Improved Grazing Management in the Burdekin

Since 2021, graziers from more than 60 properties in the Upper and East Burdekin catchments have made grazing land management practice changes and rehabilitated small-scale erosion areas to improve resilience, productivity and the quality of water flowing into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. 

The $5.1 million Herding Change Through Grassroots Recovery project was funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation through NQ Dry Tropics.  

The project provided extension support and financial incentives for the installation of infrastructure to spread grazing pressure and protect sensitive riparian zones and the remediation of small-scale erosion areas. Combined with grazing management practices, these works help to increase perennial ground cover at the end of the dry season and reduce wet season erosion.  

Infrastructure included fencing, water troughs, tanks, and pipelines to help manage stock and allow spelling (rest from grazing) for pasture health and production. The project achieved this through 75 on-ground projects, and management practice change across more than 360,000 hectares.  

Graziers also accessed one-on-one peer support from fellow graziers to learn the ins and outs of forage budgeting. This information was used to inform stocking rates and grazing plans to ensure effective utilisation and retention of ground cover in each paddock.

Dino Penna, of Kangaroo Hills station, said the project helped him to install fencing to split a 2,680ha paddock. This enables grazing rotation to increase rest periods for pasture and encourage recovery of perennial, productive and palatable (3P) grasses.  

The fencing project excludes cattle from one side of 4 Mile Creek, a watercourse with steep banks. The fencing project helps protect the erodible banks and gives the flatter areas a spell, by encouraging cattle to graze elsewhere in the new paddocks. 

Dino said he was optimistic the project would result in increased ground cover within two wet seasons, resulting in improved water infiltration and germination of desirable plant species. 

“Through planned grazing and rest, I’m hoping grasses and forage will come back which means yield will improve,” he said. 

Over 600 people attended the 30 training events delivered which provided graziers with information and tools to accelerate the uptake of improved land management practices. Over the 3.5-year project, a wide range of topics were presented including best practice grazing land management systems, soil health, pasture management, erosion management, managing the breeder and trader herd, and business and workplace management. 

The Maps and Apps workshops were well attended and well received. Graziers learned to use the Long Paddock (seasonal climate and pasture condition information) and mapping applications Queensland Globe (an interactive tool for discovering maps, images, and data about Queensland) and Avenza (geospatial mapping design tools), and explore the utilities of satellite internet and cloud-based storage. Graziers were then offered the Maps and Apps Masterclass, an in-depth session to learn the intricacies of Queensland Globe, with a complete property map developed. 

Kylie Stretton, of Red Hill station, said attending a Maps and Apps workshop provided her with the knowledge, skills, and tools to produce customised maps of the property to help plan and analyse property infrastructure and land resources. 

“Delving into The Long Paddock and Forage was particularly helpful because there’s lots of seasonal climate and pasture condition information,” Kylie said.  

“Learning how to customise Indicative Land Type, Fire Scar and Erodible Soils reports was very useful.” 

NQ Dry Tropics Sustainable Agriculture Program Manager Rob Hunt said the results were a win-win for graziers and water quality, “These achievements demonstrate that well planned and executed practice changes deliver economic and environmental benefits." 

“We are proud to work with primary producers demonstrating a clear commitment to innovation and best practices,” said Rob.