Graziers Dig Up The Dirt On Water Quality During A Visit To AIMS

A visit to the Australian Institute of Marine Science (AIMS) has given a group of Burdekin cattle producers an opportunity to learn more about the science behind water quality research.

It was organised by natural resource management group NQ Dry Tropics, working with Burdekin graziers on changed grazing practices to manage riparian zones and maintain end-of-dry season groundcover to improve water quality and farm production.

NQ Dry Tropics Paddock to Reef project officer Jade Fraser said the tour of the facilities was an opportunity to provide graziers with additional knowledge about how improved farming practices could benefit the Great Barrier Reef lagoon.

“We’re trying to merge best-practice science with best-practice land management and come up with solutions that work for landholders, the government, and the Great Barrier Reef,” Jade said.

“If farmers are to be part of the water quality solution, they need access and communication lines to government, policymakers and scientists to help come up with solutions that complement their farm enterprise.

“Graziers had an opportunity to share how practices they’re putting in place are reducing their environmental footprint while also improving the viability of their farms, and scientists were able to talk about the research they’re doing and why it mattered.

“Scientists explained the implementation of the Paddock to Reef (P2R) Integrated Monitoring, Modelling and Reporting program in the Burdekin region, and how results provided evidence of links between land management activities, water quality and reef health.

“Monitoring is used to measure the on-ground change in land management practices and water quality at the paddock scale. This feeds into catchment models that track progress towards water quality targets through the Great Barrier Reef Report Card.”

Burdekin grazier Glen Duncombe said he found the visit informative.

“It was good to hear how scientists carry out monitoring to show impacts of environmental changes on marine ecosystems, and what corals can tell us about the occurrence and intensity of freshwater flood and cyclone events on the reef,” Glen said.

“Water quality going into the reef is, if not getting better, at least stabilising, and hopefully that’s got a bit to do with what we’re doing at home. If we’re all doing our bit, collectively it helps.

“We’re keeping cattle out of the rivers which means we don’t have the cattle pads into the river to cause erosion.

“We’re also improving groundcover and diversity of pastures, and that’s definitely making a difference in reducing run-off during the wet season.

“Hopefully that’ll make a difference to water quality in the long term.”

Grazier Jo Murphy said the visit highlighted the multitude and complexity of human and natural factors impacting the health of coastal waters.

“I live at the top of the Burdekin catchment and the country on our eastern side flows into the Burdekin, so it was interesting to hear about the sediment analysis,” Jo said.

“The data shows that if there’s a great rainfall event or big cyclone, or multiple cyclones in a season, the reef is going to get affected.

“It highlighted that those who manage large areas of agricultural land, need to do their best to control erosion and improve groundcover because it’s better for the country, the environment, grazing animals and livelihoods.

“This is also the case for other industries, coastal developments, and other disturbances. Improving water quality is a complicated and complex undertaking, and many graziers are committed to adopting practices to help with that.”
The Paddock to Reef program provides the framework for evaluating and reporting progress towards Reef 2050 water quality targets through the Great Barrier Reef Report Card.  The program is jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments.

The AIMS visit was part of NQ Dry Tropics’ Herding Change Through Grassroots Recovery project funded by the partnership between the Australian Government’s Reef Trust and the Great Barrier Reef Foundation.

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Zoe O’Neill, left, with Laureen and Glen Duncombe. Photos supplied

Mandy Flintham inspects coral core samples at the AIMS Coral Core Archive Facility
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A tour of the National Sea Simulator, the world’s most advanced aquarium facility, provided an opportunity for cattle producers to learn more about the science behind water quality research
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Graziers Glen Duncombe, Eric Le Feuvre and Jo Murphy inspected SeaSim’s large seawater tanks

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Graziers Lauren Duncombe, left, and Jo Murphy

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