Kambarang 2023

The latest sustainable farming news from GeoCatch

We're genuinely interested in staying connected with you and your activities on your property during this season. Feel free to share your updates with us via email or even a photo – we're eager to see what you're up to!

Celebrating Rural Women's Day

Above: Felicity Carter hosted the event recognising the efforts of female farmers across the catchment.

It’s a busy time of year for local farmers making silage and cutting hay, but the tools were put aside when women farmers from across the catchment gathered to celebrate the United Nation’s International Day of Rural Women.

The event was a collaboration between GeoCatch and local farmer, Felicity Carter, with Felicity hosting the gathering at her family farm in Marybrook. Each of the farmers attending had been involved with GeoCatch through programs such as soil testing, stream restoration or on-farm nutrient management.

Felicity said “the role that women play in our farming community often goes unnoticed, so this was a chance for us to celebrate and recognise the integral role that women play in the Geographe agricultural community working together to look after our environment”.

Over local food and refreshments, the group connected sharing inspirational stories of their experiences living and working in the south-west, bringing together old friends and creating new bonds.

GeoCatch Board Chair, Vicky Winton, said “the stories shared were deeply affecting and spoke of the resourcefulness and passionate commitment of our local rural women to their farms, families, the environment, and our community. Here in the southwest of Western Australia, rural women are clearly key innovators, managers and drivers of farming success and sustainability.”



GeoCatch’s sustainable agriculture programs support farmers in making changes that enhance their efficiency and protect environmental values. In particular, ‘Geographe Farmers protecting Geographe Bay’ launched in 2022, recognises the importance of farmers working collectively to make a difference in our catchment – looking after the environment and supporting a thriving and sustainable agricultural industry.

Brooke Anderson, Linda Tan and Anna Macleay enjoying the gathering.

The GeoCatch team with Felicity Carter and Board Chair Vicky Winton.

Rebecca Houlison, Elaine Haddon and Linda Tan share experiences over a cup of tea!

Regen Ag Conference a smash!

In early September, Margaret River hosted the biggest regenerative agriculture gathering the south west has ever seen with the 2023 Regen Ag Conference.

The event combined workshops, two full days of conference presentations, a delegate dinner, field trips and satellite events, and brought together over 300 regen ag experts, farmers and novices, to learn from one another on this growing movement.

GeoCatch sponsored five local Geographe farmers to attend and learn from farmers that have already embarked on the regen journey.

The popularity of the event highlighted the growing number of farmers transitioning to regenerate soils and landscapes, increase nutrient density in foods, enhance biodiversity and build resilience on farms and in communities.

Geographe farmers, Kerry and Brynley enjoying the field trip 'Paddock to Plate' visiting local regen producers and hearing about the rewards and challenges they have faced.

GeoCatch's sustainable agriculture project officer, Michelle Priest with sponsored farmers Peter Togno, Neville Haddon and Robyn Robertson.

One of the key themes that resonated with attendees throughout the two days of presentations was the importance of soil health, as it is the key ingredient to improving plant and animal health.

Soil health can be improved through many methods, such as diversifying pastures and using cover crops, integrating livestock using rotational grazing and minimizing disturbance to soils. Many farmers, such as local beef farmer Robyn Robertson, are already using these best-practice methods on their farms here in the Geographe catchment.

Robyn has been exploring regenerative farming practices on her beef farm for over 7 years, and, with the help of GeoCatch, has seen some remarkable results. "Attending the conference has given me the confidence to know that I am on the right track and must continue. It is also very inspiring to see that I am not alone on this journey to high-quality food production," said Robyn.

Pasture research in our own backyard

Science is in action all around us, and right here in Busselton three agricultural trials have been designed to research how farmers can get the most out of their pasture.

Recently a group of South West farmers and stakeholders gathered for the Pasture Wise Field Day, experiencing firsthand the pasture research happening on Geographe farms. The tour allowed participants to inspect the trial sites and hear from the experts about the preliminary findings.

