Best of 2025: podcasts and videos
What topics did our Dry Season Resources podcast listeners and Dry Season Shorts viewers resonate with the most in 2025? The answer says a lot about the challenges, and opportunities, shaping our region right now.
Growing the Bucket
The Northern Agricultural Catchments Council (NACC) is investigating an approach titled “Growing the Bucket” aimed at mitigating the impacts of declining rainfall and increasing intensity of extreme weather events across agricultural landscapes. This work is being undertaken at a demonstration site near Cataby.
Time to Lime – Research summaries to inform decision making
Farmers and advisors can now explore a new collection of resources showcasing recent research from the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) and practical liming strategies for managing soil acidity, developed by the SoilsWest team in collaboration with DPIRD soil scientists.
Regional Soil Coordinators at Soil Judging Competition in NSW
The national cohort of Regional Soil Coordinators recently travelled to Armidale, NSW to join the annual Soil Judging Competition hosted by Soil Science Australia. Nothing short of a significant organisational achievement, this year’s event held at the University of New England involved over 220 people from 11 countries!
Soil sampling: why summer is the perfect time
Summer is an ideal season to run a soil sampling program. It provides valuable insights for planning the next season and helps track trends in soil results over time. Testing at the same time each year ensures results are comparable, building a clear picture of how soil parameters change over time.
Perennials versus annuals: new funding helps measure feed quality through the season
As part of their Drought Node role with the SW WA Hub, South West NRM has been awarded a small grant to perform feed tests on six farms over the next five months. The tests will compare feed quality (e.g. energy, protein) of perennial pasture versus annual pasture in late spring, mid-summer and early autumn.
Exploring the potential of agrisolar in Western Australia’s vineyards
A group of growers, researchers and industry representatives gathered at Plume Estate in Bickley on Tuesday 28 October to visit an agrisolar installation, where solar panels have been installed above grapevines in a commercial vineyard.
Know Your Southern Soils Project builds local knowledge and capacity
The Know Your Southern Soils project brings together three key components: soil assessment and data collection, local engagement and extension, and soil workforce training.
Resilient Futures: Western Australia’s Study Tour Across Victoria and Tasmania
In September 2025, participants from the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub (SW WA Hub) joined their counterparts in Victoria and Tasmania for a week-long study tour. The journey brought together Western Australian farmers, researchers, and consultants with peers, industry innovators, and extension professionals from across southern Australia.
Enhancing water use efficiency in wheat: SMART SPRAYS demos
Murdoch University and the Bioplastics Innovation Hub ran demonstrations at three spring field days for their Hub-supported project SMART SPRAYS – maximising the benefits from rainfall. The trials highlighted how these materials can capture and retain water, potentially reducing evaporation losses and redirecting rainfall to where crops need it most.
Soil questions front and centre at Dowerin
What’s top of mind for growers when it comes to soils? At this year’s Dowerin Field Days, the SoilsWest team put the question directly to farmers: “What do you need to know about plant and soil nutrition?”
Hub bursary student accepted into Drought Resilience Lab
UWA PhD student and SW WA Hub bursary recipient, Huyen Pham, has been selected for the fourth cohort of innovators in the Drought Resilience Lab, led by Beanstalk Agtech and funded by the Future Drought Fund.
