The Scottville Cluster Group has proven that working together can result in great outcomes. Twenty-five people attended a field trip last month to share the achievements of the group.

Together the Scottville Cluster Group has achieved wonders

THE Scottville Cluster Group has proven that working together can result in great outcomes.

Twenty-five people attended a field trip last month to share the achievements of the group.

The cluster group landholders were joined by representatives from Department of Agriculture and Fisheries, Glencore, Whitsunday Regional Council, NQ Dry Tropics and local earthworks contractors at a field day on 21 July. 

The agenda for the day  included:

  • Q and A with landholders and soil conservation technical adviser Bob Shepherd on completed works, how they were achieved (labour, machinery, materials used), site erosion risks, and grazing land management.
  • Discussion on monitoring and maintenance.
  • Regulatory issues and notifications to Department of Natural Resources, Mines and Energy.
  • Key lessons for the remediation of gullies and other erosion features.
  • Feedback from local contractors on their involvement.

The cluster group is made up of landholders from six properties – Hillview, Two Mile, Emohruo, Todsure, Three Mile and Robinson Block.

The focus of the cluster group was to: 

  • remediate small scale gullies and other severe property erosion features to reduce soil erosion;
  • improve access to land management technical support, extension, education, knowledge and on-ground learning opportunities for small landholders and community of the Scottville-Collinsville area; and
  • support landholders and the wider community to validate solutions for smaller scale erosion features.

The Scottville Cluster Group field day brought together landholders, mining and council representatives, earthworks contractors and guest presenter soil conservation technical adviser Bob Shepherd, of DAF.

Inspecting erosion repair works at Emohruo Station that included widening a dam by-wash and installing a rock chute to improve surface water management.

DAF Principal Extension Officer Bob Shepherd

DAF principal extension officer Bob Shepherd provided expertise to help the cluster group develop cost-effective designs to remediate gullies and other property erosion features to reduce soil erosion.

He also provided expertise about grazing land management.

Works included the construction of surface water diversion banks, installation of rock chutes and gabion baskets, reshaping of erosion areas, and seeding topsoil on reshaped areas.

All on-ground works were carried out by local contractors.

Glencore provided in-kind support through sharing expertise and knowledge in landscape remediation techniques, and also provided the majority of rock for the rock chutes.

Find out more about the Scottville Cluster Group here.