Case Studies

Located in Mourilyan on the Cassowary Coast of Queensland, the property is owned and operated by Joe and Margaret Marano, prominent figures in the North Queensland sugar cane industry. Joe grew up around cane farming and spent years driving cane harvesters before purchasing farmland from his family. Joe and Margaret raised two children on the property, and today, their son Daniel works full-time on the property and their daughter Hayley works there on weekends. Together, the Maranos manage the 425-hectare property with a little seasonal assistance from part-time employees.

Adrian Darveniza, a fourth-generation sugarcane grower, has been running his South Johnstone farm for the past decade with his wife and three sons. Located in the Cassowary Coast Region of Queensland, the property covers 266 hectares, of which 235 hectares are dedicated to sugarcane.

Tallering Station is an old sheep station in remote WA with a rich and long history. Part of the vast Australian Rangelands, Tallering was first used for grazing in the 1860s and construction of the homestead, which still stands today, began in 1903. Managed by the Alan Hamilton since 2017, Tallering is now a thriving cattle station and home to over 75,500ha of regenerating native forest.

Sturt Vale Station is located in the beautiful north-eastern pastoral district of South Australia. Covering some 137,255 hectares, Sturt Vale comprises five separate properties: Sturt Vale, Wyndale, Alexandrina, Fordes Lagoon, and Aldermans. The properties are owned and run by Sturt Vale Pastoral, third generation pastoralists who manage sheep, goats and cattle at the station.

Merluna Station is home to the MacLean family, who run a beef cattle enterprise and provide tourist accommodation and camping facilities. Located on Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland, Merluna was purchased by Michelle and Cameron MacLean in 2004, and their three children have grown up on the property. Like many parts of Cape York, much of the 169,000 hectare property remains undeveloped, with only the areas close to their homestead being fenced. Today, the MacLeans run roughly 500 head of cattle in fenced paddocks and have others running free at Merluna.

For over twenty years, Helen and Waldo Ponder have been operating a merino sheep enterprise at their Avondale property. Located in Bourke, NSW, the Ponders describe it as “a beautiful part of the world”, home to a wealth of native flora, including strands of large gidgee trees, huge supplejack trees and leopardwood trees with their spotted bark. The native vegetation attracts a host of birdlife and the Ponders have enjoyed spotting willie wagtails, bee-eaters, wrens, galahs, cockatoos, budgies, ringneck and mulga parrots, as well as brolgas and black swans during wet seasons.

The Witherspoon family have been active in the Cape York cattle industry since the 1960s. Today, Iain and Kate Witherspoon manage York Downs Station on Cape York Peninsula in Far North Queensland. Covering 130,000 hectares, it is home to Iain, Kate and their young children. The Witherspoons manage a herd of Brahman cattle at York Downs, focusing on breeding before moving the cattle south for fattening. As with many properties in Cape York, the cattle are able to freely graze the property, tending to follow green pasture in the wake of storms and rainfall.

Darling River Eco Corridor 32 is situated near Bourke, in the north-west of New South Wales. In 2017, Kevin Whelan and his family partnered with GreenCollar on a carbon project, establishing a steady income stream for the family, facilitating improvements for the property and helping to regenerate native vegetation.

Income from the carbon project has enabled the Whelans to improve property infrastructure, including fencing and trap yards, allowing them to better control feral animals. It has also allowed them to diversify their business and reduce stocking levels, which make them less reliant on weather and seasonal conditions.

For the Whelans, the carbon project provides financial security, helping to maintain the property and keep their business viable.