Soil consultant John Hughes, second from left, was a guest presenter at July’s Eungella Soil and Pasture Update day where landholders discussed soil tests and pasture. He is pictured with Roxanne Morgan (DAF), and landholders Wayne Reading, Dennis Fitzsimmonds and Shanara Paton.

Enthusiastic Eungella crowd keen to learn about soil health

TWENTY landholders and industry representatives from the Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF), Reef Catchments, NQ Dry Tropics, and a soils specialist, attended a Soils and Pastures workshop at Tippetts Farm at Crediton in July.

Host Paul Tippett

Upper Broken River landholders are working with soil experts to enhance soil health, increase pasture productivity, and improve livestock nutrition and economic bottom lines.  

They are applying practical solutions to improve soil health and high quality pasture while controlling Giant Rat’s Tail Grass, a priority invasive plant in the Upper Broken River catchment.

Jim Fletcher, from DAF, who undertook soil sampling for landholders, reported back the analysis of those samples, to help landholders devise actions and management strategies to improve soil and pasture.

Soils consultant John Hughes discussed biological and chemical approaches to soils management.

Mr Fletcher said a key focus of the day was for producers to identify issues with the soil environment of their property and to then be able to prioritise which issues they should address to give them the best return for their time and investment.

“Having someone like John Hughes attend was invaluable as he has a wealth of knowledge of the soils in Mackay, Whitsunday, and in particular at Eungella,” Mr Fletcher said.

“That’s why we had the level of discussion we had, because producers were able to get immediate feedback on management pathways they should take on their properties.”

Topics covered included:

• Soils and how they function.
• How different farm practices affect soil health and fertility.
• Soil tests – How to read them with confidence and assess your soil health in the paddock.
• Monitoring, identifying and mapping soil types across your property.
• Identifying soil constraints such as low organic matter, pH, soil salinity
  and compaction.
• Taking effective action to address soil and pasture issues.
• Fertilisers and the range of fertility input options.

The day was hosted by Donna and Paul Tippett, Ardrossan Farm.

Digging deeper, an exercise in evaluating the physical, chemical and biological components of soil by soils consultant John Hughes, to help landholders to know what to look for when assessing soil, which tools to use and what management practices to use to address soil health concerns.

Dr Christine Jones.

Knowledge gives landholders power to make change

Soil health knowledge will move BBB landholders towards restoring hydrological balance on a catchment scale and therefore strengthen the region’s farm profitability.

LDC is taking a region-wide approach to bring together soil health professionals and graziers to improve awareness of existing, new, and evolving regional soil health practices and assessment methods. 

In the past 12 months, LDC has hosted soil gurus David Hardwick, of Soil Land Food, and Dr Christine Jones, of Amazing Carbon, to provide one-on-one training and small group workshops.  

Getting the best in the business to come into the region to workshop soil health, aligns with the overarching aims of the LDC project, working with landholders to reduce sediment on the Great Barrier Reef by targeting erosion hotspots and grazing land management practices.