2019 Reef Champion Awards

V Rossi and Sons – Joint Winner

V Rossi and Sons is a family sugarcane farming partnership made up of father Ricky and his five sons Peter, Mark, Steve, Chris and Tony located at Aloomba on the banks of the Mulgrave River. Together they make and use compost on their farm to reduce their need for inorganic nitrogen fertiliser. After purchasing machinery to set up the system, they have reduced nitrogen application by 30 per cent and used multispecies fallow cropping to improve soil biology. Green harvesting and trash blanketing, subsurface fertiliser application and improved pesticide regimes have also improved operations. In addition, a silt trap and the revegetation of their creek boundary drain with river cherry have maintained biodiversity and improved water quality.

Graham Volck – Joint Winner

Graham Volck is always searching for better management practices to improve resource use efficiency and the sustainability of his irrigated cotton farming business near Emerald. He offered his farm as a demonstration site for the cotton industry’s reef water quality project aiming to improve water use efficiency, water quality, and nutrient use efficiency. After conducting soil tests, collecting water samples, installing moisture probes and analysing the data, he removed one in-crop nitrogen fertiliser application. The crop yielded 12 bales per hectare, and Graham saved between $68 to $80/ha in nitrogen fertiliser compared to his previous management practices. Graham believes that more precise nitrogen fertiliser management practices will reduce nitrate lost from the field and improve water quality.

Kate and Peter Waddell – Winner

They’re 130km from the ocean but Woodleigh Cattle Station owners Kate and Peter Waddell are working hard to protect the Great Barrier Reef. Wanting to stop topsoil loss in heavy rain events, repair extensive gullies and fix eroding tailings dams, they began a major project including earthworks, fencing, revegetation, natural grazing practices and off-stream watering points. They also work their cattle (900 head) in a single herd moved through the paddocks, leading to better grazing of areas, which keeps weeds down, improves soil aeration, increases biodiversity from manure and carbon and water retention, resulting in improved grass growth and less erosion.

Russell and Catriona Murdoch – Finalist

An overarching goal to create an ecologically sustainable grazing operation, that values natural capital as much as it does beef production, has led Russell and Catriona Murdoch to take a holistic approach to the development of their 1900 hectare Booubyjan district property ‘Holroyd’. After purchasing the property three years ago, the Murdochs implemented a rotational grazing program to protect riparian areas, decrease erosion and reduce the direct impact of stock on natural waterways. This led to an increase in groundcover of between 50 and 80 per cent across the property and a four-fold increase in Holroyd’s carrying capacity.

Neil Farmer – Winner

Lake Learmonth, owned by Neil Farmer, is a 2,675 hectare cattle property located approximately 45km north of Rockhampton sharing frontage onto the Fitzroy River. Neil has engaged in extensive property planning to manage his grazing lands as ecological systems and preserve soil health to maximise business outcomes. He has installed five new water troughs, 9.8kms of electric fencing and 4kms of poly-pipe to protect riparian areas, promote vegetation regrowth and reduce sediment loss. He now maintains 70-80 per cent ground cover. These changes have also assisted in creating a corridor which not only enhances wildlife movement but provides a preferred nesting habitat for the protected Fitzroy River Turtle and White-throated snapping turtle.

Ellie Carter – Joint Winner

Ellie Carter is highly regarded as a source of impartial and trusted advice on land management extension in the Fitzroy region. During her time at the Fitzroy Basin Association, Ellie has demonstrated a keen interest in agricultural innovations, a proven track record for sound technical advice and, above all, a continued dedication to investing in her skills and future to benefit landholders and industry. Ellie regularly participates in the Fitzroy Regional Extension Network, sharing articles and resources to ensure she remains at the forefront of the agricultural industry while also sharing her knowledge with students from the Queensland Agricultural Training Colleges and The Cathedral College in Rockhampton.

Jayson Dowie – Joint Winner

Jayson Dowie has built and mentored a team of agronomists in Farmacist in the Burdekin who value his expertise and friendly approach. He has partnered with local farmers to develop the RP161 project, an innovative working model that makes changing farming practices as easy as possible for growers. Due in large part to Jayson’s dedication, RP161 has achieved a nitrogen reduction of nearly 200 tonnes, over 156 farms in its first three years and helped cane farmers to reduce harmful runoff, improve their profitability without any loss to production, and benefit their farm for the long-term. RP161 has since expanded to the Mackay Whitsunday region with a 98-tonne reduction in its first year and to the Herbert catchment, and the Burnett Mary region.

Jolly Rogers Fishing Club – Winner

Jolly Rogers Fishing Club is a not-for-profit organisation whose vision is ‘to clear plastic and rubbish debris from our Great Barrier Reef, to sustain its pristine and vital ecosystems for future generations’. The group gathers weekly to remove pollutants from the Fitzroy River. In their mission, since mid-2018, the group has removed over 100 tonnes of debris from the largest river system draining into the Great Barrier Reef lagoon. They have inspired the local community with their steadfast passion to make an impact on local ecosystems and have since branched out to several different community outreach programs, including feeding the homeless and opening an op-shop. As a result, volunteer numbers are growing, and greater environmental outcomes are being achieved.

Wet Tropics Sugar Industry Partnership – Finalist

The Wet Tropics Sugar Industry Partnership model is the first of its kind in Australia – with 17 partners from across the sugar industry, including mills, industry bodies, productivity services, sugar research, natural resource management and government agencies, working together for the benefit of sugarcane farmers and the reef. The Partnership has exceeded its targets and delivered an estimated 10 per cent reduction in dissolved inorganic nitrogen flowing off cane farms to the Great Barrier Reef. This significant outcome has been achieved by engaging with nearly 500 sugarcane growers, of which nearly 300 have made verified practice changes across more than 60,000 hectares.

 William Darveniza – Winner

William Darveniza is a district extension officer for a community-designed reef water quality project aimed at reducing the number of agricultural pollutants flowing from water quality hotspot catchments, Innisfail and Tully. He has successfully coupled local knowledge with an ever-increasing understanding of water quality concepts to play a pivotal role in project initiatives. Critical to Will’s role is the ability to communicate sensitive and complex data. Using his aptitude for graphic design he has produced innovative extension resources such as an N loss pathways board game, basin concept maps, site plans and other infographics which have been very successful with many growers. He has also taken on a mentoring role and is sharing his very practical knowledge of sustainable farming in the Wet Tropics.