Please see attached the final newsletter for the ‘Sustainable grazing in the Channel Country Floodplains’ project.

This edition wraps up the project as it has existed over the last 10 years, however, given current flooding we’re hoping to conduct one last lap around the floodplains to record the pasture response in 2009.

The project was lead by the Queensland Department of Primary Industries & Fisheries but was only possible with significant contributions from Meat & Livestock Australia, the Natural Heritage Trust and Desert Channels Queensland. Invaluable support was also provided by S. Kidman & Co, Stanbroke Pastoral Co, NAPCO, AACO, Western Grazing Co and Arrabury Pastoral Co.

Recently two land management tools were released through the project; ‘Forage value in the channel country’ and ‘A Photographic Guide and Flood Rules of Thumb’, a map series for the Cooper, Diamantina and Georgina catchments.

Designed to work together, these tools help managers to better anticipate the size of beneficial flooding arising from rains in the upper catchment and to more objectively assess the value of the resulting forage. They combine local knowledge and years of experience with the latest scientific information, helping property managers work towards best practice management.

Copies of ‘Forage Value in the Channel Country’ are still available at the Longreach and Charleville DPI&F offices or by contacting Jo Winkleman on (07) 4650 1224.

Many thanks to Ben Lynes (project leader 2006-2008) for providing us with the final ‘wrap up’. We would also like to wish him all the best in his new position with Kidman & Co as a rangeland scientist based in Adelaide.

And finally, we would like to sincerely thank all those involved over the past 10 years for contributing to the success of the project. On behalf of the project team we wish everyone a safe, prosperous and wet 2009.

For more information contact: Dr David Phelps, DPI&F Longreach – 07 4650 1244 Email:david.phelps@dpi.qld.gov.au

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