As well as planting trees at their property ‘Yarrawonga’, just south of Gloucester, the couple upgraded their stock watering system, installing four concrete water troughs to service existing paddocks. With strategic positioning of the water troughs, cows have now been drawn away from existing water courses and the high nutrient area around their dairy shed.

The work has been conducted with the financial and technical support of the Hunter-Central Rivers Catchment Management Authority (CMA) - one of 13 CMAs coordinating the management of natural resources across NSW. The Hunter-Central Rivers region includes a unique and diverse 37 000 square kilometres of the east coast of NSW—from Taree in the north, to Gosford and the coastal waterways of the Central Coast in the south, and from Newcastle in the east to the Merriwa Plateau and Great Dividing Range in the west.

‘Yarrawonga’ is a 500 acre dry land farm in the Avon Valley.

“We’ve only just taken it over. Wendy’s father, Rod Sansom, had a keen interest in wildlife and the environment and was heavily involved in the local landcare group and we hope to carry on from his commitment to improving natural resources,” said Michael.

Michael and Wendy are concerned at the loss of habitat in the region and are keen to create wildlife corridors to link up with forested areas on the ridgelines surrounding their property. Of particular concern is the loss of a number of small bird species that are important in keeping insect numbers down.

The new trees were planted over 10 sites covering an area of approximately 2.2 hectares and a fence line of approximately two kilometres was built to protect them from stock grazing.

They will not only link in with existing areas of habitat to create wildlife corridors but provide much-needed shade for cattle in future years.

The Hunter-Central Rivers CMA has subsidised training and funding opportunities to assist landowners like the Frasers to implement a wide variety of sustainable farming practices that improve production while at the same time protect and enhance natural resources. For more information contact the CMA Gloucester office on 6558 2304 or the Taree office on 6551 8994 or check out their website: www.hcr.cma.nsw.gov.au.