Tasmanian Regions SPRING 2012

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Publisher News and Features Columns Kim Evans A cut fl ower above the rest 2 Tasmanian Irrigation Secretary Irrigation schemes to revitalise Department of Primary Industries, Micro hydro generates big savings 5 the midlands 24 Parks, Water and Environment Hazelbrae leads the way for GPO Box 44 Hobart TAS 7001 Heritage Tasmania hazelnuts in Tasmania 6 New life for historic Clarendon 26 While the publisher attempts to ensure the - Cultivating an ancient tree 8 accuracy of the advertising and other Bureau of Meteorology A wonderful part of the world 9 information published in this magazine, it The return of El Nino? What does - DPIPWE at work in the TWWHA 10 accepts no responsibility for the correctness that mean for Tasmania? 28 of that advertising and other information, Latest Agricultural Census Rural Women which is relied upon by readers at their results good news for Tassie 12 own risk. Rural Women’s Award 2013 31 The link to improving relationships Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture Editor with threatened species 14 Simon de Salis On-farm controlled traffi c projects 32 Corporate Communications Branch Uncomfortable work with a New projects support Tasmanian Department of Primary Industries, wonderful aspect 16 dairy industry 33 - End of an era, start of a new one! 18 Parks, Water and Environment Water resources - Tassie from above 20 GPO Box 44 Hobart TAS 7001 Water policy and climate change Phone: 03 6233 6859 ‘You Tube’ used to attract youth in Australia report 34 Email: [email protected] to agribusiness 22 Weed Management Advertising Responding to Tasmania’s ‘Gus Green Golden Woody’ Award 35 Megan Farrer 0412 052 667 changing climate 23 Browsing Animal Management Design and Production Agricultural Innovation Scholarships 40 Losing too much to wallabies and Beverly Waldie brushtail possums? 36 Prepress & Printing Biosecurity Geon Pty Ltd Animal Welfare Act under review 38 Volume 18 Issue 3 Testing for plant disease 38 ISSN 1444-6065 Controlling Johne’s disease 39

Under the requirements of Tasmania’s privacy legislation, subscribers to Tasmanian Regions magazine should note that their name and address which they have provided to the 2 magazine may be used for future surveys Page number and about the magazine, but not for any other 5 6 location of stories purpose. If anyone does not want to be 28 contacted for any future magazine survey, 2. Flowerdale please contact the Editor to have your name 5. Elizabeth Town removed from the mailing list. 6. Hagley 9. One part of the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area 23 23. Frogmore Creek 28. Clarendon

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www.tasmap.tas.gov.au Front cover photo: One of the 38 beautiful varieties of lily grown at the Flowerdale Flower Farm.

Photographer: Simon de Salis Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment 2 |

Rob Sadler A cut flower above the rest Branding the product with the name of the place it is produced seems a no brainer in the case of Flowerdale Flowers – Flowerdale sounds like both a lovely place, and a good spot to grow flowers. And indeed it is.

he picturesque rolling countryside is Tblessed with rich chocolate soils, abundant rainfall and sunshine, a mild climate, and some of the cleanest air in the world, which is tinged by the nearby waters of Bass Strait. It is the proverbial land of milk and honey, with glossy dairy cattle wading with wobbling udders through luxuriant pasture and bees buzzing busily about a buffet of vigorous crops. One of these crops is the multi- coloured, vivid variety of Asiatic, Oriental and LA hybrid lilies, 38 types in all, grown at the Flowerdale Flower Farm. “The environment definitely provides a natural advantage,” says Rob Sadler, the farm manager and a director of the family company started by his parents John and Jan. “We have an ideal microclimate, with mild winters and summers cooled by the ocean so that it never gets too hot. This allows for slower flower growth, resulting in stronger stems, greener foliage and longer vase life. We also have high light intensity, which results in a more robust product and higher colour intensity, and our fertile, volcanic soils provide strong and rigid flower stems.” Story and pictures: SImon de Salis | 3

If the quality of the flowers reflects the superior environment in which they are grown, and the brand becomes synonymous with that quality, then the branding also becomes an advantage: a marketing strategy Rob has been working on since he returned to the family farm six years ago after studying business in Brisbane. “In an increasingly competitive market, you need to use every advantage you can,” says Rob. This includes an extensive and hard-earned growing, harvesting and post-harvest knowledge of lilies, which are an extremely difficult and intensive crop to grow. “Even after 15 years of growing lilies we are still learning,” says Rob. “Lilies are susceptible to disease and need a lot attention. They require specific soil conditions, which is an area we have really focused on.” While Rob credits the “giant air conditioner” of Bass Strait as the farm’s greatest natural blessing – a 40 degree day elsewhere in the State will only be 25 degrees at Flowerdale – the scientific enhancement of the soil’s natural quality also has much to do with the excellence of the flowers. “About four years ago we went down the path of a biological growing regime, which means getting the soil 100 percent right so that the plant’s health just piggybacks off that and looks after itself. We put a lot of organic matter into the soil, such as green manure, compost, seaweed, and fish emulsion to feed the microbes. We also use mustard mulch as a biofumigant. “This has all led to a heavy reduction in disease and significantly less fertiliser and pesticide use. Besides benefiting the plants it makes a much healthier and more pleasant working environment for us.” This is good news for the half dozen permanent employees and 20 or more seasonal workers required at peak times for the extremely labour intensive business. In the five month growing season commencing in October, about two million stems will be carefully picked, bunched and packed by hand at the farm. Most will have come from within the protection of 1.6ha of plastic hothouses before ending up in 5-stem bunches in the farm’s cool rooms. Within 24 hours from there they are shipped along a “cold chain” with an ideal set temperature to all corners of Australia, either via wholesale flower markets or big supermarkets. Meeting the demand of peak times such as Valentines Day and Mothers Day requires careful planning, with a big planting of the desired colours scheduled about three months before so as to bloom at the right time. But weather plays a part and can bring on 4 |

Flowerdale

Bulbs flowering early, so some luck is also necessary. accumulated data so that it pre-empts events,” Weather also means the market is volatile, says Rob. “This will allow us to stay one step with a heat wave on the mainland capable of ahead and try to create the most perfect bringing on the flowering there to such an growing environment inside according to extent that the market is flooded and prices outside conditions. halve or more overnight. “Being able to grow all year around means Nonetheless it is a high value crop and a that we can supply our clients with flowers significant investment in new state of the art whenever they want them. It also means we glasshouses to be constructed by the middle can take on more permanent staff and not of next year at the Flowerdale farm will add lose good people because of the seasonal to the natural advantage, enabling year round nature of our present growing regime.” production and increasing the annual harvest It’s a long way from the carnations Rob’s to more than 3 million stems. Imported from mother Jan began tinkering with in a shed on the floraculture Mecca of Holland in 20 the family dairy farm back in 1982. A friend shipping containers, the new glasshouses will of hers had told her of the demand for cover 2ha and feature a sophisticated flowers at the Sydney markets and suggested computerized weather forecasting system. Flowerdale would be a good place to grow “It predicts the localized weather based on them. It was a prophetic remark indeed. The next generation have taken it well beyond anything that could have been imagined three decades ago. Rob’s sister Pip runs another section of the family business (with outside partners) which mass-produces many millions of lily bulbs, most of which are grown into cut flowers at the farm. The poet John Keats once famously wrote that “a thing of beauty is a joy forever,” and with the Flowerdale Flowers mission statement to “continually strive to create bigger smiles with quality flowers”, Rob considers himself in the happiness business. “That and getting blokes out of trouble,” he grins, and the lilies he grows are so bright and beautiful that it is hard to imagine a blunder for which a bunch of the blooms would not help earn forgiveness.

www.flowerdale.com.au Story and pictures: SImon de Salis | 5 Micro hydro generates big savings

unique prototype micro hydro system Of course it wasn’t that simple and Darren says A which recently began operating at the he had plenty of sleepless nights and spent Ashgrove Farms “Hawthorn” property near countless hours wading through both muddy Elizabeth Town is expected to offset about paddocks and red tape before he completed half the electricity costs of the farm’s 35-unit the system, which features two turbines and dairy and pay for itself in three to four years. an inverter in a shed below the dam wall. About 60 litres of water flows though each The brainchild of Darren Cooper, the turbine every second, generating up to 65 Renewable and low energy products manager kilowatt hours per turbine per day. of specialist company Degree C, the system is the first fully functioning low-head, irrigation Paul Bennett says that he hopes it is one of dam micro hydro installation utilising grid many such schemes his family develop across compatible inverters in the State, and is their farms to help them become more connected to the Tasmanian electricity grid. sustainable in the future. The privately-funded project was a joint effort “We are a high-profile company with a between Degree C and Ashgrove Farms, and reputation for operating sustainably, and it is both parties believe that similar systems could important that we live up to that reputation.” benefit farmers with the water to run them. Experts stress that a good site is the critical A field day held at the site to both demonst- component for any renewable energy project. rate and launch the system last autumn was An excellent understanding of the retail and attended by more than 100 people, indicating wholesale energy market is also essential to a strong interest in the concept. determine site viability. Pipes in the dam wall “We believe this product has widespread appeal, Hawthorn particularly in the agricultural sector,” says Darren Cooper, who spent a year developing and constructing the system. “And as energy costs increase and the technologies improve, we hope to offer more opportunities like this for farmers”. The Ashgrove Farms manager Paul Bennett, whose family produces the renowned Ashgrove cheese, milk and other dairy goods, says even a small dairy farm could benefit from a generator of similar capacity if it had the water assets. He says that he invested in the project because he believes there are good opportunities for farmers to offset increasing energy costs - provided they have the right renewable energy site. “This isn’t something we planned for when we built the dam,” says Paul. “But we had the water resource flowing through every day without being used, so the idea of putting a turbine on pipes going through existing dams, spinning that water around and gaining some power off it was an attraction. We have had a good relationship with Degree C over the years and when they suggested establishing a micro hydro site we jumped at the idea.” They chose a 700ML irrigation dam filled by Paul Bennett (left) and Darren Cooper the Rubicon River, which is prone to steep rises during wet weather. The dam had two large pipes running through the bottom of the 11 metre high dam wall to release water back into the Rubicon downstream and to lessen the impact of flooding on the dam spillway. Using one of the pipes to run water through a couple of turbines made perfect sense to Darren Cooper. 6 |

