as Toni-JeanWoodall and Matrix,
andnosurprise, people wereontheir seats to see the lucky person who was to take home the win. Noah DinglefromColac stunned the crowd as the bull threw everything it had at him, and he held his grip. Dingle rode the beast through thelength of the open area, giving everyone agood look.
Others wereunfortunate, as some bulls came with full force and some with more fury.Throughout the night,therewas a constant battle between the “rodeo clowns or bull fighters” and the bulls over who hadthe biggerego. Most of the time, the bullfighters topped the bulls, easing them back into the yards.
Later on in the night was the PBR bull ride, which Kurt Shephardtook from Mareeba, North Queensland, who is number one in the National Bull Riding Standings.
Most rides in this section moved to awhole new level of intensity as close calls became
all too common for the riders taking part. Chopping and changing, therodeo broke up bull riding with barrel racing.
The Open Barrel Race winner was Leslie MoorefromEchuca, and Macey Howse for the Junior Barrel Race. Dust flew up the ring's edges, with afew watchers having to be asked to move away from the fence for safety. Some people snuck into tight areas to seethe best action, with the area near the barrels being the tightest but also most dust-filled of the areas.
By the end of the night, the food vans had shut down as they had run out of food, and peopleweresatisfied with thenight'sevents and wereall ready to go home.
For moreaction and shots from PBR rodeos, go to the https://pbr.com/events/ or their Facebook page.
Speed and precision werethe keypoints for riders,
in the barrel racing with many scraping through without knocking over the barrels.
The bulls came in strong at theFarm WorldRodeo, with each cowboygiving it their best shot Photos: Katrina Brandon
Cowboys weren’t the only ones holding on tight during the bull riding competitions as each person watching wasonthe edge of their seatsastheyflewby.
At the Farm WorldRodeo in March, the bull ridingseemed to be the main event,whether it was the cowboys, or even the bulls picking fights with the rodeo clowns.
Gormandaleare going great guns
Liam DURKIN
WHO saidGor mandale Football-Netball Club was struggling?
While the much-malignedT igers senior football team arestill searching for afirst win in morethan 50 games, the club’s A Grade netball sideis giving supporters plenty to cheer about.
Gormandale was inside the top five on the North GippslandFootball-Netball League A Grade ladder after nine rounds last month, and in the midst of asix game winning streak.
“Wereally didn’t expect it to go so well and performsowell,” AGrade player Chelsey Sadlersaidonanepisode of the club’s newly released podcast PoddChubb.
The run of victories saw the Tigers defeat traditional powerhouse Woodside and predicted finalists Heyfield.
The recovery has been equallyincredible
Gormandale dropped its first two games of the season, leaving many to assume another year occupyingthe bottomfew rungs on the ladder was in order.The Tigers havebeenaccustomedto suchpositions the last three seasons, finishing second-last or last every year since 2022.
However,Gormandale has now already won moregames this year than it managed between 2022 and 2024 combined (six).
Leading the turnaround has been AGrade coach, Greta Douch.
Alife member of the club, Douch returned to the Tigers this season following astint with Mid Gippsland FNL club Boolarra.
Ano-nonsense operator,and wife to late local horse trainer,Garry Douch, Greta said even she didn’t see such astrong first half
of the season coming.
“I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly, first yearbackthat we’d get resultslike this,” she told Gippsland Farmer
Douch has been able to add afew handy players to the team, bookending the court with goal shooterMaddy Dark and goal defence Carly Jennings,while Natasha Watson and Jaclyn Price (Greta’s daughter) have filled the wing defence and goal attack spots.
“Experience,a couple of older players, and then we’ve got younger players in the middle with speed. Ithink it’s been agood mix,” Douch said.
“Wetake alot of teams by surprise and Ithink that’s one of our biggest strengths this year; they go in expecting us to be the same team as last year,even though our names aredifferent, theydon’tknow what we play like,” Sadler added.
“Wereallyshake thingsupinthe first
quarter and that’s one of our strengths –we go out hardand we go out strong and it really sets the tone for the whole game.”
With the team now firing, the coach was quietly confident about the weeks ahead.
“When Ifirst started Iwasn’t too surewhat would happen, usually takes afew years to sort out what’s there(players, game plan etc), but Ihope to make finals,” Douch said.
Should Gormandale qualify, it will be the first timethe Tigers have featuredineither seniorfootballorAGradenetball finals since 2014.
Incidentally, Douch coached Gormandale that season, and was named NGFNL A Grade coach forthe Team of the Year Jennings was also picked in the team.
The small town club has staved offalitany of existentialist threats in recent years, as the sometimes blinded quest for senior football success can distort the true concept of afootball-netball club.
As podcast host and Gormandale senior playerand for mer seniorcoach,Chris Potalej explained, the Tigers werelooking at the bigger picture.
