From workshops and field days to conferences and study tours, our team is constantly engaging with growers, researchers, and industry leaders to understand what’s working, what’s emerging, and what’s changing in the drought resilience and innovation landscape.
This space showcases the ideas and on-the-ground insights we gather from industry events across Western Australia and beyond.
Building better soils from the ground up: insights from the global Sandy Soils Conference
Sandy soils are a major feature of Western Australia’s farming landscape. As climate conditions become more variable, improving the way we manage these soils – especially their ability to retain and deliver water to crops – will be crucial to building long-term climate resilience across our agricultural systems.
Building connections for climate resilience
The Victoria Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub recently hosted its inaugural Drought Resilience Conference, in Geelong Victoria. The conference brought together experts from across
WA Women Represent Southern Rangelands at International Congress
Two leading women from Western Australia’s Southern Rangelands, Debbie Dowden and Alys McKeough, recently attended the XII International Rangeland Congress in Adelaide (2–6 June 2025), supported by the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub. Held every four years, the Congress brings together global leaders in rangeland science, policy and practice.
Lessons from New Zealand’s AgriFood Tech Landscape
The Grower Group Alliance (GGA) recently joined a week-long WA delegation to New Zealand, exploring agtech, innovation and agrifood value chains. Organised by DPIRD and supported by Rebbeck Consulting, the tour brought together growers, startups and government to build trade, investment, innovation and R&D links across the Tasman.
Watch the presentations from the Drought Resilience Showcase
The SW WA Hub’s Drought Resilience Showcase 2024 brought together farmers, grower groups, researchers, agribusinesses, and government agencies who are committed to enhancing the resilience of Western Australia’s agricultural sector. Watch the video recordings from the day’s presentation.
Regional Soil Coordinators visit the Snowy Mountains region with the Smart Soils Community of Practice
The Regional Soil Coordinators from around Australia gather twice a year to gain exposure to the diverse soil types, management practices, and challenges faced across our landscapes, while also strengthening national networks and knowledge exchange.
Shaping sustainable landscapes through Aboriginal perspectives
The Natural Capital Production Landscapes project team hosted a cultural workshop on 20 March 2025, with a special focus on Ballardong Country. The event centred Aboriginal perspectives in natural capital conversations, highlighting the important role of culture in shaping sustainable land management practices.
Pastoral Business Toolbox heads to the Nullarbor
The Goldfields Nullarbor Rangelands Biosecurity Association (GNRBA) hosted its second Pastoral Business Toolbox workshop in April at Kanandah Station, deep in WA’s Nullarbor region. The workshop aims to give pastoralists the confidence and knowledge to make informed decisions – both in good seasons and in times of drought.
The future value of agricultural waste: opportunities for WA farmers
The 2025 evokeAG conference, themed “Common Ground,” brought together agrifood tech innovators, researchers, and industry leaders to explore transformative opportunities in agriculture. One key trend was the upcycling of agricultural waste streams into valuable products such as biofuels, biopolymers, and biochar.
Regional Soil Coordinator has been Talkin’ Soil Health in York
March 2025 marked the return of the Talkin’ Soil Health symposium to the calendar for the first time since 2022. Fran Hoyle (Director) and Bridget Watkins (Regional Soil Coordinator) from the SoilsWest team at Murdoch University presented at the event hosted by Wheatbelt NRM in York.
PropaGATE site visit explores wastewater challenges in WA breweries
As part of the challenge-led innovation program ‘PropaGATE,’ the Grower Group Alliance (GGA) and Beanstalk AgTech team visited two major Western Australian brewing sites on 27 February: Gage Roads Brewing in Palmyra and Little Creatures Brewing in Fremantle.
Natural capital project showcased at agricultural economics conference
Ram Pandit, the UWA project lead for the SW WA Hub’s transformational project on natural capital, presented preliminary project findings at the Australasian Agricultural and Resource Economics Society (AARES) 69th Annual Conference held in Brisbane from 11 to 14 February 2025.