#PeopleOfNRM – Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program Project Advisory Group

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NACC NRM and the Mid West Development Commission have teamed up to develop a regional drought resilience plan for the Mid West under the federal Future Drought Fund Regional Drought Resilience Planning Program. 

This planning process will engage with stakeholders in agriculture and related industries to develop a locally-informed plan that will guide investment and help the region respond effectively to the impacts of future droughts.

A knowledgeable and diverse Project Advisory Group has been appointed to give input on the stakeholder engagement process and technical components of the plan, to ensure that the final documents will reflect the needs and priorities of our region. This versatile group of experts will bring a wealth of local knowledge and experience in the region to advise on the best ways to incorporate new and emerging information related to drought into the plan and help to develop a pipeline of investable drought resilience projects.

Allow us to introduce you to:

Nicole Batten

  • Secretary, Yuna Farm Improvement Group
  • Councillor, Shire of Chapman Valley

How did you first become involved in or interested in sustainable agriculture? Since experiencing the 2006/07 drought, the resilience and innovation growth within our industry has been substantial, which has led to a positive position for the future of agriculture.

What do you hope to achieve as a member of the Project Advisory Group? For the first time grower groups in the northern agricultural region have the opportunity to formally work together and collaborate with industry in creating a pathway forward in both effort and investment into agriculture in the Midwest.

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Maurice Battilana

  • Chief Executive Officer
  • Shire of Chapman Valley

How did you first become involved in or interested in sustainable agriculture? I have a long association with broadacre agriculture with my great grandfather being a pioneer of the Mullewa agricultural area, a link which continues to this day. This, along with having lived and worked in the Midwest agricultural region and having been linked to droughts in the past has developed my strong interest in sustainable agriculture.

What do you hope to achieve as a member of the Project Advisory Group? I hope for projects and programs being ready and immediately available to the whole community and businesses when the next drought hits our area, instead of practices of the past of looking for assistance and solution at the time.

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Amanda Bourne

  • Senior Conservation Planning Officer
  • NACC NRM

How did you first become involved in or interested in sustainable agriculture? I first became involved in sustainable agriculture in South Africa, working with peri-urban vegetable producers on urban food supply chains and later with livestock farmers in the northern deserts adapting production to a rapidly changing climate.

What do you hope to achieve as a member of the Project Advisory Group? I hope to develop a regional drought resilience plan that represents the needs and priorities of the people living and farming in the Mid West and that will position the region well to take advantage of future opportunities for drought resilience funding.

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Mike Bowley

  • Director Regional Development
  • Mid West Development Commission

How did you first become involved in or interested in sustainable agriculture? I moved to Geraldton from South Australia, with my family, to take up a role as manager of Elders in the late 1990’s. In 2007, I left Elders to join the Department of Agriculture and Food as the Regional Director, at a time when the region was experiencing the two worst droughts in WA’s history, back to back.

What do you hope to achieve as a member of the Project Advisory Group? I led a team of scientists and development officers to create the North East Agricultural Region strategy, which went on to win a Premier’s Award and has since informed the National Drought Policy. I am committed to the economic improvement of the region and aim to create an ongoing legacy by building capacity in and promoting the Mid West.

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Fleur Coaker

  • Regional Manager Mid West Gascoyne Region
  • Department of Water and Environmental Regulation

How did you first become involved in or interested in sustainable agriculture? In my teens I had a special connection to a local wetland near my home that was proposed to be impacted by plans for a future highway and I had an inherent desire to protect it.  This experience set me on the path for a career in the environmental and sustainability fields.  

What do you hope to achieve as a member of the Project Advisory Group? To collectively work together to plan for the challenges that a drying climate presents for our region and to bring my perspective and experience in sustainable water management to help achieve this.

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Rob Grima

  • Farm Business Consultant
  • Planfarm

How did you first become involved in or interested in sustainable agriculture? It’s hard to be green when you are in the red. I have a keen focus to make sure the profitability of our industry remains strong to enable environmental, social and governance outcomes for our community.

What do you hope to achieve as a member of the Project Advisory Group? To provide appropriate pathways for future investment into drought resilience.

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Candy Hudson

  • Recovery Support Officer
  • National Recovery and Resilience Agency

How did you first become involved in or interested in sustainable agriculture? I have been in agriculture most of my life but when you experience drought and the impacts it has not only on individuals but also on communities, you start to question how can we make our agricultural systems more sustainable during tough times. 

What do you hope to achieve as a member of the Project Advisory Group? I am hoping we can achieve a region that has tools and knowledge to be more resilient and prepared for drought, but also that the work we do in the Mid West of  Western Australia is collaboratively recognised from ‘boots on the ground’ through to a Commonwealth level.

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Cr. Liz Sudlow

  • President
  • Shire of Northampton

How did you first become involved in or interested in sustainable agriculture? I grew up on a farm as a child and now operate a mixed farming enterprise with my family, 30km north of Northampton in the Mid West.

What do you hope to achieve as a member of the Project Advisory Group? I have experienced first-hand the impact the 2006/07 drought had on our farm and across the Mid West.  It’s imperative that we do all we can to ensure agricultural land use is sustainable and that our communities remain strong and viable in the face of future droughts and dry seasons.

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Megan O’Grady

  • Environmental Planning Officer
  • City of Greater Geraldton

How did you first become involved in or interested in sustainable agriculture? I have always had a passion for the natural environment, and now my partner and I are farming, there is so much to learn about how production and natural systems can complement each other. 

What do you hope to achieve as a member of the Project Advisory Group? I hope to support this group to draw on the great range of work that is being done in the area of drought resilience and climate change preparedness, and apply in the specific needs of the Mid-West region.

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Tina Parkhurst

  • Project Coordinator – Ecological Restoration
  • Bush Heritage Australia

How did you first become involved in or interested in sustainable agriculture? I have a strong interest in agroecology, regenerative and sustainable agriculture and nature conservation

What do you hope to achieve as a member of the Project Advisory Group? – I am hoping to learn more about the Regional Drought Resilience Plan  and how this can make a difference to people in the NACC region.

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Christine Zaicou-Kunesch

  • Manager: Farming Systems Innovation
  • Department of Primary Industries and Rural Development

How did you first become involved in or interested in sustainable agriculture? My interest started many moons ago when I went to Uni and I wanted to understand how soil and plants connect and how management can influence this connection.  

What do you hope to achieve as a member of the Project Advisory Group? Drought resilience is so important to our industry, our communities, our future, I want to be a part of the process as DPIRD’s regional connection.

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We are also very pleased to have Marieke Jansen, Executive Officer of the Northern Biosecurity Group, represented on our Project Advisory Group.

If you have any questions about the project, or would like to hear more about how you can get involved, please contact our Senior Conservation Planning Officer, Dr Amanda Bourne on 0474 652 595 or Amanda.bourne@nacc.com.au

Dr Amanda Bourne – Senior Conservation Planning 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.