George French Hazelbrae leads the way for hazelnuts in Tasmania

When Hagley farmer George “ e have one of the best environments growing hazelnuts in Australia meant much Wfor growing hazelnuts in the world, with trial and error and learning from mistakes. French visited the Willamette the right climate and soils, and the Meander But having to perfect their own irrigation and Dam provides a reliable water supply,” says mulching techniques and windbreaks, among Valley in the United States George, who has pioneered the fledgling other things, resulted in more efficient systems several years ago, his vision of hazelnut industry in Tasmania. “It is potentially for their particular operation than simply a multi-million dollar industry and could following trends and traditions would have. the future Meander Valley make a huge impact on the Meander Valley.” “It’s a steep learning curve and there is still came to life. The lush, leafy George started planting his grove in 2005 at much to learn about this very different type his 85ha farm Hazelbrae after an extensive of tree crop,” says George. “For example, wet valley in Oregon is covered in examination of options for diversifying his feet effects nut quality, so site selection is mixed enterprise. Research revealed that important. Soils must be free draining as water hazelnut groves, some a Australia imported 2000 tonnes of hazelnuts logging does pose problems. We have been a year, that processed nuts were worth $20 lucky with our site at Hazelbrae, although the quarter of a century old, and to $30 a kilogram, that mature hazelnut trees wind can cause a few minor issues.” produces 35,000 tonnes of could produce 10kgs a year or more for as Today George and his wife Lisa have 5000 long as half a century and were durable, trees maturing – one of the largest groves in hazelnuts annually, worth resistant to disease, did not need much water Australia - and last Autumn completed their and easy to harvest from, with ripe nuts second commercial nut harvest, but the trees more than $100 million, falling naturally to the ground. And their farm are several years from full production, when supporting almost 700 was an excellent place to grow them. the grove is expected to produce more than Of course it wasn’t as simple as that, and a 40 tonnes a year. To make the most of the farming families there. lack of available accurate information on crop, the French’s are value adding by Story and pictures: SImon de Salis | 7

controlling all aspects of the production process, from cleaning, drying, cracking and roasting to branding, packaging and marketing. With the Hazelbrae Hazelnuts label they sell raw and roasted nuts for both cooking and eating fresh and also sell hazelnut meal, used for baking and other culinary purposes. They have also recently launched two new mouth- watering products: hazelnuts coated in Anvers chocolate, and hazelnut shortbread. “We are meticulous about the quality of the nuts we sell because we want to develop a reputation for a premium fresh product,” says George. “We will only crack and roast nuts to fill orders so that they are at their freshest and tastiest when they reach buyers. There is a huge difference in taste between a fresh, premium hazelnut and a cheap imported nut They are currently returning all profits to the from the supermarket that is probably a year producing for several decades, so it provides business. They recently purchased a mechanical or more old. We think that once somebody a reliable income source over generations. harvester that sweeps the nuts from the tries our nuts they will want more, and will This means people can stay on the land ground into a large vacuum pipe, which sucks hopefully tell their friends about us. We have which is a great thing for Tasmanian regional them into a bin on the back of the machine been told that the quality and flavour of our communities like the Meander Valley.” and are also building a new processing and nuts is second to none.” packing facility with a cracking machine and With the average Australian consumption of Hazelbrae can now only supply the local new kitchen for roasting the nuts. almost four kilograms of tree nuts, including Tasmanian market and a few chocolatiers on hazelnuts, per person per annum, the While George is optimistic about the future the mainland, but as their production appetite is certainly there for the product, of a large scale Tasmanian industry, he says increases, so will their market, with demand and with 2000 kilograms of hazelnuts investing in it is not for the timid. for fresh hazelnuts greater than supply. To imported each year, so is a market. increase the value-adding, George and Lisa “Establishing a large operation is not cheap, intend in the future to sell via their own and one of the most difficult things is the For more information, online store, at the farmgate, and through a long lead up time before any return on visit www.austnuts.com.au and a hazelnut cafe at their picturesque farm, which boasts a investment,” says George. “But once mature fact sheet is available for download at magnificent garden. at about 15 years old, the trees keep www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/wealthfromwater 8 |

Cultivating the benefits of an ancient tree

he hazel (Corylus) tree is a native of Britain the nuts begin to develop. Hazelnuts require Tand all temperate parts of Europe and cross-pollination so two or more varieties Asia. It was once the dominant species of are required. vegetation over much of northern Europe Hazelnuts begin to bear after three years and and pre-dates the Ice Age. Evidence exists of commercial crops commence around six years. large scale nut processing as long ago as Full production starts at about 15 years, with 7000BC. The ancient Romans cultivated the tree reaching four to six metres in height. hazelnuts and cultivated varieties have been The life of a commercial hazelnut tree is around grown for at least 500 years. 50 years, but some trees in Europe are still Turkey is today the world’s biggest producer, producing at more than 400 years of age. and they are also grown on a large scale Hazelnuts have many health benefits. Rich in commercially in other parts of Europe, Asia vitamins and minerals, they also have high anti- and North America. oxidant content and abundant mono and poly- Male flowers Hazelnut cultivars were introduced into unsaturated fats. These fats help decrease the some parts of Australia by the mid 1800s, risk of heart disease and lower blood cholesterol although not in commercial quantities. levels. The nuts are also a good source of Australia has no large scale commercial fibre, calcium, thiamine, niacin and protein. plantings yet, but the interest in hazelnut Hazelnuts are healthy, nutritious and delicious cultivation is growing and numerous small eaten fresh and are also made into meal, flour, enterprises of up to 6000 trees are scattered oil, paste and milk. They are widely used in around Tasmania, Victoria, New South Wales confectionary and baked goods. Hazelnut oil and Western Australia. is used for cooking and in beauty products. Hazelnut trees require a temperate climate (cool winter and mild summer) and reliable rainfall or irrigation. Long periods of chilling are required to ensure fruitfulness and reliable hazelnut yields. The tree blooms and pollinates in the middle of winter and mild frosts are not harmful. Wind (not bees) carries the pollen from catkins (male flowers) to pollinate the small red female flowers, which Female flowers remain inactive until fertilisation in spring when | 9

A wonderful part of the world

One of only 936 world heritage sites listed in 153 countries, the Tasmanian Wilderness World Heritage Area (TWWHA) is a place of outstanding universal value and an extraordinary part of the natural and cultural heritage of the world community.

he TWWHA’s core area was inscribed on Rivers, dark tannin-stained from the peaty programs have been undertaken in the Tthe World Heritage List in 1982 on the soils in temperate rainforests and the TWWHA since 1992. These include wildlife basis of all four natural and three cultural buttongrass plains, have some of the highest environmental baseline surveys; vegetation criteria, satisfying more criteria than any other discharges of any in the country despite mapping; inventories of natural values; coastal World Heritage property on Earth. having much small catchment areas. dune mapping; river bank stability and erosion Covering 1.38 million hectares (about one Caves and cave-related values were a corner- research and monitoring; and sheet erosion fifth of Tasmania) the area was nominated for stone in the recognition of the area as a World mapping and rehabilitation in alpine areas. its natural integrity and for the range of natural Heritage property. Spectacular caves and Many of these programs continue today. values extending from alpine to coastal karst areas have developed in the TWWHA ecosystems. over hundreds of thousands of years. Many The TWWHA has many geological and contain outstanding colonies of glow-worms. biological links to the Gondwana Super- Others are globally significant Aboriginal sites. continent, which during the Triassic period The Resource Management and Conservation (230 -195 million years ago) included what is Division (RMC) of the Department of Primary now Antarctica, South America, Africa, India, Industries, Parks, Water and Environment New Zealand, Madagascar and Australia. (DPIPWE) is responsible for an ongoing More recently, glaciations over the last two research and monitoring program to identify million years have sculptured the dramatic values and conservation requirements in the mountain ranges in the highest parts of the TWWHA. This work provides the very TWWHA and further influenced the evolution important foundation for managing the values of Tasmanian plants and animals, which are of the area and for informing the public of quite distinctly different from the biota of the these values. Tasmania Parks and Wildlife Australian mainland. Service (PWS) is the land manager of the TWWHA with specialist and scientific advice The naturalness of the area is evident in its and support provided by RMC. on-going unaffected processes – witnessed in the high energy of the Southern Ocean Funding is provided by the Australian Govern- along the wild coastline and in the significant ment in collaboration with the Tasmanian ice action in the alpine areas during the Government. colder months. Numerous major research and monitoring 10 | DPIPWE hard at work in the TWWHA

