Regional Drought Resilience Planning

Over the past year, NACC NRM has worked with Mid West Development Commission (MWDC) to develop project activities that will help drive forward local drought resilience priorities. Identified in the Regional Drought Resilience Plan (RDRP) for the Mid West’s pilot region, comprising the shires of Chapman Valley and Northampton and the City of Greater Geraldton, the four chosen priority actions that are now being carried forward by MWDC are diverse in their focus and anticipated outcomes.
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A consultation on the local agricultural sector’s use of climate and weather services has already been completed, and the final report and recommendations received. This work identifies the investment needed to help ensure on-farm decision making is informed by accurate and timely climate information, with funds already set aside to implement some solutions in this space.

Economic modelling of the anticipated farm business impacts of multi-year drought scenarios is underway, with the aim of identifying the factors that could spell the difference between resilience and vulnerability if drought conditions persist for multiple years. This work is expected to help inform future business resilience learning and coaching initiatives and identify priority areas where research investment may be beneficial.

The third activity will seek to establish shared research priorities and build collaborations to achieve them, for the improved resilience of local farming systems. This will involve working with local grower groups and other key stakeholders and research institutions to establish a plan for boosting research, development, extension and adoption of new and improved farming practices and crop varieties, which can help to build resilience to a changing climate.

Finally, investigating possible support mechanisms for voluntary grower groups will be the fourth focus area. These groups play an essential and highly successful role in peer-to-peer sharing of drought resilience initiatives, so it’s important to reduce the potential burnout of the volunteers who run them. Exploring innovative ways to provide support for groups’ administrative demands is anticipated to enable our valuable rural community leaders to put their time and energy into the activities that matter most.

With NACC NRM’s role now complete, oversight for delivery of the funded activities and ongoing RDRP implementation will sit with Mid West Development Commission and continue to be informed by the Project Advisory Group of key stakeholders who have been a key part of the process throughout.

For more information, please contact NACC NRM’s Sustainable Agriculture Project Officer, Yvette Hollings.
E yvette.hollings@nacc.com.au | M 0447 298 063 | P (08) 9938 0117

The Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program is jointly funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and WA’s Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development.

Yvette Hollings - Agriculture Project Officer

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In 2020-21 I talked about ‘raising the bar’. In 2021-22 we worked on setting the bar on fire. Over the last 12 months, the team at NACC NRM has not stopped.

The Sustainable Agriculture team has extended the program’s reach through collaborations with grower groups in the regions. Specifically, the Beyond Reasonable Drought project and Grower Group Alliance – South West WA Drought Innovation Hub – Geraldton Node project. The Beyond Reasonable Drought partnership with grower groups supported farmers across the region to improve the environmental sustainability of their agricultural production and drought resilience. The outcomes of this project have been consolidated through our successful Expression of Interest to the South West WA Drought Innovation Hub, with support from grower groups across the region, to host the Geraldton Node of the Hub. The program continues to focus on working with agricultural networks to share technical expertise and provide opportunities that will improve land management practices in agriculture across the region.

The conservation outcomes of ranger teams have expanded through work on several land tenures. Maintaining Heritage sites such as Willi Gulli, Racecourse Paddock and Buller River has long been a priority. During 2021-22, the teams have increasingly focused on threatened species and ecosystems.

To this end, Western Mulga rangers have improved management across 19,000 ha for the conservation of Malleefowl through firebreak and access management. They completed the maintenance of water holes and supported the monitoring of over 90 Malleefowl mounds.

Similarly, the Kwelena Mambakort Aboriginal Corporate ranger team have contributed positively to Carnaby’s Black Cockatoo populations by installing artificial hollows and habitat restoration.

All ranger teams have collected native seed, propagated native plants for restoration, and planted native vegetation in key locations across the NAR. Seed collection provides valuable industry experience and has facilitated the planting of over 100,000 seedlings during the year.   

In September 2021, the NACC NRM team delivered the WA Threatened Species Forum, held in tandem with the National Malleefowl Forum. Given the impact of COVID and the timing of this event, having more than 100 delegates from all over Australia was a significant achievement. The two Forums brought together 12 events over five days and featured 14 local artists, 25 businesses and 36 youth participants.

Following the successful relaunch of our updated NARvis, NACC NRM was invited to help lead a significant piece of strategic planning work for the region with Mid West Development Commission and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development. With funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, the consortia delivered a Regional Drought Resilience Plan covering the shires of Northampton and Chapman Valley and the City of Greater Geraldton, along with significant technical analysis of drought vulnerability for the South West land division. The development of this plan also included extensive community consultation to ensure that local knowledge and technical advice guided the development of priorities for action.

This planning work links to existing NACC NRM on-ground projects, including Beyond Reasonable Drought and the Chapman Catchment Collaborative regeneration project.

It was a busy year for events with face-to-face events becoming commonplace again. During 2021-22 we hosted events in Gingin, Moora, Dalwallinu, Cervantes, Jurien Bay, Walkaway, Nabawa, Perenjori, Kalannie and Morawa. We supported events in Karakin, Thundellara, Perenjori, Paynes Find, Wubin, Cataby, Warradarge, Northampton, Yuna, Dalwallinu and Dandaragan.

We also supported on-ground works throughout the region, including at the following locations Yuna, Dalwallinu, Dandaragan, Merkanooka, Goodlands, Kalannie, Bunjil, Yardarino, Canna, Kondut, Latham, Kadathinni, Nabawa, Red Gully, Sandy Gully, Waddy Forrest, Devils Creek, Perenjori, Bowgada, Ellendale, Wandana, Namban, Hill River, Warradarge, Gillingarra, Regans Ford and Moonyanooka.

Our region is vast – slightly larger than Tasmania, which for comparison, is serviced by three separate NRM organisations. Covering the NAR region and its many environmental threats is challenging. We continue to focus on partnerships and collaboration to address this challenge. We know that by working with our community through passionate delivery of collaborative on-ground projects and education, the community will value and actively protect our region’s natural capital.

This year we have launched a new Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). The RAP Working Group consulted widely and developed an Innovate RAP which Reconciliation Australia approved in March 2022. The activities to fulfil these commitments are now in full swing.

Sadly, at the end of 2021, we farewelled former NACC NRM CEO Shelley Spriggs, who lost a long battle with cancer. Shelley was an inaugural inductee to the NRM Leadership Honour Roll. I will always be grateful for her guidance and no-nonsense approach, not to mention her passion for life.

While we have said farewell to some, we have welcomed many new faces across all programs, including our Administration team. We have also hosted a school-based trainee from Nagle Catholic College who has been working towards a Certificate II in Conservation and Ecosystem Management. This trial position has been very successful, and we look forward to making this opportunity available again in 2023.

During 2022 we have taken on new projects that align with our organisational and program objectives, and we have successfully completed some great initiatives that support continued conservation and sustainability outcomes. I want to thank the whole team who continue to go above and beyond for the organisation and each other proving their ongoing commitment to our purpose and our values.