Managing Indigenous Pastoral Lands

MANAGING INDIGENOUS PASTORAL LANDS McClelland Rural Services Pty Ltd © 2014 Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation. All rights reserved. ISBN 978-1-74254-630-8 ISSN 1440-6845 Managing indigenous pastoral lands manual Publication No. 14/014 Project No. PRJ-008777 The information contained in this publication is intended for general use to assist public knowledge and discussion and to help improve the development of sustainable regions. You must not rely on any information contained in this publication without taking specialist advice relevant to your particular circumstances. While reasonable care has been taken in preparing this publication to ensure that information is true and correct, the Commonwealth of Australia gives no assurance as to the accuracy of any information in this publication. The Commonwealth of Australia, the Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation (RIRDC), the authors or contributors expressly disclaim, to the maximum extent permitted by law, all responsibility and liability to any person, arising directly or indirectly from any act or omission, or for any consequences of any such act or omission, made in reliance on the contents of this publication, whether or not caused by any negligence on the part of the Commonwealth of Australia, RIRDC, the authors or contributors. The Commonwealth of Australia does not necessarily endorse the views in this publication. This publication is copyright. Apart from any use as permitted under the Copyright Act 1968, all other rights are reserved. However, wide dissemination is encouraged. Requests and inquiries concerning reproduction and rights should be addressed to RIRDC Communications on phone 02 6271 4100. Researcher Contact Details Bob McClelland McClelland Rural Services Pty Ltd 49 Gardenia Drive Birkdale QLD 4159 Email: [email protected] In submitting this report, the researcher has agreed to RIRDC publishing this material in its edited form. RIRDC Contact Details Rural Industries Research and Development Corporation Level 2, 15 National Circuit BARTON ACT 2600 PO Box 4776 KINGSTON ACT 2604 Phone: 02 6271 4100 Fax: 02 6271 4199 Email: [email protected]. Web: http://www.rirdc.gov.au Electronically published by RIRDC in February 2014 Print-on-demand by Union Offset Printing, Canberra at www.rirdc.gov.au or phone 1300 634 313 introduction to the manual MANAGING INDIGENOUS PASTORAL LANDS McClelland Rural Services Pty Ltd Disclaimer The information contained in this publication is intended for general use to assist Indigenous pastoralists, their advisors and other stakeholders. It includes general statements based upon scientific research and, in the instance of the Case Studies, information supplied by the operators of these businesses and their advisors. Readers are advised that this information may be incomplete or unsuitable for use in specific situations. Whilst all care has been taken to ensure that all information is true and correct at the time of publication, McClelland Rural Services Pty Ltd gives no warranty or assurance, and makes no representation as to the accuracy of any information or advice contained in this publication. Before taking any action or decision based upon the information in this publication, readers should seek expert professional, scientific, technical and legal advice. To the extent permitted by law, McClelland Rural Services Pty Ltd (including its employees and consultants), the authors and its partners do not assume liability of any kind whatsoever resulting from any person’s use or reliance upon the contents of this document. 2 INTRODUCTION Contents Disclaimer 2 Manual contents 5 Introduction to the manual: Managing Indigenous Pastoral Lands 7 Project Area 7 Indigenous Pastoral Lands 7 Modular Approach to Management 8 Case Studies 9 Stakeholders 9 Acknowledgements 11 Acronyms and Abbreviations 13 3 MANUAL CONTENTS 1. Business Management 4. Property Management Introduction 3 Introduction 3 Business Plan 5 Station Maps 5 Governance 12 Cultural Heritage Information 9 Recording and Budgeting Beef Climate and Weather Information 9 Production and Costs 17 Property Infrastructure 12 Bookkeeping and Accounting 22 Livestock Identification 29 Beef Business Performance 24 Herd Management Systems 37 Assessing the Performance of the Herd 27 Livestock Production Assurance 38 Sensitivity and Breakeven Analysis 30 Financing Arrangements 31 5. Grazing Land Management Introduction 3 2. Markets And Marketing Grazing Systems 12 Introduction 3 Land Condition Management 16 Markets 4 Controlling Cattle Distribution 22 Market Information Sources 10 Fire Management 23 Marketing Strategies 12 Weed Management 29 Selling Methods for Marketing Options 19 Managing Woodland Thickening 34 Stock Movement Regulations Feral Animal