mountains, islands, rivers and valleys. About 150 000 ha of the TWWHA is underlain by potentially karstic rocks such as limestone and dolomite. Some caves contain evidence of Aboriginal occupation and are powerful symbols of an indigenous presence in the landscape over thousands of years. The karst research program documents karst-related values, assesses their condition, and develops recommendations on the sustainable management of karst landforms and systems. Karst areas and especially caves are environmentally sensitive places, with limited or negligible capacity to recover from impacts. The primary threat in the majority of cases arises from people entering caves for recreation, science, tourism or other purposes. This is especially true in the more Climate change monitoring treeline, conifer health and fjaeldmark extent accessible karst areas around the margins of A monitoring program is improving and condition (areas of plant growth the TWWHA, which include some of the understanding of the impacts of climate change restriction due to extremes of cold and most frequently visited caves in Tasmania. exposure to wind). An altitudinal transect on the natural values of the TWWHA. This A key focus of the karst research program is established at Mt Weld-Warra records work is based on predictions by Climate mapping karst systems subject to pressure baseline inventory and distributional Futures for Tasmania for increases in from cave-based activities and assessing their biodiversity data against which future changes temperature, changes in precipitation patterns condition. and reduced snowfall. can be measured. Examining the impacts of Baseline data on flora and fauna is gathered to The marine ecosystem is being monitored for measure possible changes due to climate or possible incursions of exotic species and to planned burns other factors such as fire or the introduction better understand the impacts of climate PWS undertakes planned burns in large of exotic species. Weather stations installed change. Global climate change represents the areas of buttongrass moorlands in the below and above the current alpine zone greatest long-term threat to the marine TWWHA, primarily to reduce the risk of assist with investigations into ecotone dynamics. ecosystem in Port Davey-Bathurst Harbour landscape scale fires that have in the past through rising water temperature, changing caused the loss of fire sensitive vegetation Another program is developing approaches seawater acidity and changes to local rainfall and organosols. Planned burns also increase to support regional climate change adaptation the diversity of moorland ages, benefitting methods and to set objectives for biodiversity patterns. biodiversity. conservation in the area. Other projects Assessments of potential climate change include ongoing monitoring of the alpine impacts on geodiversity in the TWWHA Several integrated studies investigate the predict some degree of change to geological, effect of fire on plants, animals and soils in geomorphological and soil features and buttongrass moorland and help develop processes in the area. Current work is prescriptions for planned burns. Preliminary targeted at documenting and sampling results indicate that plants and animals geodiversity values that could be altered due recover quickly from fire but the timing of to climate change impacts. recovery depends on the soil nutrient status. Communities on low productivity soils take It is unlikely to be appropriate to attempt to longer to recover after fire than those on prevent or significantly mitigate these impacts higher productivity soils, so varying because of the scale of the processes, the prescriptions are required. Some animal likely expense of the “geo-engineering” that species, such as soil mites, may take up to 30 would be required, and the probability that years to return to pre-fire levels of such interventions would compromise other abundance and composition. Frequency of natural processes and values. fire is a key issue with several fires in quick Karst research succession having deleterious effects. The range of the spectacular and scientifically A RMC project is also examining the impacts important karst landforms includes of planned burns on the fluvial numerous caves (some of the longest and geomorphology and hydrology of deepest in Australia), as well as rugged karstic buttongrass moorland streams. Pictures: courtesy DPIPWE RMC and PWS | 11

Invasive species monitoring RMC monitors exotic species in theTWWHA, which has a low diversity and low abundance of weeds, pests and diseases. Risks from introduced and invasive species, both within and without the area, are also assessed by RMC. Most invasive species posing a serious threat to the integrity of the TWWHA are currently restricted in extent, including holly, blackberry, marram grass and sea spurge, the plant root rot disease Phytophthora and animal diseases such as the chytrid fungus, a cause of frog extinctions worldwide. Plans and strategies identify management priorities and present strategies for control. Major ongoing programs include a review and risk assessment of introduced animals and animal diseases; an overarching weed management strategy and a Phytophthora management plan for the TWWHA; monitoring of introduced marine pests in Port Davey-Bathurst Harbour; monitoring of the distribution of chytrid frog fungus and control through education and provision of facilities; and research to assess the impacts of commercial apiary sites, trout and lyrebirds. RMC is leading significant changes in exotic species management by integrating existing and potential threat management within a single biosecurity system governing operational activities of the agency and guiding public use of the TWWHA. This work is being undertaken in collaboration with PWS and NRM South. 12 |

Latest Agricultural Census results good news for Tassie

The 2010-11 Agricultural Gross Value of Agricultural Change on previous year Census Data has recently Production 2010-11 $m $m $m been released by the Cereals 18.1 2.1 Australian Bureau of Statistics Other Field Crops – oilseeds, 95.7 -1.1 legumes, hay, nursery

(ABS) and points to a good Other field crops – poppies, 76.7 -37.4 outcome for production in pyrethrum & essential oils Tasmania. It was certainly Apples 30.7 4.3 much better than projected in Other Fruit 57.8 0.8 preliminary data released in Wine Grapes 17.7 -1.3 November 2011. Carrots 20.5 -18.5 Potatoes 88.6 -25.6

Other vegetables 74.7 -5.2 espite an $82 million loss in crop Dincome due to floods, livestock income Total Crops 480 -82.4 rose by $115 million, paving the way for an overall increase in agricultural production Beef 179.6 37.1 income of more than $72 million. Lamb & Mutton 43.4 2.3 This continues an upward trend in the Other meats 28 0.9 combined value of agriculture and fisheries over the decade leading up to and including Wool 96.5 31.9 the latest census, despite a significant Milk 311.6 79 reduction in the area of land being farmed and the number of people farming it. Eggs 12.6 3.9 Producers are working harder and smarter. The Agricultural Census is our most reliable Total Livestock 671.6 155 measure of the output of the farm sector – Total 1151.672.6 in excess of 4,000 detailed census forms are completed and analysed every five years. Source: ABS Cat No 7503.0 Value of Agricultural Commodities Produced Story: Hugh Griffiths Pictures: Simon de Salis | 13

Key features • As expected crop income fell some $82 million and that reflected impacts of floods. Impacts on specific crops were poppies and pyrethrum (-$37 million), potatoes (-$26million), onions (-$10 million) and surprisingly carrots (-$18 million). • However gains in livestock sales (+$115 million) more than offset falls in crop income (-$82 million). • The total farm gate value of agricultural production in 2010-11 was $1152 million which was marginally lower than the record production achieved in 2008-09 ($1161 million). • Livestock income was up $155 million – dairy made up half of that amount, plus wool an additional $32 million and beef a further $37 million. • Interstate sales of sheep and lambs are not included in the ABS estimates of gross value of agricultural production as they are reported in the State in which they are processed. As lamb and mutton prices were very high in 2010-11 the value of

interstate livestock sales may be between 1,800 $25 and $35 million. Seafood Agriculture • Aquaculture –The beach value of salmon 1,600 production increased by $38 million. That 1,400 follows a consistent rise in production

since 2004-05 with production value 1,200 increasing by almost $1 million per week over the six year period. 1,000

However, it is the trends over a period of years 800 that best identifies the strengths and resilience Gross Value Gross Value $m of the agricultural sector in Tasmania. We are 600 all aware of the many challenges that confront industry components such as drought, the 400 global financial crises, volatility in exchange rates, weak commodity prices for many items 200 like milk powder and processed vegetables. 0 So it is interesting that over the 10 years in 1999-00 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 the chart (top right) that the combined value of agriculture and fisheries has trended upwards with only modest corrections along the way. And in the nine years prior to 2008-09 the Agricultural Employment increase in agricultural production exceeded 14000 the inflation rate. Economists refer to this as 12000 real growth – again a very positive indicator of farm output. 10000 What makes this more interesting is that over those nine years is that the area of farm land 8000 has fallen by some 130,000 Ha mainly due to expanded plantations (90,000 Ha) and Nature 6000 Conservation areas. Increased irrigation capacity Employed No. across an additional 24,000 ha was a major 4000 contributor to the expansion in agricultural production. 2000 It is also apparent that farmers are working a 0 lot harder and smarter as some 2,100 fewer 2000-01 2001-02 2002-03 2003-04 2004-05 2005-06 2006-07 2007-08 2008-09 2009-10 2010-11 people are now employed on farms. 14 | The link to improving relationships with threatened species www.threatenedspecieslink.tas.gov.au

Most Tasmanians live near bushland. Even the Hobart CBD is within easy walking distance of the trees and scrub of the Queen’s Domain and a quick drive to the wilderness of Mt Wellington.

his proximity to nature is a key reason different needs, and new information emerges Twhy many choose to live in the State. But regularly that guides how we manage them. with the pleasures of our local bush comes To help people to manage issues around responsibility. threatened species in Tasmania, DPIPWE is Most of us are aware of the rate at which developing a new website: the Threatened the world’s biodiversity is disappearing. One Species Link. Its content will be up-to-date of the most effective ways we can each help and easily accessible information and avoid more extinction is to minimise our management advice for individual threatened impacts on our local threatened species, and species, related to broad categories of actively conserve them where we can. development or land use activity. The link will Threatened species occur throughout also offer resources to supplement this Tasmania, including in disturbed areas such as species-specific management advice. paddocks, golf courses, cemeteries or even Many readers will be familiar with the excellent nature strips, and may be at special risk if resources of the Natural Values Atlas, which they and their needs aren’t recognised. It’s provides comprehensive assistance with the extremely important to get good, up-to-date first step: “Which species might be present threatened species information before on my land?” For those unfamiliar with the planning an activity in the bush. Failure to do NVA, the Threatened Species Link will provide so can lead to much wasted time and money. a helping hand, indicating what species are Dam building on private property is one likely to be in the area. example. If a site is chosen in ignorance of The Threatened Species Link will provide a what flora and fauna species inhabit it, and central location from which to access during the permitting process it is discovered information on threatened species in Tasmania, that a threatened species is among them, the including links to other information sources effort and cost of preparing that site will (such as Listing Statements and Recovery have been in vain. So it is vital to have the Plans) and other Government and non- relevant information at hand early on in the Government websites. planning process. The Threatened Species Link will provide There are currently 683 species on Tasmania’s detailed information on how to manage threatened species list. Different species have threatened species, and the sorts of activities Story: Clare Hawkins Pictures: Simon de Salis and Courtesy DPIPWE RMC | 15 Picture: courtesy DPIPWE RMC Picture: Picture: courtesy Picture: DPIPWE RMC which may impact on its habitat. Returning to the example of the property owner planning to build a dam, the link would have provided information on what threatened species is likely to be found on their land, the sorts of habitat to look out for, and what to avoid in order to protect the species. The Threatened Species Link will also provide a ‘Surveying’ advice section. This is particularly important for species such as the Ptunarra brown butterfly, which can only be observed when the adult butterflies emerge and fly for a brief two to three week period during March. By accessing the information available in the link, a landowner can be alerted to the possible presence of such threatened species, allowing the necessary planning and surveying required to avoid potentially costly and time-consuming delays in the planning and permitting process. However, the Threatened Species Link can provide only advice. There are many different regulatory bodies, and specific requirements will vary. The website’s Frequently Asked Questions can significantly help users find the appropriate regulators and other useful links, courtesy DPIPWE RMC Picture: as well as provide some supporting information on why threatened species are an issue and what we can all do to help. Picture: courtesy DPIPWE RMC Picture: A common problem in conservation is the one small part of Tasmania, and it slow, subtle ‘death by a thousand cuts’, which can be an extraordinary source of may take decades to occur and is hard for pride knowing that you are any one person to detect. It can also be successfully caring for a proportion hard to accept individual responsibility and of a species found nowhere else in take action when most cuts are done by the world. others. However there can be deep satisfaction in individuals successfully The Threatened Species Link managing their local threatened species, be it www.threatenedspecieslink.tas.gov.au on their own property, on a local reserve, or will be launched on Threatened even on a nearby nature strip. Species Day, 7th September 2012 In fact many of the 683 species exist only in 16 | Uncomfortable work with a wonderful aspect Imagine a job that involved spending hundreds of hours each year more than seven kilometres in the air trying to monitor a camera and take photos whilst in a small plane, freezing cold and wearing an oxygen mask. Air Survey Officer David Prince did so for many years.