Having pasture trials on local soil means that farmers are able to see outcomes that are comparable to their own farms. Farmers said that the field day highlighted the importance of soil and plant tissue testing, the timing of fertiliser applications and to choose fertiliser blends more carefully.

Trial sites visited included the Western Dairy Pasture Trials Network - an annual ryegrass variety trial; Soil Wise’s Nitrogen, Potassium, Sulphur and trace elements trial – looking at how addressing nutrient constraints can affect pasture production; and the Pasture Challenge Trial site – farmer-driven trials aimed at addressing soil constraints.

These trials aim to increase farmer and industry confidence in fertiliser recommendations, resulting in improved on-farm efficiency and reduced nutrient loss to waterways.

Soil Wise is funded by the National Landcare Program Smart Farms Small Grants – an Australian Government initiative. It is supported by Healthy Estuaries WA – a State Government program.

Ready, set, soil test!

As the days are warming up, GeoCatch's sustainable agriculture team is getting ready for a big season of soil testing.

This is a huge job for the team, involving many people to get farmers from the initial expression of interest stage, through to receiving their results and putting recommendations into action.

The last few months have been busily spent liasing with farmers and Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) to get farm mapping completed, including the paddocks that will actually be tested. This year GeoCatch will be overseeing the sampling of over 870 paddocks covering 8100 hectares - the biggest year for the Geographe Soil Testing Program yet!

From here, farmers will be receiving expert training and support on how to accurately sample their paddocks, as well as receive a visit from one of the GeoCatch team to have a chat about how they can improve nutrient efficiency on their farm. The program runs for a 12-month period and includes whole farm nutrient mapping, workshops, tissue testing and agronomist recommendations.

If you're interested in learning how to accurately soil test on your property, register for the Do-It-Yourself Soil Sampling Training event below.

This project is part of Healthy Estuaries WA and Revitalising Geographe Waterways, State Government initiatives that aim to support the long-term health of our south-west waterways. It is supported by Soil Wise. Soil Wise is funded by the National Landcare Program Smart Farms Small Grants – an Australian Government initiative.

Upcoming Events and Programs

Join GeoCatch to learn more about effective and efficient strategies for lowering inputs and improving pasture production.

Ensuring that the plants we grow get the nutrition they need is important for the robust growth, pest and disease resistance, and yield outcomes we want from our enterprise programs.

More than ever, there is both an economic and ecological imperative for management practices that look after our soil so that we get better nutrient retention, delivery and cycling, and well informed, targeted fertiliser applications, to achieve desirable plant performance outcomes with minimal waste.

In this one-day workshop with Mark Tupman of Productive Ecology, we will cover the underlying principles and fundamentals of how to:

• Build fertile and functional soils
• Determine the nutritional status of soil and plants
• How to best apply nutrients to the soil and plants
• Develop sound nutritional programs for our crops and pastures.

The day will also include a practical session making and applying nutritional amendments.

This event is not to be missed!

This event is supported though funding from Soil Wise. Soil Wise is funded by the National Landcare Program Smart Farms Small Grants – an Australian Government initiative. It is supported by Healthy Estuaries WA – a State Government program.

Do-It-Yourself Soil Sampling Training

Join fellow farmers and DPIRD Officers to learn how to collect accurate soil samples on your property.

This hands-on training session will prepare you for the upcoming soil testing program including:

• Taking accurate soil samples that represent your farm
• Setting up the equipment (including sampling drill and auger)
• Preparing your farm map and soil samples ready for analysis
• Key dates and information about the Soil Testing Program
• Meet the GeoCatch and DPIRD teams that will support you over the next 12 months
• Network with other Geographe farmers participating in the Soil Testing Program.

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

This is a part of the State Government's Healthy Estuaries WA and Revitalising Geographe Waterways programs, and Soil Wise. Soil Wise is funded by the National Landcare Program Smart Farms Small Grants Initiative - an Australian Government program. 

