Overcoming Non-wetting Soils: Clay Incorporation 2012-2013
Trevor grew up on a farm in Coorow and only moved to Bolgart in 1994 when he and his parents bought ‘Waddi Park’. Recently the property has been mainly managed by Trevor and his wife Renae.
Integrated Mallee Management Project Dealing with Edge Effect
The Upper Great Southern Oil Mallee Growers Association initially contacted Wheatbelt NRM to assist them in addressing the number one concern amongst farmers who have integrated mallees on their properties – edge effect.
Mallee Belts to Help Crops Grow
In 2011 David and Don Thomson commenced planting oil mallee seedlings in alleys through their Wheatbelt NRM Soil Conservation Incentives project.
Targeting Wind Erosion with Oil Mallees and Saltbush
Active Corrigin Farm Improvement Group members, Harry and Aaron Gayfer, first learnt about the benefits of oil mallee belts and saltbush plantings on one of the group’s annual bus tours many years ago.
Wasteland No More
Tony Williamson runs Morella Farms, a property between Merredin and Bruce Rock. Growing crops is his ‘bread and butter’.
Shooting for Success with Sandalwood Seeding
Horticultural scientist, Lisa Blanch and her family operate the Talbot Nursery in Beverley, a wholesale business specialising in the propagation of native plants.
Mixed Pasture to Protect Soils and Fill Sheep Bellies
Alan Gelmi has a long-running involvement in Landcare initiatives and has always researched alternative avenues for the production and sustainability of his farming land.
Isolate Problem Areas and Make a Change
Greg and Glenys Rutherford have been farming for much of their lives and have faced many challenges during this time.
Planting Tagasaste to Improve and Protect "Gutless" Sands
Rod and Neil Carter became involved in the Soil Conservation Incentives Program following contact with the local Environment Officer and Wheatbelt Natural Resource Management Project Officer to discuss alternative management options for a highly wind-eroded site.
Sustainable Fodder for Valley Floors
The Butler family have always placed a high value on trees and try to plant a few trees every year as part of the farm’s strategic plan.
Saltbush Instead of Samphire on the Salt Flats
Dean and Tanya Butler farm between Bruce Rock and Merredin in the Belka Valley. Through the Wheatbelt NRM project and others trials conducted on the property, the Butler’s have learnt to better manage land of lower productivity.
Bulking Up Serradella for On-Farm Use
Anna and Colin Butcher of Mail Rock Farm in Brookton with the help of Wheatbelt NRM funding have established a 25ha seed nursery paddock of Margurita pink serradella that could be harvested to enable economically viable plantings of serradella across the farm.
Trialling Improved Pastures for Yellow Sands and Saline Areas
Michael and Kezia Metcalf live and work on the family farm in Dowerin. Through funding from Wheatbelt NRM’s Soil Conservation Incentives Program possible project ideas for trialling pasture varieties on the farm to improve the profitability of the sheep enterprise were investigated.
Perennial Pastures Turn Unproductive Sand into Productive Land
Peter Whitfield found out about the Wheatbelt NRM project via a staff member from the group. “I wanted to try something different on unproductive soil types”, he said. “Years of yield mapping had shown us how bad these soils really are and the funding was a chance to help me improve them”.
Improved Pastures for Slightly Saline Soils
Nathan become involved in the Caring for our Country funded project when he saw an advert to apply for wind erosion funding in the Wheatbelt NRM newsletter.
Sub-Tropical Perennials for Sandy Soils
Perennials have several potential benefits to farming systems on unproductive, sandy soils and provide year-round ground cover, protecting the fragile soils from wind erosion events.
Making the Valley Floor Productive
The project site forms the lower section of the Bindermucking Gully which feeds directly into the Avon River.
Growing Oil Mallees for Our Kids' Future
Leon grew up on the family farm east of Cadoux and can remember planting trees each year with his father since he was ten.
Seradella and Gland Clover Supresses Weeds
Bruce Talbot of Corrigin accepted the opportunity to trial gland clover and serradella on their properties. As a result of being involved in the project, Bruce now has a cleaner paddock as he has been able to manipulate grasses during the annual pasture legume phase.
Incorporating Sandalwood and Improved Pastures
Angus Cooke is a member of the Southern Brook Landcare Group and found out about Wheatbelt NRM funding for projects aimed at preventing wind erosion through the group’s coordinator at the time.