avid joined the then Lands Department Din 1977 as a camera operator with the aerial survey team. He’d been a pilot and flying instructor with Tasair and the Aero Club of Southern Tasmania so was no novice in small planes. During his 32 years with the State Government conditions in the air improved – the planes became pressurised and the cameras became more sophisticated – but the basic job remained the same. “In the beginning it was uncomfortable work on a survey flight,” David said. “The generated heat would be continually lost up there and I would be shivering for hours even after we landed because it was so cold up there. “As well as the oxygen masks we had to wear earphones to communicate with one another, to pass on navigation instructions and the like. “It was a job where you had to be very focussed, concentrating on recognising landmarks below using a drift sight to give course corrections to the pilot if navigating, or monitoring and adjusting the exposure sequence and the camera levels if acting as camera operator.” Despite the discomfort aboard the plane and the many difficulties involved with shooting pictures of a ground object from a moving plane using a giant camera fixed to the floor, David really enjoyed the work. Photographs could only be taken when it was cloud free, so it was a fair weather job - and Tasmania from the air on a sunny day was invariably magnificent. Aero Commander plane and camera equipment ready for loading 1970s. Aerial surveys had been taken by the State Government well before David came on board in 1977. They began in 1945 utilising twin engine planes from various private contractors fitted with a variety of aerial cameras. From 1968 the Department provided a navigator and camera operators, and initially used a Wild RC8 camera before purchasing the Zeiss system. The flying season for taking photos for aerial surveys usually extended for about six to seven months from October each year, when the weather is more settled and the sun higher to give better clarity and less shadow to the film images. Predetermined routes were flown to capture imagery for the Department’s clients, which Zeiss RMK aerial camera and lens filter. Story: Lee Buchanan Pictures: courtesy DPIPWE Information and Land Services (ILS) | 17

David Prince preparing flight plans in the 1980s.

included the Lands Department, Forestry, other Government agencies, councils and mining organisations. GPS navigation, introduced in 1998, made accurate navigation of the flying routes far easier. The remainder of the year was spent overseeing the printing of the images, indexing and geo referencing the routes flown on maps, and then planning the following season’s flying routes. David retired in 2009 but missed his old job and colleagues so much he is now a volunteer with the DPIPWE’s Topography and Imagery program. He comes in for a few hours every week or so and is undertaking the very important but rather daunting task of adding to a database all the details of the 240,000 plus images taken since 1945. Eventually a web-based database will allow people to search for Tasmanian aerial images taken over the last 67 years. End of an “This is really valuable historic information,” David said. “People will have access to visual aerial era snapshots of Tasmania at various points in time. Imagine being able to morph photos The 2011-12 Aerial Survey taken over many years of the same place to flying season recently be able to see the changes taking place right concluded with the successful before your very eyes.” completion of a two-year program to capture the entire Tasmanian coastline including offshore rocks and islands for Geoscience Australia. This also represents the end of a 67-year film- based aerial photography program for Tasmania, run by what is now the Information and Land Service Division of the Department of Primary Industries, Parks, Water and Environment. All pics at right: At work wearing oxygen masks before cabins became pressurised in the 1990s. 18 | Lake Pedder, 1972 Launceston, 1945

End of an era is the start of Launceston, 2008 a new one

The closure of the Tasmanian Government’s film-based aerial Burnie, 1947 photography program represents the end of an era, but is also an important step towards the future.

ith rapid advances in digital technology precise equipment available. Wand a greater variety of options for The 2011-2012 aerial survey flying season remotely sensed imagery becoming available, ended with a landmark finale for film-based aerial film cameras have become obsolete. aerial photography, successfully capturing the Users have also become more sophisticated, entire Tasmanian coastline on film over two with more specific business requirements. years, including offshore rocks and islands. This Despite the move away from film, the will enable the coastline to be stereoscopically DPIPWE Information and Land Services replotted at a higher accuracy, supporting the Division’s (ILS) extensive library of aerial work of Geoscience Australia in redefining imagery has become increasingly important, the Territorial Sea Baseline. especially when assessing changes in our To preserve these and other invaluable records environment over time. In 1945, Tasmania’s collected over more than 70 years, ILS is first aerial survey program began capturing scanning at high resolution the library of aerial photography on film to assist the 240,000 plus frames of aerial photography. This Burnie, 2012 Government’s mapping programs and meet project includes compilation of a database the needs of other organisations. storing technical details of each frame, as well Between 1945 and 1947, Adastra Aerial Surveys as the coordinate centroid of each photo undertook the first complete aerial survey of centre. An online enquiry system is also being Tasmania, under contract to the then Lands developed, which will allow easy searching, and Surveys Department. This photography viewing and ordering of scanned images. forms a valuable historical baseline for the As ILS navigates towards the best path for the many subsequent years of imagery capture. future, it has engaged an independent consultant Around 1960 the Department purchased its through the Spatial Information Foundations first aerial film camera, with an aircraft and pilot (SIF) project to review the current and contracted to carry out the annual aerial survey projected remotely sensed imagery needs of program. Thousands of frames of photography government users in Tasmania. The results will have been captured each year since. help develop options and recommendations for a vibrant new era of remotely sensed In 1972 the Government invested around imagery acquisition in Tasmania. $200,000 in two Zeiss RMK cameras and associated equipment – a significant Story: Andrew Tomes investment in what was considered the most Pictures: courtesy DPIPWE ILS Scamander, 1950 Scamander, 2009 Story and pictures: Simon de Salis | 19

Strahan, 1947 Strahan, 2011

Sullivans Cove, 1946 Sullivans Cove, 2011 20 |

Deal Island, 2012

Mt Roland, 2005 Story and pictures: Simon de Salis | 21 Pictures: courtesy DPIPWE ILS Pictures:

Precipitous Bluff to South West Cape, 2005

Maria Island - Point Lesuuer, 2011 Barn Bluff, 2010 22 | used to attract youth to agribusiness The popular internet video-sharing forum You Tube is being used to Are you attract young people to work in the agricultural sector. ix You Tube videos were recently launched to interested Spromote a range of career pathways from horticulture and viticulture to marketing and other in . . . allied industries. The videos and a promotional flyer highlight young people already participating in a diverse range of Journalism careers in agriculture and allied fields in Tasmania. They incorporate emerging skills sets desired by the Marketing agribusiness sector such as business administration and Travel management, the environment, marketing, Science communications, retail, new technologies and agronomy services. Business administration Global sustainability themes such as biofuels and food security are highlighted as well as how Tasmania can be Management Technology a wonderful place to build career pathways. The new resources are aimed at students unaware of the range of opportunities in agriculture as well as Environmental sustainability those wishing to retrain and enter the sector. The agricultural industry understands that young people choose careers with an eye towards future personal Food security growth, not jjustust the initial salasalaryr on offer, so these vvideosideos hihighlightghlight to prospecprospectivet students the ? challenging and ever Retail . . . then acareer changing nature of in agribusiness. Tasmanian The opportunities in Agribusiness agribusiness extend far beyond primary could be for you! productionp and it is estimatede that with ancillaryan employment in fieldsfie such as warehousing andan manufacturing considered,co up to one-in-six jobsjob in Australia depend on agagriculturalr production. ThThee six You Tube videos have beenbee developed as part of tthehe TTasmanian Government’s EEconomiccon Development Plan.

DDownloadown the You Tubes and relevantreleva information regarding Tasmanian Government careercareer pathways here: Tasmanian agribusiness www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/agricareerwww.d opportunities for young people is wanting a fast growing to expand sector or transferwith their skills into an exciting and globally important industry. or phonephon 1300 363 864 Explore how six young Tasmanians with diverse skills and backgrounds are Tasmanian Agribusiness:creating a rewarding career within visit www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/agricareer Story: Caroline Brown Pictures: Simon de Salis | 23 Responding to Tasmania’s changing climate Twenty years ago, when world leaders gathered at the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro and signed the first global agreement to tackle climate change, the impacts of climate change on communities and economies were just beginning to be understood.

Frogmore Creek

to assist farmers understand the potential impacts of climate change on agricultural Information sheets production during the next 90 years. The new information sheets are regionally specific and on climate change are tailored to industry sectors. They will enable farmers and land managers to take opportunities advantage of opportunities and make long term plans for the future. These sheets focus on the opportunities and risks associated with climate change The excellent potential for Tasmanian farmers across a range of agricultural enterprises: ver the past decade, our farmers and land to adapt to a changing climate, while minimising Omanagers have experienced extremely risk and making the most of new opportunities, • Dryland pastures (red meat production) wet years and some of the warmest and driest is illustrated by a case study of a mixed farming • Extensive dryland pastures years on record. Scientists suggest that climate enterprise. The production potential of (wool production) will be even more variable in the future. alternative crops in the Meander Valley is also • Irrigated pastures Farmers have been dealing with Australia’s featured. • Wheat production (cereals) inherent climate variability for generations From recent experience, it is evident that large and a culture of resilience and adaptation has commercial winemakers from mainland • Wine grape production consequently developed. However, we now Australia are securing fruit contracts and/or • The production potential of alternative know that farmers and land managers will vineyards in Tasmania as a response to changing crops under irrigation at a catchment need to continue to respond to immediate growing conditions in their districts. scale in the Meander Valley; barley, and short to medium-term climate variability. Tony Scherer, who hosted the launch of the poppies, pyrethrum, blueberries and The will also need to prepare for longer-term information sheets at his Frogmore Creek hazelnuts and more significant changes in climate, vineyard, said that they are already trialing including complete shifts in climate envelopes. • What farmers say about climate Mediterranean varieties such as Shiraz and variability and change Climate Futures for Tasmania (CFT) is a Temperanillo. world leading project completed in 2011. “Tasmanian wine grape producers are already Download each information sheet for free The CFT reports provide information on the thinking about and assessing climate change via www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/climatechange impacts of climate change in Tasmania on adaptation options” said Tony, whose vision for Additional relevant information regarding general climate, water and catchments, his vineyard management is to lead the way climate change is also available on impacts on agriculture and extreme events. in sustainability. “These information sheets www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/climatechange or The Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA), in are valuable for producers, many of whom www.farmpoint.tas.gov.au or collaboration with the Tasmanian Government, are already changing their on-farm practices www.climatechange.tos.gov.au. has developed a series of information sheets (such as canopy management) because of a from the data generated by the CFT project, change in climate”. 24 | TASMANIAN IRRIGATION

