NT Farmers Association workshop

Lunchtime shed talks at Douglas Daly. Photo: Stephanie Coombes, NT Farmers

TMI’s Research Coordinator Luke Peel delivered a landscape rehydration presentation as a casual ‘shed talk’ style event in the Douglas Daly district of the Northern Territory during August, organised by NT Farmers Association.

As an ex-Territorian, Luke was back on his home turf where he started his career with NT Soil Conservation on a soil erosion monitoring and modelling project. He also included a side visit to the old Douglas Daly Research Farm where he previously worked and met with NT Department of Primary Industry Research Farm colleagues Peter Shotton and Rowena Eastick (Territory NRM).

Luke talked with local farmers about their current land use and management strategies to describe how it ties in with landscape rehydration, reducing soil erosion (a big problem), rebuilding soil processes, managing for the climate in this region (semi-arid tropics, distinct wet/dry seasons), and possible future climate change/extremes.

Cropping can be challenging in the region due to the haphazard rainfall of the build-up (September-November), so farmers are keen to maximise their chances of establishing their crops. Landscape rehydration works are expected to be able to help with this process with increasing plant available water for crops and pasture.

Luke explained how TMI can assist with training and demonstrations of understanding landscape processes to better manage water to increase plant available water, reduce erosion, and regenerate soil structure and function that will increase productivity. Examples include the Old Cameron Downs workshop presented by Peter Hazell in 2021, and collaborations with Mike Clarke and representatives from Charles Darwin University on the Aileron Project in Central Australia.

The planned LiDAR acquisition for the Douglas-Daly region will be of great value and benefit for land managers to understand and visualise how surface water moves through the country and how TMI can assist with how to manage these resources in context of soil and hydrological processes.

The event featured:

The event featured:

  • Mulloon Institute – Luke Peel/Mike Clarke – Landscape rehydration, soil erosion, Cropland Erosion Program/Land Management in semi-arid tropics.

  • Kondinin Group – Ben White/Chris Warrick – GRDC and CRCNA project regarding grain storage.

  • LiDAR updates – AOI requirements.

  • Broadacre Cropping Manual – handout.

  • Other – Cotton Growers.

While in the Territory, Luke also met with Mike Clarke and representatives from Charles Darwin University regarding Aileron Project in Central Australia.

Kelly Thorburn