Belmont Research Station Partnering Industry and Education for our future

Tuesday 5 May 2015 Full day tour – $130

The 3,260 ha “Belmont Research Station” is located 37km north of Rockhampton on the Fitzroy River. It is owned and managed by AgForce Queensland and delivers a unique collaborative approach by providing a working cattle station with a focus on research and education.

“Belmont” provides the ideal environment for research into livestock production in the tropics and sub-tropics of northern Australia. The station’s research and breeding program officially began in 1953 to develop new tick-resistant cattle breeds to replace the British Hereford and Shorthorn cattle herds, which then dominated grazing in northern Australia.

AgForce took ownership of “Belmont” in 2002 and more recently overall management. In 2014 AgForce Queensland formed an alliance with CQUniversity Australia, The Rockhampton Grammar School and the Emerald Agricultural College. The association, known as the Belmont Education Alliance, continues to evolve through further industry, educational and community engagement with this iconic CQ facility.

The tour will provide you with the opportunity to hear about ground breaking research using technology to infer animal behaviors such as date, time and location of calving; onset of oestrus; formation of mating groups and maternal investment; the determination of methane emissions from northern beef herds and water utilization in rangeland environments. In addition, the tour will include a visit to the world-class artificial reproduction facilities at Beef Breeding Services and information about the Belmont Education Alliance.

If you are a beef producer interested in innovation and technology; a member of AgForce inquisitive about what is happening with your asset or you’d like a better understanding of the Belmont Education Alliance and the future direction of research across Queensland then this Westpac property tour is for you.

Supported by

Berrigurra Emerald Agricultural College – Education for our future Friday 8 May 2015 Full day tour – $130

Your day at “Berrigurra” will begin with a scenic drive west of Rockhampton along the Capricorn Highway. The Westpac Property Tour will stop over for morning tea at the Blackwater International Coal Centre which showcases the mighty Australian Coal Industry and the associated industries that underpin the state and federal economies. After morning tea the tour will continue on to “Berrigurra” which is a breeding and finishing property forming part of the Emerald Agricultural College. The property consists of 9,300 ha and is located 20km west of Blackwater. “Berrigurra” runs a Belmont Red composite herd, consisting of more than 800 breeders and followers. Breeding outcomes are focused on fertility, adaptability to the environment, growth rates and producing high performing steers to be finished at the college feedlot. The herd at “Berrigurra” is regarded as being in the top 10 percent nationally, with >92% weaning rates consistently achieved.

The pastures of “Berrigurra” are predominantly buffel grass with a water supply from the bordering McKenzie River. This property operates various grazing systems, including set-stocking, fixed rotational and cell grazing systems. With a variety of land-types, including river flats and brigalow, “Berrigurra” offers flexibility in showcasing various aspects of cattle production.

Come see where EAC trains our future beef industry leaders.

Calliope Station & Voewood Generational change – history meets technology Monday 4 May 2015 Full day tour – $130 A feature of this property tour will be an additional coach for 18-35 year olds with an interest in the beef industry. Calliope Station “Calliope Station”, situated south of Gladstone, is of great historical significance and is owned and operated by the Wilson family, trading as Calliope Cattle Company. Set on coastal speargrass country, the property has been known for its tropicalised Herefords. The Wilson family has introduced Bos indicus cattle to their herd and tour participants will be able to view the quality of the “Calliope Station” commercial cattle whilst hearing their breeding objectives. Workplace health and safety is a very important part of the Wilson family’s management strategy. Westpac property tour participants will be informed on how the family utilize their drone “skyboss” within their cattle operation. The Wilson’s have also been instrumental in developing an iphone app called “IHerd” and are also known for their safety-focused engineering initiatives, some of which will be demonstrated on the day. Discussions will be had around

Voewood Following the tour of “Calliope Station” we will make the short drive to “Voewood” owned and operated by the Quinn family. “Voewood” is a 9,105 ha property carrying Brangus and Brahman cattle, a combination of stud and commercial stock. “Voewood” is not just a business or an asset, it’s a proud and important part of their lives in which the family dedicates their days to constant improvements to fencing, pasture, laneways, steel stock yards, sheds and of course cattle. It is a quality, functional cattle property with good yards to manage their large commercial herd, along with practical facilities to carry out artificial insemination and embryo programs on a yearly basis.

The Quinn’s import semen from the best American bloodlines to constantly be improving the herd and exploration of further genetics. They also operate “Progressive Genetics”, a business which offers these imported bloodlines for sale to the cattle industry throughout Australia.

The Quinns have recently purchased adjoining properties that had been developed for agroforestry. Tour participants will be provided information by leading Agroforester ,Bill Schulke on the management and use of forestry.