Irrigation schemes to revitalise the midlands

The program to bring highly The biggest noticeable difference over time will take the water through a new six mW from the $120 million investment is intended mini-hydro generator at the foot of the Tiers reliable irrigation water to the to be a more vibrant midland community and into a small regulation dam at Floods Tasmanian midlands is under supported by the wealth and jobs arising Creek west of Tunbridge. from growth in high value agriculture. From the Floods Creek holding dam, water construction. Farming in the northern midlands from will be distributed to farms via a buried he two separate irrigation schemes to about Conara to the outskirts of Longford network of 104km of distribution pipeline and Tservice the midlands will be at their most and Evandale will benefit from the Lower sections of four existing rivers and streams. conspicuous during the building phase. On South Esk Irrigation Scheme (LSIS). Initial site works on MWS have commenced completion, distribution pipelines will be Water for the LSIS will be taken from the ahead of major construction. buried and the two dams required will be South Esk River during winter at times of high Although the combined irrigable area totals nestled into the landscape. flow. This is stored in a 6,000 ML off-river 64,500 ha, it is likely that only about a third of holding dam for release back into the river when needed by farmers during the growing this will actually receive water. This is because season. Apart from 1.4km of buried transfer farmers will choose the best and most suitable pipeline to connect the holding dam with the parts of their properties for irrigation: so-called river, no other distribution system is needed ‘farms within farms’. There may be some because farms will take their share of the conversions of most or all of a farm to irrigated released water directly from the river. agriculture but this will be the exception rather that the norm. Work is well advanced on the dam on Milford, a property near the junction of the Like all Tasmanian Irrigation (TI) projects, Esk and Midland highways. these two schemes are being built as public- private partnerships with landholders paying The main Midlands Water Scheme (MWS) up to $1,170 per ML to secure entitlements will take 38,500 ML of water from the to the water. existing Hydro Tasmania Arthurs Lake storage and distribute it to the central and The two midlands schemes have been well southern midlands from north of Campbell subscribed. All water available from LSIS has Town to south of Kempton. been taken up. All summer-delivered water from the MWS has been subscribed, leaving There will be no additional drawdown of water about 10,000 ML of winter-delivered water from Arthurs Lake because the scheme will still available for purchase. use water which otherwise would have been used by Hydro Tasmania to generate electricity. The midlands irrigation program comes with A 33km high pressure pipeline (mostly buried) some major up-front commitments to TASMANIAN IRRIGATION | 25 sustainability. There will be no clearance of lowland native grassland of Tasmania (LNGT). Add water for added potential for midlands This protects both the grasses and the rare orchids which live in the grassland communities. “We are going to see a lot of crops that aren’t here at the moment and they’re going to be high intensity horticulture: might be lettuces, might be carrots, might be berries In addition, water can only be applied on farm of various sorts, might be tree nuts. according to a Farm Water Access Plan (Farm WAP). These comprise water, soil and “Tasmania is the only place in Australia where dairy is expanding and that’s a fantastic biodiversity modules and may only be opportunity in my view. I can only see dairy prices increasing in the medium term completed by pre-qualified consultants. Farm and that’s good news; and good news for dairy conversion! WAPs ensure that irrigation from TI schemes “I think there is some potential for the midlands to be another Coal Valley although conforms to modern sustainability standards. there is not sufficient water for it to occur with the same concentration and intensity The program to irrigate the midlands is being across the entire district. There will still be plenty of room in the midlands for constructed as public-private partnership. lambing, of course.” The public component to capital costs comes David Williams, investor in Tasmanian midlands irrigation program. from a pool of $220 million set aside for the purpose by the Commonwealth Government www.tasmanianirrigation.com under its Water for the Future Fund and the Tasmanian Government under its Water Infrastructure Fund. The public contribution recognises that the wider community will benefit from economic growth and employment over time.

Growth, diversification and so much more “With the addition of water from MWS in 2014, I anticipate the ongoing growth of our business. We see the time when we can diversify further, maybe into dairy production or horticultural crops. “But the benefits of irrigation extend beyond just expansion. It is also about the ability to consistently supply your product to market. “Reliable irrigation helps you break out of the commodity cycle. Commodity production suits dry land agriculture in that there is no penalty for not supplying during a bad year. Reliable irrigation puts farmers in control of their production systems. It enables them to diversify into non-commodity produce where relationships, quality and consistency of supply are valued and necessary. “Profitable farming businesses are far more likely to manage environmental risk well compared with businesses struggling to survive. “We have reduced our reliance on native pastures for income. Wool has gone from 75 percent of our income to 20 percent. This has allowed us set aside 25 percent of our property for conservation, and 540 ha of it is under conservation covenants protecting it in perpetuity.”

Richard Gardner, Tunbridge farmer and chair of Midlands Water Group 26 | HERITAGE TASMANIA

New life for historic Clarendon Nestled in a landscape barely altered from the late 1830s when it was constructed, the historic country estate of Clarendon, near Evandale, is shining brighter these days thanks to a recent program of conservation works. meander around Clarendon transports Cox, and his dreams for life in Van Diemen’s James Cox,” Mr Tassell says. Athe visitor back to a bygone era. All Land during the mid nineteenth century. The scale of the property has made the cost that’s missing is the clip clop of horses’ Although Clarendon had fallen into disrepair of upkeep and restoration a challenge for the hooves on the well trodden roads, ladies and over the years, the Tasmanian National Trust National Trust as a community based gentleman dressed in their finery and rural which owns and manages Clarendon, has organisation, but government funding in in labourers working the farm lands. embarked on a thoughtful and well recent years has helped enormously. This extraordinary property stands much as researched program of conservation works “In 2009, the Trust secured more than one it always has, providing visitors with an and interpretation.. million dollars for Clarendon from both the opportunity to see a grand country estate Managing Director of the Trust, Chris Tassell, Australian and Tasmanian governments so we’ve based on the vision of a new settler, James says that Clarendon is widely regarded as one been able to address a backlog in building and of Australia’s greatest early colonial houses. grounds maintenance, undertake much needed “The scale of Clarendon and its outbuildings building conservation works and new was extraordinary in colonial Australia when evidence-based interpretation of the house.” it was built,” Mr Tassell says “The grand Roof drainage and stairs in the main house portico of the main house with its great ionic have been repaired, along with repainting the columns is absolutely unique in an early exterior of many of the buildings, and stabilising colonial residence anywhere in the nation.” a short section of retaining wall. Its largely intact collection of house, gardens, “We’ve conserved the shearing shed, barn, rural outbuildings, hawthorn hedges and coach house and servants accommodation irrigation system magnifies its importance to and have established a conservation workshop Australia’s historic heritage. The outbuildings in the former accommodation unit within include a shearing shed, stables, barns, coach the elaborate brick fowl house.” house, servant’s quarters and elaborate The interior of the house has received poultry house which housed fowls, peacocks significant attention too. Through the support and guinea fowl. of the Copland Foundation, the National “Together these buildings reflect the grand Trust engaged one of Australia’s leading rural lifestyle and aspirations of its first owner, authorities on early nineteenth century prominent landowner, merchant and politician, furnishings and gardens, Dr James Broadbent, HERITAGE TASMANIA| 27

who has worked with National Trust staff to develop a furnishing plan for the house. “Fortunately for us, a very detailed, room-by- room auction catalogue of Clarendon’s contents dated 1869 (when the Cox’s sold the house’s contents) exists and this was an important basis for much of Dr Broadbent’s work,” Mr Tassell says. “Dr Broadbent has provided us with extensive plans for Clarendon which included detailed analysis of the previous wall colours, investigation of the window furniture and soft furnishings. Original painted surfaces have since been revealed and where this was not possible several rooms have been painted in their original colours.” Advice provided by the Royal Tasmanian Botanical Gardens is informing maintenance of the extensive parklands, for which Clarendon is also famous, as well as informing future plantings. The National Trust is also using the many spaces offered by Clarendon in innovative ways. “Support from the Tasmanian Community Fund has enabled us to interpret the shearing shed, dairy, bakery and laundry as well as part of the poultry wing. Funding from Arts Tasmania has enabled us to develop a contemporary arts “All this work is part of a vision for space in the Coach House and we are Clarendon that takes James Cox’s developing the Australian Fly Fishing Museum in the Shepherds Cottage. This new project extraordinary statement of achievement into will celebrate the history of fly fishing in Australia the future, and continues to secure its place and is scheduled to open in May 2013.” in the nation’s history.” Within the house there has been further Clarendon is open to the public Monday to interpretation with new exhibitions on the Sunday,10am to 4pm from September until work of women in the house and field sports the end of June. Entry cost is $15 for adults, having opened recently and an architectural concession $10. Children under the age of library established in memory of leading 18 and National Trust members are free. architectural historian Rory Spence. The Story: Robyn Shaw Pictures: Simon de Salis library boasts a stunning outlook over Clarendon’s parklands and will be available to For further information those wishing to undertake research. www.nationaltrusttas.org.au/ 28 | The return of El Nino? What does that mean for Tasmania?

