Period: 2019-2022
Funding Body: State NRM
Funds: $256,000
Project Officer: Freya Spencer

Summary

In Early 2019, Gillamii received funding through the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) for a 3-year partnership project, targeted at supporting farmers with knowledge and tools to regenerate saline and marginal lands throughout Southern WA.

The project had a specific focus on helping farmers assess their saline lands and use perennial plant-based solutions to improve productivity, soil health and manage the water table.

Key Activities included:

• Saltland masterclass workshops and community demonstration sites

• Creation of a mobile application (Saltland Genie) for an on-farm, on the spot guide and solutions

• Construction of a dynamic website to create accessibility to the forefront of current knowledge (online education including podcasts and training modules)

This project would not have been possible without the collaborative support of the project's technical committee and partners, in particular Justin Hardy (DPIRD), Ron Masters (DPIRD), Ed Barrett-Lennard (DPIRD), John Paul Collins (DPIRD), David Bicknell (DPIRD), John Simons (DPIRD), Carlos Rodriguez (DPIRD), Sam Lehmann (Cranbrook Farmer/Gillamii), Ian Walsh ((Cranbrook Farmer/Gillamii), Michael Walsh (Cranbrook Farmer/Gillamii) and Hayley Norman (CSIRO).

Outcome

The Gillamii Centre feels extremely fortunate to have received the support and resourcing through DPIRD, the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program and local producers to undertake this project. We celebrated this strong collaborative effort with a technical review meeting and celebratory lunch in February 2023, reviewing what we had achieved as a team, and where to next.

This project forms part of decades of work by many individuals and organisations to address the issue of WA's salinity in innovative and productive ways.

Therefore, although this project has been completed, Gillamii is committed to continue supporting producers in understanding, assessing and regenerating their saline lands with perennial plant-based solutions.

The Saltland Genie was officially launched with DPIRD at the 2023 Wagin Woolarama in March, with an detailed extension plan to ensure the resource is made available to producers, grower/landcare groups and industry. There is some further developments to be undertaken and there will be a feedback section to ensure user feedback is captured.

Gillamii will also work with DPIRD to complete the 'Salinity in WA' hydrological video and ensure it is uploaded to all appropriate platforms.

The extension resources developed in this project will form a foundation of networks, knowledge and tools to support producers and community groups continue to establish productive saltland pastures throughout southern WA.

Report

View Final Project Report here.