Control 35 and Assurances 22 Responsibilities if Leasing Out Your Land 38 3. Land Information Sources of information used Introduction 3 in this module 39 Indigenous Land Rights and Pastoral Land Holdings 5 6. Herd Management & Production Land Tenure 10 Introduction 4 Indigenous Land Holding Managing Breeders and Heifers 6 Arrangements in the Northern Territory 11 Bull Management 25 Indigenous Land Holding Bull Selection and Genetic Arrangements in Queensland 12 Improvement 28 Indigenous Land Holding Weaner Management 38 Arrangements in Western Australia 14 Supplementation 46 Role of Land Councils 18 Hormonal Growth Promotants 62 Land Use Agreements 20 Workshops to Attend for this module 64 Mining Tenures and Income from Sources of Information Used Mining on Indigenous Land 22 in this Module 65 4 back to top 7. Husbandry, Health And Welfare Case Study 1: Warrigundu Station Introduction 3 Northern Territory Husbandry 4 Executive Summary 3 Health 15 Land and Property Information 8 Welfare 37 Business Management 13 Sources of Information Used Markets and Marketing 16 in this Module 49 Grazing Land Management 18 8. Human Resource Management Herd Management and Production 20 Husbandry, Health and Welfare 23 Introduction 3 Human Resource Management 24 Organisation Structure 4 Diversification 26 Staff Employment 6 Staff Recruitment and Retention 10 Case Study 2: Delta Downs Station Staff Training 12 Queensland 9. Diversification Executive Summary 3 Other Income Earning Land and Property Information 6 Opportunities Business Management 12 Markets and Marketing 16 Introduction 3 Grazing Land Management 17 Sub-leasing or Letting Grazing Licences 5 Herd Management and Production 18 Agistment 8 Human Resource Management 21 Contracting 9 Diversification 23 Employment on Non-Indigenous Cattle Stations 11 Case Study 3: Lamboo Station Employment as Rangers 11 Kimberley, WA Mining Royalties and Employment 12 Executive Summary 3 Operating an Indigenous Training Business 12 Land and Property Information 7 Tourism 13 Business Management 13 Small Scale Abattoirs 14 Markets and Marketing 17 Carbon Farming 17 Grazing Land Management 17 Herd Management and Production 18 Husbandry, Health and Welfare 20 Human Resource Management 21 Diversification 23 Attachment 1: Example of Lamboo Station Workplan 24 5 back to top INTRODUCTION managing indigenous pastoral lands Introduction to the manual: Managing Indigenous Pastoral Lands The Manual for Managing Indigenous Pastoral Lands has been prepared as a component of the Northern Australia Beef Industry Strategy Indigenous Pastoral Project, an Australian Government project, under the Northern Australia Sustainable Futures Program. The project is administered and funded by the Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, and managed by the Rural Industryies Research and Development Corporation. Project Area The project area encompasses pastoral zones of beef cattle production across three jurisdictions of northern Australia, being the northern part of Western Australia (WA), all of the Northern Territory (NT) and all of Queensland (Qld). Indigenous-owned pastoral land in northern Australia is concentrated in the following regions: WA : Kimberley Pilbara Gascoyne NT: Victoria River District Top End Arnhem Land Sturt Plateau Gulf Country Alice Springs and Central Australia Qld: Cape York Peninsula Gulf Country Central Queensland Beef production in this vast area is carried out across a diverse range of grazing ecosystems in tropical and subtropical climates. These range from high rainfall monsoonal zones in the far north to low rainfall areas on the edges of deserts in central Australia. Livestock graze on a variety of land types including open woodlands, flood plains and treeless downs. The live cattle export trade is the marketing focus of the beef cattle industry in northern WA and the Top End of the NT. Both the domestic and export beef markets are the focus of the beef cattle industry around Alice Springs, the Barkly region of the NT and Qld. There are significant variations across jurisdictions relating to land tenure, livestock and transport regulations, funding and extension services. Indigenous Pastoral Lands Indigenous pastoral lands associated with beef cattle production in northern Australia, are characterised by: • significant areas of Indigenous land ownership • limited number of properties with large herds and sustainable operations • many properties with small herds and pastoral businesses that struggle financially • properties which are sub-leased or lying idle • market constraints and long distances to domestic markets • inability to source credit to finance cattle for herd establishment and/or expansion • high staff turnover and/or reliance on contractors. 6 back to

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