Inaugural region-wide field day planned for December

The South Australian Arid Lands Landscape Board will host its inaugural region-wide Pastoral Field Day 2021 in Port Augusta on Thursday 2 December and Friday 3 December.

The event, which was twice cancelled in 2020 due to COVID, will focus on Innovation, Adaptation and Diversification as it relates to the pastoral zone. Residents of the pastoral zone, including property owners, managers and staff and anyone with an interest in pastoralism in the region are invited to attend.

The field day is offered as part of the Building Pastoral Sustainability Project, which is designed to build on the capacity and resilience of pastoral businesses in the SA Arid Lands to adapt to future climate and market variability.

Key-note speakers will open the speaker sessions on both days. Tony Hill will address the audience on Holistic Management in the Rangelands after the official opening on day one, while Mary O’Brien will open day two with her ‘Are you bogged, Mate?’ conversation.

Across the two days 17 presenters will speak on topics relating to animal health and nutrition, transition and succession planning, climate outlook, carbon, telemetry, mental health, revegetation, tourism diversification and business promotion.

Representatives from government and industry, will be in attendance as part of a pastoral panel presentation followed by a Q&A session on Thursday afternoon.

Children will be entertained with interactive sessions from Arid Recovery, snake handler Julian Craig, Animals Anonymous, and Bugs and Slugs keeping them occupied on day one.

More than 60 stalls have registered for the event and will promote a wide variety of products and services, all relevant to the pastoral industry. The event will include the annual School of the Air Wool Show, which starts at 3pm on Friday. Champion fleeces will be displayed over the two days; and entries a poetry and photography competition will also be on display for judging.

SA Arid Lands Landscape Board chair Ross Sawers said the presenters will provide relevant information on a broad range of topics that will support the development of pastoral businesses as a regionally strong and competitive industry.

“The Building Pastoral Sustainability project promotes and supports pastoral businesses to adapt to varying climates, innovate using technology and new management practices and to consider options for business diversification,” he said.

“This field day is widely anticipated across the region after twice being cancelled, and will be one of the few events that provide an opportunity to bring all of the pastoral community together.”

This event is supported by the SA Arid Lands Landscape Board, through funding from the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program, the National Resilience and Recovery Agency, Meat and Livestock Australia, Oz Minerals, and PIRSA’s Red Meat and Wool Growth Program.