Background
Across Tropical North Queensland, declining land condition is placing increasing pressure on the beef industry. Poor ground cover, erosion, and reduced carrying capacity all weaken a property’s ability to withstand drought and recover when conditions improve. While practical solutions exist, access to high quality, relevant training remains critical for producers and those supporting them.
At the same time, two highly respected industry leaders, Ian Braithwaite and Daryl Hill, are approaching retirement. Both have spent decades working directly with beef producers to improve land conditions and build resilience. Ian, a veterinarian and business owner, is widely recognised for motivating producers to match stocking rates to carrying capacity, destock early in dry conditions, and use wet season spelling to protect pastures. Daryl is known for his hands on earth-moving training that helps producers reduce erosion, restore water flow, and repair degraded landscapes.
There is currently no industry succession plan to capture and carry forward their knowledge. Without action, valuable experience, skills, and practical lessons risk being lost to future generations of producers and extension professionals.
Why this Matters
Healthy land underpins a resilient beef industry. Improving land condition supports better pasture growth, more reliable water infiltration, stronger business performance, and improved drought preparedness. For producers, this means greater confidence to make early, informed management decisions that reduce risks during dry times.
Capturing and sharing trusted, practical knowledge also strengthens regional capability. By embedding this expertise into training and education, the project supports long-term resilience beyond individual properties. It helps ensure future producers, advisors, and students understand how environmental, livestock, and financial management interact, and how small changes can deliver lasting benefits.
This activity delivers social, economic, and environmental value by building skills, improving land management outcomes, and supporting sustainable production across the region.
What We Are Doing
The TNQ Drought Hub, is working with Southern Gulf NRM to capture, translate, and amplify the knowledge of Ian Braithwaite and Daryl Hill.
The Hub and JCU staff are attending industry training events delivered by Ian and Daryl to video, interview, and showcase their content. This includes workshops, field activities, travel between sites, and semi-structured interviews that explore both the “how” and the “why” behind their approaches.
This material is being developed into a series of practical communication and training products, including an expert video series for the beef industry and written resources that clearly step through land condition improvement practices. These resources will support beef producers, extension professionals, and students to apply proven strategies with confidence.
Importantly, the training materials will support JCU undergraduate and postgraduate courses. This ensures the knowledge carries forward through the next generation of professionals, extending the impact of this activity for years to come and strengthening drought preparedness and land resilience across Tropical North Queensland.
If you have any questions about Leaving a Legacy of Improved Land Condition, contact Building Human Capacity Program Lead, Jane Oorschot jane.oorschot1@jcu.edu.au
