Kambarang 2024

GeoCatch acknowledges the Wadandi Saltwater people, the Traditional Owners of this land, and recognise their continuing connection to lands, waters and communities.

The latest sustainable farming news from GeoCatch

Dear Geo,

With the warmer weather of Kambarang, reptiles such as Karda (Goanna), Noorn (dugite), Wakarl (Carpet Snake), Nornt (Tiger Snake) and Yoorn (Bobtail) are emerging from their hibernation looking for food and a warm place to reproduce. 

Get in touch with us if you have any news or photos to share!

Exciting News! GeoCatch secures

climate-smart agriculture grant!

Over the past few years there's been a real demand from local farmers wanting to learn more about sustainable agricultural practices.

GeoCatch is thrilled to announce that it has been successful with funding as a part of the Federal Government’s Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.

GeoCatch’s ‘Resilient Farms’ Program will assist GeoCatch to deliver targeted programs aimed at climate-smart agricultural practices such as enhancing soil health on farms, biodiversity and rivercare, farm productivity, nutrient management and overall climate resilience.

“Working collaboratively with farmers is essential for creating sustainable agricultural practices that benefit both the environment and the community,” said Vicky Winton, Chair of GeoCatch. 

“This funding will allow us to provide resources and support, encouraging a deeper understanding of climate-smart strategies among our local farming community”, said Vicky.

A series of events and activities will take place over the next four years as part of the project including programs on landscape hydrology with the Mulloon Institute and soil health and biology with Soil Land Food. The project will also include workshops regarding pest and weed management, biodiversity on farms, indigenous fire management, pasture and nutrient management and rivercare as well as the launch of a 'Farmers After 5' networking series.

The project aligns with the GeoCatch initiative ‘Geographe Farmers Protecting Geographe Bay‘ established in 2021, recognising the importance of farmers working collectively to make a difference – improving our natural resources, looking after the environment and supporting a thriving and sustainable agriculture industry. 

Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Julie Collins, highlighted the government’s commitment to sustainability in agriculture. “There is no one way to approach sustainability in agriculture, especially in a country with diverse landscapes and ecosystems like Australia. Initiatives like these are crucial for ensuring that our agriculture sector can thrive while adapting to the challenges posed by climate change.”

This project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust.

Transforming bare ground into

a thriving riparian ecosystem

A group of enthusiastic landholders recently embarked on a bus tour through the Geographe catchment to explore rivers and waterways that have been rehabilitated by landholders interested in protecting the natural areas in their farm. 

Through GeoCatch’s Rivercare Program, landholders have undertaken weed control, planted banks with native species and installed fencing to remove stock access to the waterways.

The tour, facilitated by GeoCatch and restoration expert, Greg Overton, started at a newly rehabilitated site, which was fenced and planted out by Chris Credaro in 2023. Participants were surprised to see a high survival rate of native plants, despite the challenges posed by the extended dry summer, helped on by handwatering. The successful establishment of the plants led to a great discussion about techniques for effective planting and next steps for in-fill planting in future years.

Above: Transformation at Chip Yelverton’s property, from bare banks in 2017 to a thriving riparian zone in 2024, complete with protective fencing.

The second stop, a five year old site restored by local farmer Brodie Allen (above right), had established plant growth creating a thriving habitat for various bird species and native fauna. Greg commented one of the signs of a successful restoration project is the sound of a site. “Listen”, he said. “You can hear birds and insects and the gentle flow of water. These sounds signify a functioning eco-system.”

This project is part of the State Government's Healthy Estuaries WA and Revitalising Geographe Waterways initiatives that aim to support the long term health of our south-west waterways.

Rural Women Connect in Boyanup

Recently women from across the catchment convened for GeoCatch's annual 'Rural Women Connect' event, hosted by Anna Macleay at her Boyanup property.

Following the International Day of Rural Women, the gathering celebrated the vital role that women play in agriculture in the Geographe catchment, strengthening community resilience in an industry traditionally dominated by men.

To kick off the afternoon, guests embarked on a field walk to the Macleay family's rivercare site, where they are actively restoring a section of the Buayanup River that runs through their property. Anna's daughter, Claire discussed the challenges and successes of stage one of the project with over 660m of stock proof fencing being installed to protect over 550 seedlings.

The event continued back at the homestead where participants were able to share their experiences in the face of climate challenges and the importance of how building a supportive network focusing on resilience can really make a difference.

Thank you to all that attended and contributed to the event, and we look forward to building on and working with this network of amazing women over the coming year!

This event is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust.

Protecting our Geographe waterways

GeoCatch's Rivercare Program has been making amazing strides in protecting and restoring Geographe waterways, thanks to the State Government support with the WA Healthy Estuaries initiative.

Over the past four years of the program, participating Geographe farmers have installed over 35kms of fencing along critical waterways within the catchment, with an additional 5kms to be completed by Christmas. This fencing plays a crucial role in preventing livestock access to sensitive areas, protecting water quality and promoting healthier ecosytems.

Above: GeoCatch's Rivercare Officer, Olivia Tunney completing a site assessment with Upper Capel farmer, Mark Winkworth.