Figure 1

Rainfall and Temperatures Tasmanian Rainfall Deciles 1 January to 30 June 2012 Distribution based on Gridded Data. Product of the National Climate Centre

Rainfall has been rather mixed through the first half of 2012. March and May were quite wet – at least in some parts of the State – but other months have been cloe to normal or relatively dry. Totals for the whole six months were close to average in most areas, but above average in a few pockets. It has been another relatively warm six months, especially by night. It has been noticeably warmer than 2011, but not as warm as 2010. Much of Australia has had a relatively cool start to the year. BUREAUStory and OF pictures: METEOROLOGY Simon de Salis | 29

The story since late 2011 has been ‘La Niña’, and cooler-than-usual waters in the tropical eastern Pacific Ocean certainly influenced the prolonged wet conditions across eastern Australia, including Tasmania. ut there are now signs we may be slipping into El Niño. BConditions across the tropical Pacific have been slowly trending toward levels consistent with the development of an El Niño event. Climate models have also been suggesting the formation of El Niño between mid-winter and spring. Fig. 2 While El Niño events increase the likelihood of a dry winter and spring across northern and eastern Australia, including across the north and east of Tasmania, that doesn’t always happen. And unlike La Niña events, the strength of an El Niño is not always directly associated with the strength of its impacts. El Niño and Tasmania El Niño is characterised by extensive warming of sea surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific, and cooling of waters around northern Australia. More often than not this causes drier than normal conditions in eastern and northern Tasmania during winter and spring, and in northwest Tasmania during summer. (See figure 1) There is much variation between each event. Occasionally Tasmania has been wetter than usual in an El Niño year (as in Fig. 3 2009). In south-west Tasmania the relationship between El Niño and rainfall is not clear. In the following we will look at a few past El Niño events and the effects they had on Tasmania’s rainfall. 2006-07: a dry El Niño for Tasmania Winter to spring rainfall was below average across almost all of Australia during the 2006-2007 El Niño, including Tasmania. The winter to spring 2006 rainfall map for Tasmania shows a typical El Niño response pattern in the north and east with very dry conditions during these months. Even the southwest had below-average rainfall. El Niño is not the only thing that influences Tasmania’s weather, and other factors were almost certainly at play in 2006. (See figure 2) Fig. 4 2002-03 El Niño: not especially dry in Tasmania 2002 was another El Niño year that had a strong effect on Australia’s rainfall: dry conditions were experienced across much of the country. However, winter to spring rainfall in Tasmania was near normal in the north, above average in the west and below average in the east, illustrating that not all El Niño years are the same. (See figure 3) 1994-95: a ‘classic’ El Niño 1994 was a year when both El Niño and a positive Indian Ocean Dipole (IOD) were in effect. Again, winter to spring rainfall was well below average across almost all of Australia. Fig. 5 30 | BUREAU OF METEOROLOGY

Rainfall patterns across Tasmania reflected Grove Monthly rainfall in millimetres Normal Observed those usually expected during El Niño, with 120 very dry conditions in the north and east, and near to slightly above average rainfall in 100 the west. (See figure 4) 80 2009-10:

60 a ‘wet’ El Niño in Tasmania The effects of the 2009 El Niño on Australia 40 were generally weak, with widespread areas of below average rainfall in WA only. Rainfall 20 was above average across much of the rest 0 of Australia. In Tasmania, winter and spring Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun rainfall patterns appeared to be a complete 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 reversal of that expected during an El Niño year: above average across the north and east, Irishtown Monthly rainfall in millimetres Normal Observed and average to below average in the southwest. 180 Winter to spring rainfall was even record 160 high for some parts of the east. (See figure 5) 140 So what will the next El Niño 120 bring for Tasmania? 100 Tracking the state of the El Niño – Southern 80 Oscillation (ENSO) gives us one of the best 60 tools available to predict the rainfall for the 40 coming season. Nevertheless, it cannot ever 20 tell us whether the coming season will be

0 wet or dry: it can tell us how the dice are Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun loaded, but not how they are going to fall. 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 This is particularly true in Tasmania, which sits on the edge of the area most strongly Launceston Airport Monthly rainfall in millimetres Normal Observed affected by El Niño. 140 More information 120 The Bureau of Meteorology has plenty of

100 information on El Niño on our web site. We are constantly monitoring the state of 80 the global climate system, and using it to 60 make predictions of future rainfall and

40 temperature – see www.bom.gov.au/climate/ahead/ 20 We update our ENSO Wrap-up every 0 fortnight at Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 www.bom.gov.au/climate/enso/ And for more about El Niño and its impacts, Ringarooma Monthly rainfall in millimetres Normal Observed try www.bom.gov.au/watl/about-weather- 250 and-climate/australian-climate-influences. shtml?bookmark=enso 200 Ian Barnes-Keoghan Climatologist 150

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0 Jul Aug Sep Oct Nov Dec Jan Feb Mar Apr May Jun 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2011 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 2012 RURAL WOMEN | 31

2008 winner Jane Lovell Picture: Simon de Salis Picture: Rural Women’s Award 2013 Applications open until 15/10/12

Are you a woman with a vision for your rural business or industry? Do you need support to make that vision a reality? The Rural Women’s Award might be the answer.

he Rural Industries Research and horticulture, fisheries, forestry, new and TDevelopment Corporation (RIRDC) emerging plant and animal enterprises, Rural Women’s Award is Australia’s pre- Indigenous rural enterprises, natural resource eminent Award that recognises and management and related service industries. encourages rural women’s contribution to Applications opened on 1 August 2012 and Simon de Salis Picture: primary industries, resource development close on World Rural Women’s Day, 15th and rural Australia. October 2012. Despite its name, the Award is primarily not For more information, please contact about being the best rural woman – it is Rebecca Williams at DPIPWE 6233 6812 or about identifying a learning opportunity that [email protected] or go to you believe will benefit you and your industry. the website: www.ruralwomensaward.gov.au The $10,000 bursary is designed to help build your skills so that you can bring that knowledge back home to your business and your industry. The Award is open to all women involved in primary industries, including broadacre 2010 winner Jackie Brown farming, intensive livestock, cropping, 32 | TASMANIAN INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE

Controlled traffic ripper with wheel track tynes removed. On-farm controlled traffic projects The Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture has been very active in recent years with projects related to controlled traffic in the vegetable industry. They have ranged from field research and demonstration through to desk-based modelling and the conduct of industry seminars and meetings.

wo field-based projects are in progress. The other field-based project is funded by One of the biggest challenges of this site has TOne, funded by Horticulture Australia DPIPWE through the McCains Community been maintaining accuracy of tracking on Limited (HAL) through the Vegetable levy, is Task Force and is on a north-west coast farm compacted wheel tracks on side slopes. This based at ‘Kinburn’, Cressy. This project is with opposite topography to Kinburn. The was a major challenge when preparing the applying controlled traffic on a duplex soil in paddock has many different slope directions paddock for broccoli. a very low slope topography, which can and angles and multiple drainage lines. During bean preparation, the decision was present a range of drainage challenges. The project started in August 2010 and the made to cultivate the top of the wheel tracks Potatoes were grown in the first season to allow the tractor tyres to sink a little into site has so far grown poppies, winter broccoli (2011-12), and the site is now sown to a the softer soil. While this goes against one of and beans. This site is being managed with winter green manure crop before broccoli the ideals of controlled traffic (i.e. compacted seasonal controlled traffic, in that tillage and later this year. wheel tracks for ease of traffic), it seemed to planting operations are confined to known There were no measureable soil, water or help with the problem of slipping off the wheel track locations, but some harvest crop differences between the controlled wheel tracks. Other solutions to this issue operations won’t fit the system due to traffic and conventional management systems, are currently under investigation. machinery incompatibility. which is not surprising, given it was the first season. However, the harvest tractor driver Small improvements in soil physical noted that the digging was “easier” in the conditions were measured within 18 months controlled traffic area, perhaps an indication of the start of the project, but there has of more friable soil conditions. been no measureable yield benefit yet. TASMANIAN INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE| 33 New projects support Tasmanian dairy industry

Three new projects are beginning in the TIA Dairy Centre. These projects will support the local industry to grow in a profitable and sustainable manner, and the information and resources generated through the projects has national applications across industries. Greenhouse gas options farm system, or have an adverse impact on Dairy Smart (Phase 2) productivity and profitability of the farm TIA Dairy Centre researchers Dr Richard The TIA Development and Extension (D&E) business. Rawnsley and Ms Karen Christie, in team have received funding from Dairy collaboration with researchers from the The project is funded by the Commonwealth Australia and DairyTas to continue their University of Melbourne and the Victorian Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and work delivering training and support to the Department of Primary Industries, have Forestry as part of the Carbon Farming Tasmanian dairy industry. The new three year received funding for a three-year project Futures Filling the Research Gap Program project will focus on business, feedbase and titled ‘Whole farm systems analysis of and from Dairy Australia, Meat & Livestock nutrition, and people. greenhouse gas options for the southern Australia and the Australian Wool Innovation. As part of the project, business monitor Australian grazing industries’. More milk from forages farms will be set up in regional locations The project will conduct whole farm systems Led by Dr Keith Pembleton, the More Milk throughout the State. These farms will work analysis of a range of nitrogen, carbon and From Forages project aims to develop new with a TIA extension officer and a small energy efficiency and greenhouse gas forage systems that will result in an increase group of local farmers to assess and utilise abatement strategies for the dairy, sheep and in milk produced from forage on Tasmanian tools that assist in the decision making southern beef industries. Each strategy will dairy farms. process. The project will also work with be analysed in a whole farm systems context, farmers in regionally based groups to including methane, nitrous oxide, soil carbon A range of experiments have been planted improve pasture consumption and feed and productivity, plus the interactions over twenty-six hectares at the TIA Dairy conversion efficiency, and link with the Dairy between these. The outcomes will be a Research Facility, Elliott. Paddocks and small Australia People in Dairy project to deliver series of biophysically and economically plot trial areas have been sown to mixtures training and support in the area of people evaluated options for reducing emissions and monocultures of various pasture species management. intensity, improving farm profitability and/or including: plantain and chicory (perennial The TIA D&E team are also working with further development into Carbon Farming forbs), a range of ryegrass ecotypes, and rural professionals to develop strong Initiative offset methods. white clover. networks that will assist in achieving the The tools used to evaluate these abatement The aim of this project is to increase forage growth potential within the state. options will consider all sources and sinks, supply and nutritive value at times of the year together with the productivity and when ryegrass growth is slow or is of a lower For more information, including the TIA Dairy profitability impacts, and the dynamic nutritive value through the strategic use of Centre monthly dairy newsletter, visit interactions between these. This will ensure forbs and legumes. Funding is provided by www.tia.tas.edu.au/dairy that abatement options, targeting one Dairy Australia. process, do not result in increased emissions and/or loss of soil carbon elsewhere in the 34 | WATER RESOURCES

