Poole, Chris, O'Reagain, Joe, and Gardiner, Chris (2025) Peer-to-peer grazier groups for building enterprise economic and environmental resilience in the rangelands of the Burdekin Catchment of North Queensland. In: N/A ([Presented at TropAg 2025]) 150. p. 240. From: TropAg 2025: Addressing Global Challenges, 11-13 November 2026, Brisbane, QLD, Australia.

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Abstract

As part of the Queensland Department of Primary Industry’s Integrated Engagement and Capacity Building Program, four Peer-to-Peer (P2P) projects have been established in the Burdekin River Catchment of North Queensland via collaboration between local graziers, NQ Dry Tropics and James Cook University. Family farm succession in the region has resulted in a new generation of beef producers assuming management of large-scale grazing enterprises. These producers face significant challenges including declining terms of trade, increased climate variability and escalating land prices. Concerns about land degradation, reduced carrying capacity, and implications for reef water quality are also pressing, alongside pressures to adapt to evolving market demands and disruptions. In response, many are focusing on strategies to bolster enterprise resilience by improving the pasture feedbase. Of particular interest is the augmenting of pastures with legumes and exploring intensified approaches, such as the establishment of production paddocks (with and without irrigation) or legume nursery plots to create on-farm seed sources for direct harvest or passive seed dispersal via intermittent grazing and faecal seeding.

Using a grazier-led, peer-to-peer approach, each group has nominated a range of key topics to trial and investigate on a focal demonstration property, along with a number of learning and extension activities, such as:

• The establishment of replicated legume, grass and forage cultivar evaluation trials to ascertain species adaptation to edaphoclimatic and biotic conditions. • Soil sampling to better understand local edaphic constraints. • Hosting field days. • Establishing legume nursery plots as seed sources for local producers into posterity.

These collective efforts highlight what is possible when strong community enthusiasm and goodwill is combined with effective inter-agency collaboration in the Burdekin Catchment. By leveraging scarce resources across vast areas, both economic and environmental resilience can be enhanced, contributing to a more sustainable future for the next generation of graziers.

Item ID:	89845
Item Type:	Conference Item (Poster)
Keywords:	Extension, graziers, basalt, North Queensland, pastures, sown pastures, beef, peer to pear learning
Related URLs:	https://tropag.com.au/
Funders:	Department of Primary Industries and Fisheries (QLD), The Cairns Institute, James Cook University
Date Deposited:	04 Feb 2026 00:03
FoR Codes:	30 AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND FOOD SCIENCES > 3002 Agriculture, land and farm management > 300202 Agricultural land management @ 40% 30 AGRICULTURAL, VETERINARY AND FOOD SCIENCES > 3004 Crop and pasture production > 300406 Crop and pasture improvement (incl. selection and breeding) @ 40% 44 HUMAN SOCIETY > 4410 Sociology > 441003 Rural sociology @ 20%
SEO Codes:	10 ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND ANIMAL PRIMARY PRODUCTS > 1005 Pasture, browse and fodder crops > 100505 Sown pastures (excl. lucerne) @ 50% 10 ANIMAL PRODUCTION AND ANIMAL PRIMARY PRODUCTS > 1001 Environmentally sustainable animal production > 100199 Environmentally sustainable animal production not elsewhere classified @ 50%
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