Regional Soil Coordinators visit the Snowy Mountains region with the Smart Soils Community of Practice
Twice a year, the Regional Soil Coordinators (RSCs) from around Australia come together in a different part of the country to connect, collaborate, and learn. These gatherings provide valuable exposure to the diverse soil types, management practices, and challenges faced across our landscapes, while also strengthening national networks and knowledge exchange.
Low dam levels intensify water quality challenges
The 2024-25 summer saw lower dam levels across many parts of the region compared to the previous year, highlighting the the growing importance of farm
Exploring native legumes as future grain crops and pastures
Diversifying farming systems is key to building long-term sustainability and profitability on Western Australian farms, especially in response to a drying, warming climate. With natural adaptations to local soils and climatic conditions, native legumes offer a promising path for diversification.
Tell us what you need to know about soil and plant nutrition
To support continued learning for the grains industry in soil and plant nutrition, and guide the development of new ‘free to access’ learning modules, SoilsWest are asking farmers, on-farm employees and industry representatives to complete a simple 2-minute multiple choice survey to help ensure the content meets your needs.
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.
A hidden advantage beneath the surface
PhD candidate Huyen Pham, from The University of Western Australia, is studying a natural root trait known as rhizosheath – the soil layer that sticks to plant roots, helping wheat access water and nutrients more efficiently, especially under dry conditions.
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.
SMART SPRAYS project teams up with UK scientists
Professor Daniel Murphy, from Murdoch University, travelled to the United Kingdom last month to collaborate with Dr Emily Cooledge and fellow soil scientists within Professor Davey Jones’ laboratory at Bangor University, Wales, as part of the SW WA Hub’s Transformational SMART SPRAYS project.
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.
Transformational projects make strides towards agricultural resilience in WA
Six transformational projects led by the SW WA Hub and funded through the Future Drought Fund (FDF) are making meaningful strides toward long-term agricultural resilience in Western Australia.
