Cook Government grants are now open to help Western Australian pastoralists build drought resilience, while rejuvenating the southern rangelands.
Stations in the Gascoyne, Murchison, Goldfields and the Nullarbor can share in $3.15 million of Southern Rangelands Revitalisation Program grants to pursue projects that boost business profitability and revitalise the landscape.
Up to $25,000 is available for training to build and share knowledge on landscape regeneration and profitable grazing to help develop innovative station projects.
Pastoralists who complete the training can then apply for up to $75,000 to implement projects, as well as up to $5,000 grants to aid adoption of agricultural technologies that support the proposals.
The initiative follows a successful pilot program, backed by the Cook Government and the Australian Government's Future Drought Fund and Drought Resilient Soils and Landscapes program, which has so far supported six station initiatives.
Pilot participants have installed biodiversity monitors, established native grass seed nurseries, installed remote water monitoring networks and undertaken earthworks to rehydrate the landscape.
Melangata sheep station in the Murchison is the most recent grant recipient, investing its $41,943 in vermin proof, solar powered electric fencing to create a 'haystack' of feed in a rested paddock for use in dry periods, as well remote camera monitoring.
Outcomes from this and other projects will be shared with stations throughout the Murchison, Gascoyne and the Goldfields-Nullarbor via field days and workshops.
For more information and to apply for a Southern Rangelands Revitalisation Program grant https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/southernrangelands.
As stated by Agriculture and Food Minister Jackie Jarvis:
"It is great to see the Southern Rangelands Revitalisation Program continuing to move forward, supporting practical initiatives to improve the condition of the southern rangelands and build livestock productivity and profitability.
"This practical initiative builds on the skills and knowledge of recipients, drawing on peer learning and expertise, to develop strong projects that create lasting and transformational benefits to businesses and the landscape.
"This terrific initiative is helping the southern rangeland pastoral industry to embrace new approaches to build more resilient businesses and conserve our valuable land resource for the future."
