RESILIENT BUSINESSES NORTHERN CATTLE Managing SNAPSHOT:Colin Burnett, the extremes Julia Creek, l Queensland N orth‑west Short term Queensland After conducting aerial producer Colin fodder drops and property Burnett knows inspections to estimate the risks of running losses, their next priority was a grazing business in moving cattle out of flooded extreme conditions all areas and into paddocks less including cashflow Area: susceptible to flooding, in management and restocking 36,400ha too well. case more water came down strategies (see ‘Recovery Shortly after he used his the system. resources’ on previous page). Enterprise: 2018 Nuffield Scholarship to Backgrounding and In March and April, after He accessed the $75,000 fattening cattle study business sustainability waters subsided, they turned in varying climate and market Queensland Government their attention to re‑fencing. grant for initial recovery Livestock: forces, Colin (pictured) was The first stage was 27km 4,000 Brahman‑cross cattle facing a natural disaster of activities, including fodder of new boundary fencing, and fencing, and has been Pasture: his own. followed by repairing or approved for a $400,000 In just 11 days from 2 replacing internal fencing. Open Mitchell grass downs grant tocontinue restocking . February 2019, ‘Lara Downs’ “We took this opportunity Long term Soil: – which Colin runs with his to realign fences to reduce Cracking clays, river plains brother Adam – received By the end of the year, Colin future risk and maximise finally had a chance to catch Rainfall: 963mm, nearly double their return on investment,” annual rainfall in one event. his breath and take a critical520mm annual average Colin said. look at his business. (963mm received in Colin said the region’s “We shifted fences away from February 2019) climatic cycle tends to He has taken any flood areas and removed opportunity to generate cash be five years of average three of the five fences Colin Burnett or below‑average flow, including trading cattle, crossing the river.” baling and selling pasture E: col_burnett@ rainfall, followed by five hotmail.com years of average or He credits support from the hay, and contracting their above‑average rainfall. community and organisations earthmoving equipment. Watch Colin’s Nuffield such as BlazeAid as vital for Ongoing activities include Scholarship This flood came on the back ‘boots on the ground’ help presentation: of a better than average controlling weeds such as with fencing and mustering noogoora burr and prickly youtube.com/user/ season in 2018. immediately after the flood nuffieldcomau and . acacia brought down in the As soon as the torrential Medium term floodwaters and working search ‘Colin’ rain eased, the Burnetts The fencing program with Southern Gulf Natural MLA is a supporter of put a drone up to check pushed the usual April– Resource Management to the Nuffield Scholarship the damage. May muster back to June, address erosion along program. See page 4 to “It was pretty bad, a quarter when the Burnetts could the river. meet our newest of the property was under get a real handle on stock scholar, Clare Peltzer. Colin said the flood floodwaters,” Colin said. losses and plan future highlights the need for risk They lost 20% of their business requirements. management in northern LESSONS herd and, with 18km of They sourced good Australia’s unpredictable LEARNED the Flinders River running quality young cattle out of environment. through the property, there dry areas along the eastern “For me, sustainability means > Look for non‑traditional was extensive infrastructure seaboard but, with no rain a prosperous agricultural opportunities to damage, including 45km of since the flood and limited industry across northern generate cashflow. fencing and erosion to 15km pasture response, they have Australia, which leads to the > During herd of roads and gullies across not fully restocked, and by whole community’s viability, rebuilding, source the the property. October 2019 were only but risk is inherent and right cattle for your The Burnetts are taking running at about two‑thirds should be part of normal production goals. a measured response of capacity. management. > Strategically rebuild to recovery, looking for Colin drew on financial “In particular, climate risk infrastructure to opportunities to rebuild a planning resources offered by management is one of the reduce risk and more robust business to the Queensland Department critical factors to business maximise investment. manage future risk. of Agriculture and Fisheries, sustainability – it’s a must.” ■ 17