On completion of the visit to these properties the Westpac Property tour will travel through Biloela, returning to Rockhampton via the fertile Callide Valley.

Glenmore Homestead More beef, Less land! Monday 4 May 2015 Half day tour – $130 “Glenmore Station” which originally comprised of 127 square miles (32,000 ha), is located on the east bank of the Fitzroy River, seven kilometres northwest of Rockhampton. “Glenmore” was purchased by the Birkbeck family in the 1860s. Since then the family has had continuous ownership, even though the area of land now owned around the homestead complex is only 8 ha. George and Judy Birkbeck are the fourth generation of the family living at the homestead.

The property boasts Lowline and Lowline cross cattle. Australian Lowline cattle are beefy, Angus-derived cattle, developed in Australia with low birth-weights, compact bodies, early maturity, a high dressing-out ratio and high quality cuts. The cattle are placid, polled and easy to handle. Lowline bulls provide the opportunity for earlier joining of heifers, easy calving and hybrid vigour in the calves. The breed is feed efficient and the cows have great maternal traits with body depth and volume.

The Australian Lowline Cattle Association provides Lowline Certified Beef as an outlet for its member producers. They can trace their genetics back to the original Aberdeen Angus herd without any subsequent dilution.

Cattle – both stud and crossbred stock – will be on display, and refreshments including billy tea, damper and Certified Lowline Beef will be served for lunch. A panel of Lowline cattle breeders will be available to give you every opportunity to ask questions and chat.

This Westpac property tour will provide a memorable beef experience for both international and domestic visitors, and offers an industry alternative for small landholders.

PLATINUM TOUR Kaiuroo – Strategic Development of Organic Enterprise Wednesday 6 May 2015 Full day tour - $990 Our guests will enjoy a short Helicopter flight from Rockhampton to the “Kaiuroo Aggregation”, a highly productive, stud and organic commercial beef breeding, irrigation and dryland cropping enterprise, situated on the Mackenzie River. This 35,000ha property is managed by Tom Emmery and Jennifer McCamley of Ag Resource Management (ARM). A confidence in the fast growing, high value, organic beef market, domestically and internationally, underwrites Ag Resource Management’s desire to establish a self supporting, large-scale herd backed and driven by objectively measured performance criteria across the essential production values of fertility, weight performance and meat quality. As suppliers to Australian Organic Meats and in association with AGBU (Animal Genetics & Breeding Unit), Ag Resource Management has recently completed a comprehensive Genetic Audit of Selected Red and Grey Brahman Cattle, previously purchased from the renowned Tartrus Stud. Ongoing monitoring and furnished with a comprehensive set of genetic descriptors for a range of performance criteria, will allow the operation to reach an ideal 1,500 registered Brahman Females. Bull production will supply the needs of the 10000+ commercial herd along with delivering superior Sires to Northern Australia, offering high fertility, efficiency of production, optimum weight performance and excellent meat quality. Significant major expansion and upgrades have been made in the last six months to the irrigation infrastructure at “Kaiuroo” to support the Aggregation’s farming operation of 711ha irrigated leucaena, 437ha dryland leucaena, 208ha irrigated pasture, 3,850ha dryland cropping and 800ha dryland forage.

Experience the strategic approach by ARM (Ag Resource Management) in developing the “Kaiuroo Aggregation” so as to offer High Quality Australian Organic Beef to Consumers, along with Superior Genetics to Producers.

Melrose Best practice pasture management Tuesday 5 May 2015 Full day tour - $130

“Melrose”, an award winning 7000 ha property, is owned by Jeff and Karen Mills. It is historically significant as it is one of the older properties in the Morinish district and is one of the best examples of sustainable pasture management in the region. “Melrose” was first purchased in 1886 by James Wallace Mckenzie and has been continually owned by the family until the current day. There is a wide range of country on the property and consists of Bloodwood and Ironbark ridges, running down to Blue Gum and Coolibah flats. “Melrose” has approximately two kilometres of river frontage onto the Fitzroy River. Leucaena was established on “Melrose” in the late 1970s, and currently there is around 300 ha planted on the property. Cell grazing is also a large part of the grazing on “Melrose”. The country is varied and includes other pasture systems like ponded pastures and speargrass augmented with seca stylo. “Melrose” now has 700 ha of riparian areas fenced to improve biodiversity and erosion.

This property is renowned for achieving several pastoral awards and the family has been acknowledged for their leading edge pastoral development. It is also a property registered with the Reef Guardian program that the owners have used to demonstrate how beef producers are responsible custodians of the landscape. “Melrose’s” stud and commercial cattle operation has also been host to MLA projects demonstrating pasture rehabilitation methods.

