Case Studies

Farming is a hard business that throws countless obstacles at those who work to feed, clothe and sustain the rest of us. With often harsh weather including sustained drought that then turns into rampant rain, predicting productivity and income levels is a daily challenge.

Although it’s early days for this regeneration project, the spider webs the landholder sees in the morning dew are a clear sign the country is recovering. “When you see so many webs, you know the insects are hiding beneath the new grass. The spiders eat pests that fly in, and in turn the ground cover provides them with protection from the frost. They are one of the most important parts of the ecosystem,” he says. And since implementing his project, the ecosystem on the land is definitely improving.

Edithvale is a productive cattle property that sits within the Fitzroy basin catchment of the Great Barrier Reef. The land has been under the care of the Kelly family for six generations and holds a rich history as an agricultural enterprise, which has included an historic pattern of clearing native vegetation to make way for pasture.

Strathmore lies within the Burnett catchment of the Great Barrier Reef. It is home to a successful cattle grazing enterprise alongside a broad range of native vegetation including blue gum, ironbark and lemon scented gums.

Set in sandy red country mixed with flat plains of rich black soil, this project is spread across Inverness and Culgoa, which host a successful merino sheep operation run by Colin and Christine Payton.

North-east of Cobar in NSW, Kergunyah is a 11,745ha property that runs around 500 head of sheep and is home to several flora and fauna species recognised as vulnerable or threatened.

Colodan sits on ancient land within the Burnett Mary Catchment area, part of the important Great Barrier Reef catchment. James Henderson is a fourth generation farmer who runs a successful breeder cattle grazing operation on land which has been under the care of the Henderson family since 1930.

Cairo sits in the Warrego catchment area of the Darling Riverine Plains, roughly 120km south-east of Cunnamulla in Queensland. It has a long history, with parts of the property held by the same family for over 100 years before it was passed to its current owners, Murray and Necia McBride

According to Vanessa and Dudley Reschke there are three words that describe the outcomes of their carbon project – sustainability, security and diversity. They credit their human induced regeneration project with the long-term sustainability of their agriculture enterprise.