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.

The current generation of Kellys, Glen and Nikki, have chosen to prioritise sustainability across their beef cattle breeding program, and this flows on to how they manage their land. Following on from erosion and sediment control work with the Fitzroy Basin Association, the Kellys have chosen to retain and protect mature native forest through an avoided clearing project.

In doing so, the Kellys have avoided the emissions that would have been released through the usual clearing cycle and are now protecting the forest for 25 years.

The protected forest reconnects previously fragmented and isolated pockets of native vegetation, linking Edithvale with a larger vegetation corridor of State significance. This increased connectedness of the landscape helps Edithvale to act as a stepping stone for wildlife species in the region such as greater gliders and squatter pigeons.

Through their avoided clearing project, the Kellys have been able to manage grazing pressure across the property which has improved ground cover and soil stability – particularly in areas susceptible to erosion – furthering their work to reduce sediment runoff to the Great Barrier Reef.