Dry Season Resources

The Transformative Aboriginal Agricultural Methods (TAAM) project is exploring how Aboriginal knowledge and modern agricultural science can work together to improve soil health, restore landscapes and support more resilient farming systems.This episode is part of the Indigenous farming methods series and in it, we speak to Clint Hansen, founder of Maaman Marra Boodjar, and Associate Professor Dave Blake from Edith Cowan University.They discuss how Aboriginal knowledge holders, farmers and researchers came together to share their understanding of Country and explore culturally informed approaches to landscape rehydration. Clint explains how leaky weirs - built using locally sourced rocks, branches and soil - can slow water movement, capture sediment and seeds, and support the regeneration of eroded areas.The episode also explores how soil testing, microbiome analysis, drones and sensor networks were used to measure changes in soil moisture, temperature and biomass across trial sites near Perenjori.The TAAM project is supported by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, Edith Cowan University and the WA Agricultural Research Collaboration.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Shannon Beattie.'If we don't look after Country, we won't have anything' - National Indigenous TimesVideo - Transformative Aboriginal agricultural methods: Maaman Marra BoodjarVideo - Transformational program: pathways towards resilience in Western AustraliaField day blends Aboriginal knowledge and science for climate resilience - WA Agricultural Research CollaborationTransformative Aboriginal agricultural methods: Maaman Marra Boodjar - SW WA HubHub news - Drought Hub

Securing reliable on-farm water is one of the most pressing challenges for Wheatbelt farmers facing consecutive dry seasons, with some spending over $60,000 in a single year just to keep water up to stock.In this episode, Dr Richard George from DPIRD and Professor Brett Harris from Curtin University talk about a targeted approach to finding water in fractured bedrock aquifers deep beneath the Wheatbelt landscape.Drawing on the results of Phase One of the WaterSmart Farms program, where 75% of sites struck usable groundwater, the conversation covers how precision magnetic surveying is dramatically improving drilling success rates, what reliable groundwater means for farm decision-making through dry periods, and what's needed to take this method from research into broad industry uptake via Phase Two's voucher program. The Ripple Effect project - Grower Group AllianceWaterSmart Dams project - Grower Group AllianceWater Smart Projects gallery - Grower Group AllianceMADFIG is delighted to announce the release of our first Podcast! - MADFIGWaterSmart Dams: Understanding dams with the Water Evaluation Platform - SW WA HubWaterSmart Farms voucher program - DPIRDWater Evaluation PlatformHub news - Drought Hub

Australia’s Southern Rangelands are some of the most variable and challenging pastoral landscapes in the world. Climate variability, rising costs, legacy land condition and large-scale operations can make it challenging to make management decisions and know where new technologies can genuinely add value.In this episode, landscape ecologist Richard Marver from Contour Consulting and Krystie Bremer, Executive Officer of the Gascoyne Pilbara Rangelands Initiative (GPRI), discuss the planning work underway through the Smart Grazing, Stronger Lands project.Drawing on decades of experience across the Southern Rangelands, they explore how a challenge led and place-based approach can support better grazing management. They discuss the role of local knowledge, peer to peer learning and demonstration sites in helping pastoral businesses assess where targeted technologies may improve decision making and drought resilience.The episode also explores the difficulty of navigating the rapidly growing agtech industry. Richard and Krystie discuss the SW WA Hub’s developing AgTech Adoption Guide, which aims to help pastoralists and advisers better understand available tools, likely costs and where different technologies may suit different operations.The conversation highlights that successful technology adoption is not simply about new tools. It depends on matching technology to local conditions, business goals and management capacity.The Smart Grazing, Stronger Lands project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust. It is is led by Adelaide University through the SA Drought Hub.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Doug Hamilton.Southern Rangelands Revitalisation Program | Department of Primary Industries and Regional DevelopmentGascoyne Regional Drought Resilience Plan Managing livestock health and disease during dry seasons - Drought HubThe triple bottom line: lessons from the Pastoral Business Toolbox - Drought HubVirtual fencing and drone monitoring: enhancing rangeland management through AgTech - Drought HubHub news - Drought Hub

Virtual fencing could become a game-changer for Australian livestock producers, replacing kilometres of wire and hours of labour with a GPS collar and an app. But its potential goes well beyond convenience. By giving farmers unprecedented control over grazing pressure, virtual fencing is shaping up as a powerful tool for dry‑season management and climate resilience.In this episode, Esperance farmer Simon Fowler and SARDI researcher Bianca Agenbag unpack how the technology is helping producers maximise pasture utilisation, run virtual feedlots through feed gaps, and protect precious feed reserves when seasons turn tough. They also discuss the research underway to help farmers assess whether virtual fencing stacks up economically for their own operations.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Doug Hamilton.Virtual fencing: breaking down boundaries in livestock grazing - SW WA HubVirtually Fence Free project (Future Drought Fund) - NQ Dry TropicsCommercialisation of Virtual Fencing for Livestock - SARDI / PIRSAVirtual fencing for improved drought resilience on South Australian farms - SA Drought HubVirtual fencing for improved drought resilience on South Australian farms - SW WA HubVirtual fencing provides productivity gains from strip grazing in broadacre farming - SW WA HubHub news - Drought Hub

Uncertain seasons require clear thinking, not more noise.In this episode, Rod Birch, a grain grower from Coorow, shares his approach to planning for and managing through dry seasons and broader uncertainty.Rod discusses the importance of focusing on core fundamentals, identifying key risks such as lower-than-expected rainfall, input supply and markets, and avoiding unnecessary noise when making decisions.The conversation explores planning across short, medium, and long timeframes, along with the role of good relationships and trusted advice in supporting decision making.While Rod speaks from a grain growing perspective, the principles apply across agriculture, reinforcing that although conditions change, the fundamentals of good planning remain the same.This episode is brought to you by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub and is hosted by Dr Mary-Anne Glanzlowe.Links on drought and mental health support - SW WA HubRiskWi$e - The National Risk Management Initiative - Grower Group AllianceNavigating extreme seasonal variability in WA’s Wheatbelt - SW WA HubHub news - Drought Hub