Westpac tour guests will see how strategic pasture management systems on speargrass country can be used to optimise the production of breeding and finishing stock.

Oaklands Producing Certified Organic Beef in a challenging environment Thursday 7 May 2015 Full day tour – $130

“Oaklands”, a 10,500 ha property, has been owned by the Dunne family for the past 10 years. It is located on the Fitzroy Development road, two hours from Central Queensland’s major selling centres of Rockhampton and Emerald. The property forms part of a family aggregation which encompasses both breeding and finishing certified organic cattle. Young cattle are bred on “Oaklands” and are then sent to finishing properties on the fertile brigalow country of Central Queensland. As a visitor you will be guided through the company’s property developments and given the chance to see certified organic beef. The Dunnes’ are finding new ways of dealing with the challenges of running an organic operation within marginal country.

The Westpac property tour will visit the DAFF Climate Clever Beef trial on “Oaklands”. The trial objective is to assess whether 1) a beef business can profitability sequester carbon and reduce greenhouse gas emissions 2) carbon farming an opportunity, a new income stream, or a distraction from productivity with no profitability or efficiency advantages.

If you are considering Certified Organic beef production, this tour will demonstrate the rewards as well as the difficulties and challenges. In addition you will hear the latest research results on making your property carbon neutral or even better.

PLATINUM TOUR Old Bombandy Wagyu breeding and Leucaena growing Friday 8 May 2015 Full day tour – $990

Enjoy a scenic helicopter flight to this premier Wagyu property that will allow guests to preview some of Central Queensland’s best cattle country. This tour will be conducted on Friday 8th May, taking a select group by air approximately 300kms due west of Rockhampton to visit “Old Bombandy”. Owned by Paul and Claire Harris for the past 23 years, trading as Sunland Cattle Company, “Old Bombandy” is comprised of 11,072 ha and has a 12 kilometre frontage to the Fitzroy Development Road. The property also has approximately 23 kilometre s of river frontage to the Isaac River. Cattle numbers have more than doubled under the Harris’ ownership and now vary between 5000 and 7500 head in total. The “Old Bombandy” herd comprises mostly Wagyu cattle and the Harris’ intend for the herd to be entirely Wagyu cattle in the near future. The owner, Paul Harris, will expand on the different varieties of pasture and vegetation throughout the property. Numerous improvements have been carried out including large areas of leucaena, silage production, equipment and facilities for feeding cattle, extensive blade ploughing, three sets of steel cattle yards connected by laneways, improved water supplies and dams, fencing and large cell grazing areas.

Experience a working cattle station that is highly focused on having premium genetics and productive pastures to optimise profitability.

Roxborough Flood harvesting for irrigated crop production Wednesday 6 May 2015 Half day tour - $90 “Roxborough” is a spectacular 3,657 ha irrigation property situated on the Dawson River between Duaringa and Baralaba in Central Queensland. The property features grain handling and water storage facilities that provide year round cropping. Owned and operated by Ross and Jenny Hutchinson along with sons Logan and Kelly, the property provides a great example of effective flood harvesting and irrigation development. The family will take guests on a guided tour of the different features of the property. Three large submersible pumps lift flood water into an earthen ringtank for pumping into irrigation channels to grow crops such as sorghum, wheat, corn, chick peas, mung beans and occasionally cotton.

The grain paddocks at “Roxborough” are split into dryland and irrigated when planting begins (early January) to fit with regional weather patterns. All grains are harvested using on site machinery and labour and are stored in the on-farm silo storage facility. The grain is then sold to local and interstate producers, feedlots and mills.

If you are interested in viewing a large scale cropping enterprise that features innovative water harvesting and storage this Westpac property tour is for you.

The Old Station and Langmorn Station Cattle production meets tourism Wednesday 6 May 2015 Full day tour – $130 The Creed Grazing Company operate a working brahman cattle enterprise and a successful tourism business. Owned by the Creed family since 1869, the 11,000 ha coastal cattle properties are situated in a scenic valley near Raglan, Central Queensland, between Rockhampton and Gladstone.

Brahmans were introduced into the herd in 1964 because of their suitability to the climatic conditions. The entire herd is now red brahmans including both stud and commercial.

The family diversified into tourism in 1998 and since then the business has continued to expand. In 2007 the family built a multi-purpose complex adjacent to the 2000m airstrip to cater for the annual fly-ins and heritage show.

“Langmorn Station” features a beautiful heritage-listed homestead – the large restored 'Queenslander' was built in 1873 from local timber.

At these historical properties Westpac property tour guests will see demonstrations of technology and receive practical information from the hosts.

Come and enjoy some true country hospitality from the family in a very unique and picturesque setting.