The National Water Commission is responsible for driving progress towards the sustainable management and use of Australia’s water resources under our blueprint for water reform – the National Water Initiative. This intergovernmental agreement was signed by all governments between June 2004 and April 2006. Established under the National Water Commission Act 2004, the Commission advises COAG and the Australian Government on national water issues and the progress of the National Water Initiative. To progress its reform objectives and deliver its programs effectively, the Commission collaborates extensively with federal, state and territory govern- ment agencies; irrigation, environmental, Indigenous and industry stakeholders; and science and research partners.

reforms should be implemented to provide security to users and flexibly manage changes in water supply and demand due to climate change. • Improvements to water planning and related decision-making should be implemented to better manage climate change risk and uncertainty • Regulation and pricing reforms should provide greater flexibility to adapt to climate change and better signal all the relevant costs of managing it. • Approaches to investment in urban supply augmentations and rural water infrastructure should be reviewed to ensure that they address water security but also to address the risk of poor

Picture courtesy www.simondesalis.com investments. • The management of climate change risks to water infrastructure and services, Water policy and climate particularly in urban areas, should be given higher priority. change in Australia report The study found that the National Water Initiative (NWI) objective of optimising In May 2012, the National he report analysed water-related impacts economic, social and environmental Tof climate change mitigation initiatives and outcomes of water remains appropriate in Water Commission (NWC) adaptation responses across seven sectors: the context of climate change, recognising launched the Water policy electricity generation, mining and minerals that the optimal balance may change over processing, forestry, agriculture, urban water, time and in response to climate change. and climate change in rural water and the environment. A cross- Many elements of current water policy Australia report, which sectoral assessment examined issues water settings are well placed to manage potential policy would need to address, and implications impacts from climate change and related assessed whether water policy of current water policy settings for the policies, but there is, in many cases, a need for implementation of climate change initiatives. better and more complete implementation settings are robust enough to of the NWI. The key recommendations in the NWC’s deal with the potential assessment are that: www.nwc.gov.au/publications/topic/reform/ implications of climate change. • Further water entitlement and market water-policy-and-climate-change-in-australia WEED MANAGEMENT| 35 Phil Reader wins the 2012 Tasmanian Weed Society ‘Gus Green Golden Woody’ Award

The Tasmanian Weed Society Phil Reader understands the importance of recognising and celebrating the work done by our many outstanding fellow weed fighters. e know that much of their work to Weradicate weeds, restore natural values and maintain environments goes un-noticed and unheralded. So a couple of years back, in the truest commitment to sustainability, we recycled Gus Green’s original Weedbuster award the “Golden Woody” as a perpetual trophy to be awarded to an individual, couple or group whose work demonstrates a high level of achievement and commitment to the fight against invasive plants. Phil regards the current diminishing funding Our inaugural winner, in 2010, was Jon support for weed science as a real problem Phil Reader: Marsden-Smedley for his work (and that of which will negatively impact on agriculture a champion of many associated women and men) to and environments. Nonetheless he has been eradicate Sea Spurge, Marram Grass and particularly pleased to have worked with weed management Blackberry in remote and semi-remote areas RIRDC Weeds Advisory Committee and He is currently: of the State. John was kind enough to dust previously the National Weeds Advisory Woody off and return him to the cauldron of Group (NWAG). During his time with • Chair of Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers Association Weeds Standing Committee; our 2012 Annual General Meeting where NWAG the group awarded $44M to a range • Member of TFGA Environmental Policy outgoing President Alan Barton presented of study areas vital to weed management. Committee; Woody to our new champion, Phil Reader. Continuing some of that work with the • President of Industrial Hemp Association RIRDC group over the last three years, Phil Originally from Legana on the Tamar River, of Tasmania; and his fellow members have evaluated Phil now farms 260ha at Bishopsbourne in • Member of Tasmanian Weed Alert more than 250 projects (many of which northern Tasmania where he and his wife Network Steering Committee; deserved funding) and awarded $12M to 34 Jeanette have been since 1989. The Reader’s • Member of (Commonwealth) Rural of them. produce cattle and sheep and have a mixed Industries Research and Development irrigated cropping program which includes For many years, Phil has been instrumental in Corporation’s (RIRDC) Weeds Research rotations of poppies, peas, vegetable seeds promoting effective weed management Advisory Committee; and grass seeds. In addition to this Phil has practices (including farm, fodder and • Member of Northern Region Weed been instrumental in the significant machinery hygiene) to many people in the Strategy Review, Reference Committee. agricultural innovation to establish a hemp farming sector, through channels such as He has been: seed growing industry in Tasmania (the Agfest, seminars, forums, field days and media • Vice President TFGA Board; varieties used do not contain pshyco-active interviews. He has been a driver of TFGA’s • National Farmers Federation Delegate on compounds and Phil believes that that hemp production (with DPIPWE and the NRMs) the National Weeds Advisory Group (for has tremendous potential as both food and of the two editions of the TFGA Weeds the Defeating the Weeds Menace fibre crops). Calendar. Over a four year period, Phil program); assisted with the development of the Weed The selection of Phil for our 2012 award • Member National Vegetable Research and Management Strategy and Action Plan for recognises that weeds have important Development Committee; the Northern NRM Region of Tasmania. impacts on Tasmania’s agricultural • Member of Tasmanian Agricultural productivity as well as on our environments. All of this is done in a voluntary capacity. Phil Productivity Group Working Group on Where Phil stands out from many farmers is is passionate about weed management and weed contamination in feed grain imports; in his commitment beyond the boundary of has contributed thousands of voluntary hours • Member of Northern Midlands Council his family farm to the broader issues of to the cause. He is considered by his peers NRM Committee former; and weeds in agriculture and the environment. as a champion in agricultural weed • Member of Northern Region Weed Phil has led the way in promoting effective management. Strategy Working Group. Best Practice weed management to the farming sector of Tasmania over many years. Story and picture: David Lane 36 | BROWSING ANIMAL MANAGEMENT Losing too much to wallabies and brushtail possums? Picture courtesy www.simondesalis.com While accurate records of pasture losses to wallabies and brushtail possums are time consuming for a landholder to collect, a number of research projects have provided reliable data. three year trial on 16 individual sites on Exclosure cages of browsing activity at that place and time. A northern Tasmanian dairy farms showed A cage to protect a small area from all grazing, But it doesn’t tell you what the wallabies or losses to improved pastures in the first 100 including wallabies, possums and rabbits, will possums are costing you. metres from the bush edge averaged 67 per give a dramatic display of what is being lost. Direct animal counts cent in North West Tasmania and 51 per Measurement of dry matter per hectare Research has demonstrated deficiencies in cent in the North East. both inside and outside the cage will also using spotlight counts to determine the On King Island, where Bennetts’ wallaby are provide figures to calculate losses. To demon- number of animals on a property or abundant (> 6 – 16 per ha), research strate what is being lost, livestock must be production losses to browsing wildlife. identified that wallaby proof fencing alone excluded from the area around the cage. Spotlighting only counts, at the most, half of reduced browsing damage to improved Assessing pasture out from the animals present. Animals may flee as the pastures by 50 per cent (from an average of spotlight approaches or they may come out 51per cent loss in the first 100 metres from the bush edge at varying times in the night. On the other bush margins to an average loss of 26 per If you are seeing a clear increase in pasture hand, an animal may only get part of its diet cent). When shooting and fencing were mass as you move further out from the bush from your pasture or crop. integrated; these actions reduced browsing edge; that is a good indication that you are damage from an average of 51 per cent to a losing pasture productivity to wallabies and If using direct animal counts, standardise very low 3 per cent. possums. counts on a known area to assess changes between time or place. Another trial in the Central Midlands, using Faecal pellet counts exclosure cages across nine different Counting faecal pellets will let you know Remember, measuring what is being lost locations (measuring damage up to 800 which species you are dealing with and may (pasture, crop or animal production) is the metres from the bush margins), recorded provide a method to assess changes in most effective way to comprehend the extent losses of between 17 and 100 per cent browsing activity. It will not, however, tell you of your problem. where the pasture was not protected from how much productivity you are losing. wallabies, forester kangaroo, fallow deer and For BITE & advice on assessing losses – possums. Mark points at each end of a line of a known Contact: Game Management Unit, DPIPWE distance (for example 20 metres), clear Browsing Animal Management Project Officers What you can do to help visualise the extent existing faecal pellets off the line and come Drew Lee (South): Mob 0427 736 484 of your problem: back after a set number of days to count the new pellets. If numbers increase or decrease Robbie Gaffney (South): Mob 0418 370 598 between counts, you can assess relative levels Jonathan Knox (North): Mob 0417 754 590 BROWSING ANIMAL MANAGEMENT| 37

Bennett pellet

Rufous pellet

Exclosure cage

Brushtail pellet

Bite back with BITE BITE is a computer program for assessing pasture losses to wallabies and possums. his computer based software tool browsing intensity can be modified to Tuses data on pasture growth/losses match a landholder’s knowledge of their from research programs conducted in a own property. range of areas across Tasmania. The data It is typical that BITE will show, where uses catchment level assumptions about significant browsing wildlife populations pasture growth, wildlife impacts and exist, about 60 per cent pasture loss pasture utilisation. Combined with the across the first 100 metres from the use of satellite imagery to identify areas refuge/bush edge. A calculation of the likely to be subject to various rates of length of the refuge/bush edge times 60 grazing by wallabies and possums, plus per cent will provide a rough figure of economic data relating to specific grazing hectares of total loss of productivity. It is industries, BITE provides estimates of necessary to then assess the effect of this pasture mass and financial losses for information on your farm’s management individual parcels of land. Assumptions of and bottom line. BITE will provide pasture growth, pasture value and detailed figures for your enterprise. 38 | BIOSECURITY

