Howard Salkow

Senior Journalist

Mossman’s small basin has set its sights on further improving nutrient use efficiency and productivity, as part of a water quality improvement project funded by the Australian Government’s Reef Trust.

Taking an integrated approach to finding long term solutions, mobilising the Mossman and Murray, is being delivered in the Mossman region by Terrain NRM in partnership with Mossman Ag Services.

It is building on the success of previous projects to support sugarcane growers in making land management practices to improve productivity and reduce nutrient runoff from farms.

Mossman Ag’s Rebecca McHardie said there has been mill uncertainty in the Mossman region in recent years and along with the high impact of ratoon stunting disease (RSD), local growers are doing well to maintain an average of 75t/ha.

“We hope that the project, known in the Mossman area as Prod180, will boost cane productivity and progress toward Reef 2050 targets,” said Mrs McHardie.

2021 saw one-on-one grower extension continue, whole-of-farm plans updated, as well as a focus on developing clean seed plans with farmers to help combat RSD.

Mrs McHardie said that further action includes a water sampling program being implemented at Whyanbeel and Saltwater creeks, to continue building industry knowledge linking farming practices and quality of water flowing to the Great Barrier Reef.

The monitoring design and plan was developed by Farmacist, Mossman Ag and local sugarcane growers.

Council

A spokesperson for Douglas Shire Council said the pile fields, which were installed to help repair flood-damaged riverbanks at Foxton and Anich’s Bridge, helped slow down water and build up sediment during heavy rainfall earlier this year.

“The new timber pile fields were installed in the South Mossman River in September last year.

“They are designed to trap sediment and support vegetation re-growth which will stop erosion and other damage caused during major floods.

“Terrain NRM has been working with Douglas Shire Council, landholders and Neilly Group Engineering on the two river projects, which are jointly funded by the Australian and Queensland governments under Disaster Recovery Funding Arrangements.”

Water sampling

Water sampling has been occurring since September 2021 and results are being provided back to growers at shed meetings.

“Growers are interested to know what’s coming off their farms. Mossman has made good progress to date toward Reef 2050 targets, and awareness raising programs like this help contribute to long term changes that benefit both the industry and the reef.

“This sampling work builds on the success of a previous project – Cane to Creek - which sampled in another sub-catchment of Mossman. Growers were happy with the outcomes of that work and were keen to sample new sites through Prod180,” said Mrs McHardie..

Whyanbeel catchment

Gerard Puglisi, is a grower in the Whyanbeel catchment and contracted to sample in big rainfall events; in addition to regular monitoring conducted by Mossman Ag.

“We sample eight different sites. Access can get cut really quickly when it’s wet so it makes sense for us to do the sampling. We can get to the sites on quads or bikes whereas town access would be cut.

“As a fourth generation local farmer, we have been farming for over 100 years. We’ve always wanted to know what was leaving the farm – now with increasing input costs, fertilisers are very expensive and no one wants to see it going to waste.

“Water quality is very important to us especially that we have the Whyanbeel river running through the middle of our farm. We are always striving to have the best water quality leaving our farm for the environment and all the marine life located in the catchment,” he said.

Terrain NRM

Terrain NRM is an environmental management organisation working in Australia’s Wet Tropics region of Far North Queensland. As one of Australia’s leading natural resource management bodies, its vision is to protect the ancient rainforests, coral reefs and unique landscapes of the Wet Tropics.

Its highly skilled workforce includes specialists in sustainable agriculture, soil, water, biodiversity, planning, co-design, community and indigenous engagement, capacity building and program and project delivery.