Pastoral Poddy - Australian Farming

In this episode of The Pastoral Potty, host Edgar Greste sits down with Brendan Cullen, who manages a 60,000 hectare sheep and cattle station southeast of Broken Hill, alongside Matt Kennedy from the Good Neighbours Program. Together, they explore the importance of coordinated pest and weed management across far western New South Wales, from tackling Hudson pear and wild dogs to building stronger communication and collaboration between neighbours. Brendan shares powerful reflections on mental health, vulnerability, and the parallels between asking for help personally and asking for support with biosecurity challenges on the land. This episode is a story of resilience, practical action, and the power of community in the bush. Key Moments [00:01:20] Brendan introduces the challenges facing far western properties.[00:02:00] Why coordinated baiting programs are essential for pest control.[00:03:00] How neighbours worked together to dramatically reduce fox numbers.[00:05:00] Brendan explains why collaboration is the only way large-scale control works.[00:06:10] Native wildlife returns and the emotional reward of seeing change.[00:07:30] How support networks and relationships help landholders feel less alone.[00:10:45] Brendan shares his mental health journey and lessons about vulnerability.[00:13:00] Final takeaways: collaboration, confidence and asking for help. For more information:    Good Neighbours Program - nsw.gov.au/good-neighbours More about Brendan Cullen - brendancullen.com.au Need advice on pest animals and weeds?  For pest animals, contact your Local Land Services Biosecurity Officer on 1300 795 299.  For weeds, contact your local council Weeds Officer.    For a transcript of this episode:   https://docs.google.com/document/d/1ZAEH9ZnVmukv_DNcQ4QO-Ds7PZESht-s/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=103831811474414598304&rtpof=true&sd=true  This podcast series is produced by Grow Love Project and hosted by Western Local Land Services, supported through funding from the NSW Government as part of the Good Neighbours Program. 

How do you manage animals that don't recognise fence lines or property boundaries? Across New South Wales, vertebrate pests like feral pigs, deer, rabbits and foxes are causing millions of dollars in damage to agriculture every year, destroying crops, competing with livestock and impacting fragile ecosystems.  In this episode we'll unpack what integrated pest management actually looks like on the ground and explore the power of monitoring using a digital tool called FeralScan.  Episode key moments[00:00] Welcome and Overview [01:12] NSW pest threats [03:09] Pest resilience [09:07] FeralScan explained [13:16] Collaboration successes [14:57] Getting help from LLS [16:16] Future of biosecurity [17:31] Wrap up and creditsFor more information:  Good Neighbours Program - nsw.gov.au/good-neighbours FeralScan - feralscan.org.au Previous Feral Scan podcast episode https://creators.spotify.com/pod/profile/the-big-shift/episodes/Managing-animal-pests-on-farm-e10n27h/a-a5rht0mFor a transcript of this episode:  https://docs.google.com/document/d/1xTyJHmwOs0-OaRWY6IOSjeu9ir55Lmu6/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=103831811474414598304&rtpof=true&sd=trueThis podcast series is produced by Grow Love Project and hosted by Western Local Land Services, supported through funding from the NSW Government as part of the Good Neighbours Program.

Herbicides have long been the go-to for weed control, but what happens when they’re no longer enough? In this episode, we explore biological control and how it works alongside traditional methods to create more sustainable, long-term solutions. Featuring insights from NSW DPIRD and Local Land Services, we unpack real-world examples, the science behind biocontrol, and why collaboration across property boundaries is key to managing weeds effectively.  Key Moments [00:00:00] Australia ranks high for herbicide resistance risk.[00:02:00] What biological control is and how it works.[00:04:00] Why integrated weed management is essential.[00:06:00] Prickly pear success story with cochineal insects.[00:08:00] Rigorous testing ensures safe biocontrol release.[00:10:00] Biocontrol and herbicides work best together.[00:13:00] Collaboration across landholders drives outcomes.[00:16:00] Future tools like gene tech may shape weed control. For a transcript of this episode:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1rmv2C3SaTXfTpsz_lMdAXRkKhgbFTnN_/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=103831811474414598304&rtpof=true&sd=trueUseful Links for Show Notes Good Neighbours Program https://www.lls.nsw.gov.au/regions/western/projects/good-neighbours-program NSW DPIRD Weed Biocontrol Best Practice Guide https://www.dpird.nsw.gov.au/dpi/biosecurity/invasive-plants-and-animals/weeds/identification-and-control/weeds-biocontrolWeedWise App (NSW WeedWise) https://weeds.dpi.nsw.gov.au/WeedWise The Pastoral Poddy is proudly brought to you by Western Local Land Services and is supported through funding from New South Wales Government as part of the Good Neighbours Program.

Are you concerned about invasive weeds or pests on your place? This four-part series focuses on working with neighbours to manage weeds and pests across boundaries in the rangelands.This episode features Local Land Services’ Dale Kirby and Matt Kennedy, from the NSW Government’s Good Neighbours Program.00:00 Welcome to The Pastoral Poddy + Why ‘Good Neighbours’ Matter 01:17 Good Neighbours Program origin story and the 4 pillars 02:54 On-the-ground example: Tackling boxing glove cactus at Tibooburra 04:30 Real-world challenges: Timing, scale, reinvasion and coordination 08:23 The human side: Isolation, stress and getting support 10:54 Behavioural insights: Different landholder ‘types’ and how to engage 14:25 Shifting biosecurity thinking: From fence lines to landscape scale 17:23 Call to action + Wrap-up and credits  For a transcript of this episode:https://docs.google.com/document/d/1bfyMCAASS70VV1q35omrU8ltkCH2mgom/edit?usp=drive_link&ouid=103831811474414598304&rtpof=true&sd=trueFor more information:Good Neighbours Program - nsw.gov.au/good-neighboursBehavioural insights - nsw.gov.au/departments-and-agencies/local-land-services/resource-library/improving-landholder-participation-invasive-species-programs-recommendations-report  Need advice on pest animals and weeds?For pest animals, contact your Local Land Services Biosecurity Officer on 1300 795 299. For weeds, contact your local council Weeds OfficerThis podcast series is produced by Grow Love Project and hosted by Western Local Land Services, supported through funding from the NSW Government as part of the Good Neighbours Program.

Are you concerned about invasive weeds or pests on your place? This four-part series focuses on working with neighbours to manage weeds and pests across boundaries in the rangelands as part of the NSW Government’s Good Neighbours Program.