Animal Welfare Act under review

interests of government, animal industries, change that would give DPIPWE and animal other animal users and the animal welfare welfare organisations better scope to sector. Government is represented by provide for the care of animals whose members from DPIPWE, the Tasmanian welfare they have found to be at risk – in Police and the Local Government Association. particular the option of rehoming animals in Industry members include representatives poor welfare situations without necessarily from the Tasmanian Farmers and Graziers having to mount a successful prosecution Association and the intensive animal farming against the owner. (In the past a State DPI or industries. The University of Tasmania and the RSPCA sometimes had to keep and feed sporting and recreational animal users are the animals pending the outcome of a court also represented. Animal welfare interests case – which can take some considerable Picture: Simon de Salis Picture: are represented on the Committee by the time and involve much cost to the agencies Tasmania’s Animal Welfare Act RSPCA, Animals Australia and the Australian involved.) Veterinary Association. Finally, the review is seeking public comment is being reviewed and people The 2008 amendments to the Act were on the adequacy of penalty provisions in the interested in animal welfare are quite wide-ranging and the Committee Act. It is important that the Act provides regards the current Act as being a good, adequate scope to the courts in sentencing encouraged to have their say. modern piece of animal welfare legislation and that maximum penalties reflect he Act was last amended in 2008 when that in broad terms works well but needs to community attitudes. be kept up-to-date with community attitudes. there was a significant increase in T The discussion paper outlining the Tasmanian maximum penalties. There has since been A few changes have been recommended to Animal Welfare Advisory Committee’s increased public debate on animal welfare tidy up some practical issues with the Act – recommended changes is on the DPIPWE issues and a number of advances in animal in particular in relation to evidence and the website www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au and there is a welfare, including announcements to phase enforcement powers of animal welfare three month period for public comment. If you out dry sow stalls and battery cages. officers. There are also some significant other require a hard copy or further information, please proposals: the ‘aggravated cruelty’ offence In light of these issues, the Act will be contact Mary Bennett on (03) 6233 6882 or should be changed to better reflect what the reviewed to ensure that it continues to email [email protected]. community would consider a particularly reflect contemporary community attitudes serious act of cruelty; better protection of The intention is to have a draft Bill to amend and expectations. the welfare of animals kept for breeding the Animal Welfare Act ready for the Minister to A draft set of proposed changes has been animals for sale (eg puppy breeders); and take to Cabinet in the first half of 2013. prepared by Tasmania’s Animal Welfare banning the use and possession of ‘pronged Please note that recent decisions about sow Advisory Committee for consideration by collars’ –dog collars with prongs or barbs stalls and battery cages are not part of this the wider community projecting inwards towards the neck. review – those decisions have already been The Committee membership balances the There is also a significant recommended made under the current Act.

Testing for plant disease the fast and easy way lant diseases can spread quickly through testing experience is necessary. sample tests positive). Only the control line a field, sometimes before their effects will appear if the sample is negative. P The testing process is simple and fast: using are visible. This can have an economic a blunt object (such as a pen), grind the Tests are available for more than 24 impact on a business. By testing early and suspect plant sample in the special bag that pathogens affecting a variety of vegetables routinely crops and business can be contains the sample buffer (included with and ornamentals. The test is economical, protected from disease outbreaks using kit) and then insert the immunostrip into takes only minutes to complete and can be IMMUNOSTRIPS. the bag. A clear positive or negative result done anywhere. The results are reliable, Immunostrips are a rapid diagnostic test for can be seen within 10 to 30 minutes. simple to interpret and storable. onsite detection of many viruses. They are a simplified version of the ELISA (Enzyme – The immunostrip contains two types of For more information on Immunostrips and to linked Immunosorbent assay) method for lines in the test area. They are the control place an order in Australia please contact detection of plant pathogens so they offer line (assures that the test is working Susan Archer, DPIPWE, Plant Biosecurity and you ELISA laboratory technology in an easy properly and should always appear) and the Diagnostics Branch, Australian Distributor for to use format which can be used in the field test line (a red to purple coloured line Agdia Incorporated. or glasshouse. Anyone can do it – no prior below the control line which will appear if a Email: [email protected] BIOSECURITY | 39 Controlling Johne’s disease In most cases, endemic animal disease is managed or prevented at the enterprise level Which of these – it is up to farmers, agents, carriers, vets and others in the sheep have OJD? livestock industries to practise good biosecurity. Sometimes, government plays a supporting role by establishing regulations to back the biosecurity efforts of the industry. case in point is Johne’s disease. Both A Bovine and Ovine Johne’s disease are present in parts of Tasmania and it is in everyone’s interest to prevent their spread into uninfected areas. Johne’s disease is a difficult challenge for the livestock industries. There is currently no cure, and animals typically become infected THEY ALL DO: while young yet do not show clinical signs until well into their adult lives. most sheep shedding OJD Various regulations help industry control Johne’s disease. For example, the National Livestock Identification Scheme (NLIS) show no clinical signs requires livestock to be tagged when they For further information contact your veterinarian or local animal health officer. leave a property. DPIPWE polices this regulation with the help of livestock agents. The livestock industry peak bodies understand that, while government regulation can help, it is action (or inaction) at the enterprise level that will determine progress in the campaign to control the spread of Producers in the sheep and cattle industries specifically to control the disease. Producers Producers Johne’s disease. To this end, Animal Health can alsp become accredited under Market not using these tools are not just risking the Australia has developed various tools that Assurance Programs such as CattleMAP and health and welfare of their own livestock, can be used at the enterprise level. SheepMAP, both of which include vigorous they are also undermining the industry-led The key tool for minimising the risk of onfarm testing for Johne’s disease. campaign against this insidious and costly introducing Johne’s disease onto a property With Bovine Johne’s disease, the dairy and disease. is the sheep or cattle health statement, and beef cattle sectors have other tools as well. Everyone who has livestock, and not just there really is no excuse for anyone trading For beef producers, the Beef Only program commercial farmers, should be using the livestock without one. This statement has been specifically designed to help tools developed to control Johne’s disease. provides enough information to identify minimize the risk of BJD when trading cattle. Those tools can be found on the DPIPWE whether the animals a farmer is thinking of In the dairy industry, where BJD is more biosecurity website www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/ buying or agisting are at greater risk of established, the key tools are the 3 Step Calf biosecurity Johne’s disease than the livestock already on Plan and the Johne’s Disease Calf their property. If the risk is greater the Accreditation Program (JDCAP) to minimise Both the OJD and BJD management plans animals should not be purchased. the risk of spreading Johne’s disease from have been revised recently. adult cow to calf. Another important tool with Ovine Johne’s To find out more about OJD visit www.ojd.com.au disease is vaccination. The vaccine currently The success or failure of the campaign to For more information on BJD see available does not eradicate OJD, but it has control Johne’s disease depends almost www.bjdaware.com.au proven to be very effective in controlling it entirely on the extent to which individual when used properly. producers use the tools developed 40 | Scholarships available for MBA in Agricultural Innovation Those seeking to broaden their management knowledge with a focus on developing their skills and passion in agribusiness and innovation will find a new University of Tasmania (UTAS) scholarship program of interest.

business and management and is designed Mel believes that for younger people just for three years of part-time study, but can be getting started, the scholarship is a real help taken full-time. by not adding an extra burden to an existing HECS debt. Chris Thompson and Mel Rae from Macquarie Franklin are two scholar recipients who have “This has meant that I commenced the MBA found their experience with the MBA program now rather than five years time” says Mel. both rewarding and extremely relevant to A feature of the MBA is its focus on agricultural their business. innovation. They are both looking forward to “I was not looking forward to some of the the agricultural subjects and how this will link business subjects as I thought they would be to weekend classes. Chris noted that although more of the same, but they were fascinating,” he was a bit hesitant about the workshop says Chris. “By participating in the MBA, I process on several Saturdays throughout the have been able to reinforce philosophies and course, he felt that the investment in time had turn things into reality back in the business.” been worth it. Both recommend participating in the Saturday classes as you learn from Mel agrees that there is more to manage- people who have experience in their field. ment that being naturally a good manager. “There are also so many resources available “Learning about people and how organisations that it gives you the flexibility to manage work is so relevant to where the Company is around your work,” says Mel. right now,” she says. “It has helped with building processes and developing opportu- Chris and Mel agree that the flexibility of the MBA program has been a major factor in ight $5,000 scholarships are available as nities for staff, it has been very timely”. getting them through the first six months. Epart of the Master of Business Both Chris and Mel agree that the scholarship Administration (Agricultural Innovation) has been a major motivator. The scholarships are aimed at assisting program at UTAS. students cover the costs of the agricultural “It has helped me get started with the MBA innovation units within the MBA (Agricultural The MBA (Agricultural Innovation) was as it has provided that extra incentive to Innovation) program at UTAS. established in 2012 and is a new program that commence, rather than delaying because of pprovides knowledgeg and skills in agriculturalg myy schedule” said Chris. Applicants already working in food manufact- uuring are particularly encouraged to apply. TThe program is a joint State Government aand UTAS Initiative involving the Faculty of GET AN MBA IN BBusiness and the Tasmanian Institute of AAgriculture (TIA). The scholarships are provided AGRICULTURAL aas part of the Government’s Economic INNOVATION DDevelopment Plan and are administered by tthe UTAS Foundation. You can now study for an MBA that provides management knowledge with a focus on developing your skills and passion in agribusiness and innovation. TThe scholarship applications opened on r 3 years part-time 1 August and close on 31 October 2012. r Study by distance with intensive workshops or fully face-to-face in Hobart RRefer to the guidelines for further information. r A Bachelor degree is not essential for entry; work experience qualifies too Start in February 2013 r DDownload the MBA (Agricultural Innovation) Agricultural study options will include innovation in the food industry, international marketing, industry analysis, agricultural technology, agricultural landscape systems, advanced food safety ccourse structure and scholarship information management and value chain innovation. hhere: http://www.studentcentre.utas.edu.au/ This program is a partnership between UTAS and the Tasmanian Institute of Agriculture (TIA) with competitively awarded scholarships funded by the Tasmanian government. sscholarships/AwardDetails.aspx?AwardId=2256

Scholarship applications open 1 August 2012. oor phone 1300 363 864 Want to know more? Call 1300 363 864. FFor additional information regarding career ppathways visit: www.dpipwe.tas.gov.au/agricareer

TASMANIAN INSTITUTE OF AGRICULTURE UFBU8327_RJ CRICOS Provider Code: 00586B For all your Advertising enquiries, please contact Megan Farrer 0412 052 667

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