Climate Smart & Agtech Study Tour

 

WA and Tas farmers, researchers & agronomists tour includes Vic Hub project & sites

 

Study tour explores climate-smart farming in Victoria & Tasmania

 

A group of farmers, researchers and agronomists from Western Australia and Tasmania recently visited the Vic Hub as part of a five-day study tour focused on climate adaptation and innovation in agriculture.

The tour was organised by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SW WA Hub), in partnership with the the Tasmania and Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hubs.

Participants visited farms and research sites showcasing work on drought resilience, agtech and water-smart farming.

South-West WA Hub Director Dr Jo Wisdom said the study tour offered participants the chance to see practices that could be transferred to their own production systems.

“This is a valuable opportunity for growers to see first-hand how others are responding to climate challenges in different production systems and conditions.”

Vic Hub Director Dr Sara Hely (at the very left of the main image) said the research being shown provided practical learnings around preparedness and resilience.

“For instance, the Long-Term Trials For Drought Resilient Farming Practices site is investigating drought and climate resilience of different broadacre farming systems. The aim is to answer the key question of whether the greater diversity of mixed farming systems can provide greater resilience. Visitors learnt that for the first time, the research was showing how growers can put a dollar value on the cost of delayed summer weed control.”

 

Tour through Dookie, Violet Town and Strathbogie

 

The group toured The University of Melbourne’s Dookie Campus, where the Vic Hub is based, looking at projects including agrivoltaics, a robotic dairy, and long-term drought-resilience trials in mixed farming. They also visited local farm enterprises and the Vic Hub’s North-East Node lead.

 

Long-term farming trials – Dookie Campus

Funded through the Future Drought Fund, the trials investigate the drought and climate resilience of different broadacre farming systems. These range from pure cropping, through a mix of cropping and annual pastures, to permanent pasture systems. The central question is whether greater diversity can provide greater resilience over the long term.

 

Project: Agrivoltaics – a win-win for farmers? – Dookie Campus

This project is testing the potential of combining food and renewable energy production on the same land. At the Dookie Campus vineyard, a 20kW solar system was installed to study the effect of solar panels on grape production, soil health and energy generation.

International trials suggest agrivoltaics can reduce irrigation needs, improve yields and boost solar panel performance. The Dookie project is one of the first in Australia, providing local evidence on whether this model can deliver benefits in hot, dry farming conditions.

 

Robotic dairy – Dookie Campus

The Dookie Campus has 43 hectares of irrigated pastures and a fully automated dairy. Three Lely Astronaut milking robots can milk up to 180 cows three times a day. This system not only improves efficiency but also collects detailed data on each cow’s health, nutrition, grazing behaviour and milk production, supporting research into heat-stress and pasture-based systems.

 

Toland Merino – Violet Town

The tour visited “Feltrim”, home to Toland Merino stud near Violet Town. The stud breeds fine-wool Merinos with strong fibre quality, carcase traits and early maturity. The landscape includes loams, clays and gravel soils with Red Gum and Grey Box, with an annual winter-dominant rainfall of 625mm.

 

Riverine Plains (Vic Hub NE Node lead) – Violet Town

As the Vic Hub’s North-East Node, Riverine Plains is an independent farming systems group founded in 1999. It supports broadacre farmers across NE Victoria and southern NSW, working with members on research and innovation to build profitable and resilient farming systems.

 

Sevens Creek Wagyu – Strathbogie

The study group also visited Sevens Creek Wagyu, which raises Wagyu cattle in a traditional, ethical way on bushland with natural springs and grass feed. Discussions included managing challenges such as low rainfall, processing delays and the logistics of hand feeding.

 

Funded by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, the SW WA Hub, Tas Farm Innovation Hub and Vic Hub play key roles in supporting the adoption of drought resilient practices in their respective states.