“The club’snot in aspot where we’reabout to shut the doors or anything like that,” he said on the podcast.
“There’s money in the bank, there’s good numbers on the ovals, there’s alot of good things happening."
Gor mandale officialsmet recentlyand put together astrategic plan.
“It’s been amassive thing for the club to put something like this in place, because everything’s there, the bones arethere, but it’s just amatter of putting really good plans in placewith really good peoplewhere everyone’s moving in the same direction,” Potalej said.
“This day and age, footy clubs aren’t 30 years ago (when) it was ‘Barry from behind the bar’ who could run the club, now, footy clubs arebusinesses.
“It’s not aquick fix. That’s something I definitely learnt (at the strategic planning session), it’s not going to be have acouple of meetings andeverything’s going to be okay, it’shave meetings, putthings in place and everyone play their role across the whole club.”
The wholeclubapproach extends to netball, the often forgotten about sport in aclub duopoly.
Douch said support from all sectors of Gormandale FNC had played akey role in the revival of the AGrade side.
“The club’s quite close,” Douch said.
“The girls put in as much as the football. It’s good to be recognised as well.”
Galaxy of starsreturnforreunion
Liam DURKIN
ONLY four players in the history of the V/AFL can lay claim to winning both the Brownlow and Coleman Medal.
Two of those four arefromT raralgon, and both wereback home for aspecial Maroons reunion last month.
BernieQuinlan and Kelvin Templeton joined fellow luminaries and local boys Rick Kennedy, Jim Silvestro, GeoffJennings, and the Cordy boys, Graeme, Brian and Neil as TraralgonFootball-NetballClub celebrated its quarter century.
The star -studded line- up watched Traralgon seniors inflict Sale with anear 100-point defeat at Terry Hunter Oval in the Gippsland League.
Pas tm et pr e s e nt whe nc urr ent Collingwood forwardand Traralgon senior premiershipplayer, TimMembrey also stopped by.
Membr ey was backh ome due to a
Collingwood bye,and used part of the weekend to work on his property in Tyers.
Formalities recognised all club premierships won since the turnofthe century, while teams of the quarter century for senior football and AGrade netball were also announced.
Traralgon has won five senior football flags since 2000, including last year Season2015 was of particular note, with the Maroons doing the ‘double’, winning seniors and AGrade netball.
Current senior player Dylan Loprese spoke of the 2015 triumph under playingcoach Mark Collison, who introduced what was dubbed the ‘circle of death’ during training sessions.
Of all the premierships however,one undoubtedly stood out above the rest.
With alarge tur nout in the Traralgon Football-Netball Club social rooms, calls for “bit of shoosh” wereinevitable, all except for when 2005 senior premiership
coach Tony Lane took the microphone.
Total reverence was reservedfor the team, 19 of whom returned for the reunion, in full commendation for what they achieved.
The Maroons, rank outsiders that season, defeated aMaffra team that went into the GrandFinal with45consecutive wins under their belt.
Quinlan won the Brownlow Medalin 1981 and two ColemanMedals (1983-84).
Templeton achieved the same feat, with aBrownlowin1980and Colemansin 1978 and 1979.
Traralgon was zoned to the Wester n Bulldogs(then Footscray) during the 1970s/80s.
Thr ee Tr aral gon play ers capt ained the Bulldogs: Templeton, Jenningsand Kennedy.
Templeton played 143 games and kicked 494 goals for the WesternBulldogs, before moving to Melbourne whereheplayed a
further 34 games for 99 goals in the VFL. Qui nla np la ye d1 77 game sf or t he Bulldogs, yet hisBrownlow/Coleman double was achieved with Fitzroy (189 games).
Jennings was WesternBulldogs captain between 1979-81, as was Kennedy from 1986-88, whileTempletonalso led the side in 1982.
Neil Cordy played 139 games in the tricolours, Brian Cordy124 and Graeme Cordy ahandful.
Jim Silvestroplayed for Sydney, as did Neil (morethan 200 games combined) and Graeme.
Templeton kicked 104 goals for Traralgon seniors as a16-year -old in 1973.
Accor ding to local legend, Quinlan once kicked a torpedo from Terry Hunter Oval that sailed over the railway line and bounced into Victory Park.
Gormandale Football-Netball Club is finding success in netball this season, while the club commits to maintaining its standing in the community Photo supplied
Local touch for Dreamtime at the ‘G
Blake METCALF-HOLT
SINCE he was eight-years-old, Newborough teenager Noah Bartlett has taken his passions to great heights, routinely performing during the lauded‘Dreamtime at the ‘G’ festivities with Richmond Football Club.
Although aTigers supporterhimself, Noah began venturing up to Essendon Football Club’s training facilities in Windy Hill, off the back of his aunty Tina, practicing his Indigenous dancing for the big stage.