In addition to fencing, the Rivercare program has overseen the planting of over more than 36,000 seedlings in riparian areas. These native plants not only filter nutrients before they enter the waterways, they also enhance biodiversity, help stablize riverbanks and reduce erosion.

Planning is now underway for the 2026 planting season, with plant orders going into local nurseries shortly. If you are interested in getting involved with a rivercare project on your property, contact Olivia to arrange a site assessment.

This project is part of the State Government's Healthy Estuaries WA and Revitalising Geographe Waterways initiatives that aim to support the long term health of our south-west waterways.

Grazing Matcher farmers learn secrets

for good hay and silage

Hay season is well upon us and farmers taking part in the Grazing Matcher group are putting what they’ve been learning into practice.

Abba River farmer Daniel Cowcill hosted the October meeting where the group heard from Dan Parnell from AgSure Consulting, on how to optimise the quality of hay and silage produced and minimise wastage.

Overall, the key messages were to aim for a high-quality product, measuring quality through having representative samples analysed by feed testing laboratories, and storing hay and silage properly.

Grazing Matcher facilitator Jeisane Accioly noted that feed testing enables development of a feed budget, sustains production and welfare of animals, and matches feed demands to feed requirements. This can also decrease greenhouse gas production decreasing the carbon footprint of the system.

Dan recommended to cut early to optimise quality, and this can also lift yield. Once the pasture has been cut, preferably mid morning after heavy dew lifts, the next requirement is to conserve it as quickly as possible before it’s broken down and loses quality.

The Grazing Matcher project aims to improve productivity and profits for farmers and minimise impacts to the environment by supporting farmers to adopt best practice grazing management across their sheep and beef farms.

Want to know more about testing your forage?

How do you make sure that your best hay gets used on your most valuable stock, or at a time when they need the most nutrition? Testing the quality of your hay and silage will help you prioritise what to use at different times of year.

Dan Parnell shows us how to collect samples and Donnybrook producer Paul Fry gives us some insight into how he will use the results to increase the efficiency of his farm.

Are you interested in borrowing a Forage Corer Kit?

GeoCatch has a range of equipment available to loan for FREE including a Forage Corer Kit. Get in contact with us to arrange collection.

We also have the following equipment for FREE loan:

• Soil testing equipment including auger and stainless-steel bucket;
• Planting equipment including augers, pottipuki's, planting kidney buckets.

This project is jointly funded through GeoCatch, the State Government's Healthy Estuaries WA and Revitalising Geographe Waterways programs, Meat and Livestock Australia's Profitable Grazing Systems Initative and Western Beef Association Inc.

How is the South West tracking for

rainfall and streamflow this season?

Department of Water and Environmental Regulation have recently launched seasonal tracking for rainfall and streamflow data for the south west.

The webpage provides regular updates on long-term trends for the region, climatic conditions as well information on key representative sites.

Upcoming Events and Programs

Healthy Rivers, Healthy Habitats Workshop

Are you curious about what weird and wonderful critters live in our local waterways? GeoCatch are excited to invite local farmers to a unique, first-hand experience to see what life is thriving in Marybrook catchment at this time of year.

Join the Department of Water and Environmental Regulation (DWER) River Science team as they conduct their Healthy Rivers assessments. Sampling at this time of year highlights the importance of some of the dry season refuge habitats. This is a unique opportunity to see what the river assessments reveal about our waterways and how our actions on farms can contribute to a healthier ecosystem.

DATE: Thursday 5 December 2024

TIME: 9.30am to 11.00am

LOCATION: Marybrook - site address to be provided on RSVP

COST: FREE!

WHO: Farmers in the Carbunup, Marybrook and Anniebrook sub-catchments

This project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust.

Geographe Soil Testing Program - DIY Sampling Training

Join fellow farmers to learn how to collect accurate soil samples, as part of the 2024/25 Geographe Soil Testing Program, with hands-on equipment training provided by DPIRD Officers. 

You will learn how to:

• Take accurate and representative soil samples of your paddocks. 
• Set up the sampling equipment - drill and auger.
• GPS your sampling locations.
• Prepare sample bags for the lab. 

This training is highly recommended for participants of the Geographe Soil Testing Program, but everyone is welcome!

DATE: Thursday 14 November 2024

TIME: 9.30am to 11.00am

LOCATION: Yallingup Siding - site address to be provided on RSVP

COST: FREE!

This project is part of the State Government's Healthy Estuaries WA and Revitalising Geographe Waterways initiatives that aim to support the long term health of our south-west waterways.

This project is part of the State Government's Healthy Estuaries WA and Revitalising Geographe Waterways initiatives that aim to support the long term health of our south-west waterways.

There are 14 waterways that flow across the Geographe catchment into Geographe Bay or via coastal wetlands and estuaries. 

In this edition, we are looking at Vasse Diversion Drain catchment, one of the largest Geographe sub-catchments.

Quick links to handy websites

To be featured in this newsletter, please send content or ideas to geocatch@dwer.wa.gov.au. Access daily news, events and opportunities through GeoCatch Facebook and Instagram.

GeoCatch has been working with farmers for 25 years! If you'd like to increase farm productivity and profitability while supporting the environment then get in touch.

geocatch@dwer.wa.gov.au | 0491 069 078 | www.geocatch.asn.au