2024 Grazing Matcher Program

The Grazing Matcher program brings together livestock producers to work with farming technical experts to improve productivity by improving grazing, fodder and feed decision-making.

The program, commencing March 2024, is open to grazing businesses in the Geographe Catchment. Expressions of Interest are now open!

How does it work?

• 8 businesses per group (up to 2 people per business)
• 8 grower meetings per group over 12 months
• Meetings at participants' farms (rotating)
• Meetings facilitated by 2 technical consultants: Jeisane Accioly (ALIS Consulting) & Dan Parnell (Agsure Consulting), with invited speakers
• Peer networking and professional advice to support your business both at, and between, meetings.

What does it cost?

$650 per business

(Valued at over $3700 and subsidised through GeoCatch and funding partners)

What will you learn?

• Grazing management tailored to local conditions to maximise productivity, quality, resilience to grazing, root growth, ground cover, weed management and nutrient uptake
• Efficient fodder production (quality, quantity and cost), storage and use
• Understand seasonal animal requirements
• Maximise pasture utilisation
• Understand feed analysis and efficient feed allocation
• Feed analysis and supplement allocation
• Farm business performance indicators
• Minimising environmental impact on local waterways.

This project is jointly funded through GeoCatch, the Australian Government's National Landcare Program, Meat and Livestock Australia's Profitable Grazing Systems initiative and Western Beef Association Inc.

Where's your farm in the catchment?

Who doesn't love a good map and checking out your own patch!?

Click on the map to see where your farm is and what sub-catchment you fall into.

Each sub-catchment is surrounded by natural features such as hills or elevated land from which surface and sub surface water flows into a waterway. There are 14 waterways that flow across the Geographe catchment into Geographe Bay or via coastal wetlands and estuaries. 

Calculate your stocking rate and feed requirements for summer

Setting stock numbers is one of the most crucial decisions a farm manager has to make. With the pastures drying off and the days getting warmer, our thoughts turn to pasture yield and available food set aside for summer and autumn.

A critical step in analysing your livestock system is calculating the average stocking rate on your farm to match animal energy demands with pasture supply.

A stocking rate that is higher than farm resources can sustain, can lead to degradation problems such as soil erosion and damage to vegetation, as well as the need for external feed inputs.

The Nutrient Best Mangement Practices (BMPs) for beef, sheep and dairy grazing enterprises in south-west recommends the following calculators to determine farm stocking rates:

With the right stocking rate you can prevent damage to your property and ensure that you create a healthy and sustainable farm and livestock system.

Making informed decisions about your flock

With sheep producers facing difficult seasonal and industry conditions, a new economic analysis has been developed to help farmers make better-informed management decisions.

The in-depth report has been prepared by respected economist John Young, and commissioned by the Department of Industry and Regional Development (DPIRD).

The 'Sheep management in 2023-24' report provides critical guidance and practical solutions for producers to optimise flock and business potential to navigate the months ahead.

Previous dry seasons highlight that planning and early decision making is essential.

Sheep farmers are encouraged to monitor and assess their flock plans, and to consult the report and other support resources available to assist in the decision-making process.

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 the Ludlow River, in the central east of the Geographe catchment and the only major waterway to discharge into the Wonnerup Estuary, an important habitat for birds.

Quick links to handy websites

How can we support you? What burning questions do you have about sustainable agriculture in Geographe catchment? The survey will only take 2 minutes.

Are you collecting containers? By taking your empty cans and bottles back for refund you'll helping increase recycling by our community. Be a part of the change!

And if you want to do even more for conservation, you can choose to donate your refund to GeoCatch (ID Code: C10577125). We'll put your donation to good use caring for our environment!

Want daily updates on all of our news and events, environmental inspiration, what's happening around the region, and how you can make a difference?

Then make sure you like and follow GeoCatch on on 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 to chat.

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