ON FARM NORTHERN CATTLE Mesquite at Mardie SNAPSHOT: Mardie Station, 100km south of Karratha, WA Mardie Stationis a place of Mining and the PastoralManagement Company,“We’re taking measuresevery day to contain it and l records. Not we have developed a regularly using chemical only is it home to one strategic plan for containing control to push it back,” of the largest holes on and controlling mesquite,” he said. earth, an open cut mine committee project manager “We’re building more fences Jo Kuiper-Williams said. around containment areas as about 5.5km long and 3km wide, but it also “It incorporates elements mesquite seed is transferred boasts possibly the of strategic fencing and most regularly by cows, world’s largest mesquite stock management, spatial which select it for its high Area: mapping, chemical control, protein. Despite being 225,000ha infestation outside its mechanical control and transferred via their guts, the natural range. monitoring to limit the risk seeds remain highly viable. Enterprise: Two trees were introduced of spread of mesquite Beef production with and gradually reduce its “We also use withholding paddock-to-plate to the station in around periods and quarantine 1915 and, despite efforts distribution and density supply chain across the station.” strategies to move cattle to eradicate it since 1948, from infested to free areas.” Livestock: Mardie has lost almost Station manager Richard Droughtmasters 45,000ha to mesquite Climas runs a Droughtmaster A pressure cleaner was with a further 50,000ha herd with a paddock-to-plate purchased as part of the Pasture: under threat. supply chain that includes control program to clean Roeburn plains and Mitchell sending product to cattle trucks, equipment grass and hard spinifex The Pilbara Mesquite and vehicles, which Richard Management Committee southern WA butcher and Jo agree, while a huge Soil: spearheads a $300,000 shops and Perth’s Matilda impost on labour and time, Red loam (flood-out country), control program at Mardie, Bay restaurant. is essential to keeping areas cracking clay and stony soils funded to 2021 through Citic The burden of extra mesquite-free. ■ Pacific Mining, which aims to biosecurity to minimise Rainfall: turn back the tide. mesquite’s spread has 230–350mm “In partnership with the become part of daily owners, Citic Pacific station life. Richard Climas on Drifter helps turn the mob away from the wall of mesquite in the distance which the project is trying to keep at bay. 33