“It really just started to become afun thing to do, so Istarted doing it (moreoften) and meeting new people,” he said.
“I mostly enjoy the people Imeet along the way and just the cultures and dancing obviously.”
Performing in front of morethan 80,000 people would give anyone nerves, especially at such ayoung age, butgiven Noah’s right alongside some of his favourite players, it makes it all the moreeasier
“I get pretty nervous, but all of it you get kind of usetoand it’s justfun,” the 13-year-old said.
“The first one when Idid it when Iwas eight, Igot to meet the footy team (in the rooms), so that was agood memory.”
Besides the cultural dressesand body paint, Noah also utilises clapsticks during his performance, while others use the famed didgeridoo.
Noah gave his father Peter,who was
suffering from bowel cancer,the greatest surprise whenhe firstperformed onthe MCG.
It was agreat sight for his dad, given that the one-eyed Richmond supporter passed along his love for the Tigers to his son.
“That wasvery, veryemotional,and it was for his dad as well because he got to see him beforehepassed, out therewith all the Richmond players,” Noah’s mother Shelley said.
“I’m just so proud of him, and he’s got to show alot of other Indigenous kids just to keep going and things like that.”
This formed passion was initiated by his aunty Tina, who has regularly performed in events as well, including in front of former US President Barrack Obama.
Noah hopes to one day become an Indigenous dance leader and lead out the nextwave ofdancers on the MCG. He’s been continually asked back to the fixtured Dreamtime match by Richmond every year since he started.
Noah also performed during Melbourne Storm’s Anzac Day match this year against South Sydney Rabbitohs.
Locally, he’s also has been asked by his school at Lowanna College to perform during their showcases, especially during NAIDOC Week, and also performed in front of former AFL superstar Eddie Betts when he visited the region.
Morwell bocce brilliance
Blake METCALF-HOLT CONTINUED success,evenmoreso lately, for Morwell Bocce Club.
Lastmonth saw even moremedals arrive back to the Gippsland Bocce Centre, most recently at the Australian Bocce Championships.
At the Junior Open event, young star Kayla Dukes brought back gold in the Under 18 singles.
Not her first go-around, Dukes debuted on the national stage in 2022, taking out the U15 singles title and earning best-and-fairest honours representing her home club in Morwell.
Despite having mountains of success over the past three years, Dukes said she still had emphasis on improving ahead of this latest campaign.
“Lotsoftraining, and justgetting morepractice in beforethe competition because the competition wasverytough this year,” she told Gippsland Farmer.
“I had to come up against some very good players, but it was lots of fun to see everyone again.”
Dukes has also represented Australia at theprestigious Denis Ravera Bocce Challenge,competing in the Doubles section in 2023, travelling to Monaco.
Her most recent win at the Australian Junior Championships qualifies her for the national team at next year’s world’s event.
MorwellBocce Clubalsocollected gold medals in the Quads and Triples division,
as well as silver in the Doubles.
Seasonedperformers AnnaPrezioso, Maria Maselli, Mirella Alesi and Christina Finocchiaro have competed at national level for close to 25 years.
While securingtop finishesinthe past, this was significant milestone, having takingout multiple medals acrossthe same weekend.
“Wetrained very hardfor it, so it’s good to get areward out of it after all the hard training,” Maselli said.
“We’vewon so many;we’ve wongold before, but only not as many (at atime), so this time we almost took everything out.”
Given such the high level of competition, the Morwell team was made to work for their honours, with both winning finals coming down to just apoint difference.
“It was really, really close, and the doubles as well was really, really close,” Maselli said.
“Wecompete year-after-year,weform that bond and that friendship, (so)it’s like family getting together.”
The week prior also saw success for Morwell Bocce Club with wins at the Australian Raffa Championships.
Diane Penney and Tina D’Urbano took home silver medals in the Doubles competition, while Penney won gold in the precision throw, and D’Urbano runner-up.
TheLatrobe City Classic will be hosted at MorwellfromJuly 4to6
Formorethan 40 years Gippsland Farmer has reported on arange of Agricultural industryissues includingDairy, Beef,Horticulture, Sheep, Goats, Poultry, Organic farming and Viticulture.
Gippsland Farmer also features Gippsland sport,latest machinery updates, alivestock market report and major Rural events including Farm World and East Gippsland Field days
Gippsland Farmer is the most directly penetrating cost effective medium for advertisers to reachtheir target market everymonth.
Gippsland Farmer is produced and published by Latrobe Valley Express partnership and printed by Express Print based in Morwell Victoria.
Newborough’s Noah Bartletthas regularly performed on the MCG during Richmondand Essendon’s ‘Dreamtime at the‘G’ fixture Photosupplied
Squad: Maria Maselli, Anna Prezioso,Christian Finocchiaroand MirellaAlesi took outgold in the Club Stream Quads andTriples divisionatthe Australian Bocce Championships
