The Strong Family, Boree Creek
Graham and Amanda Strong run a lamb and merino wool enterprise on their property, ‘Arcadia’ at Boree Creek. Over the last 25 years, they have changed the way they manage their farm and established significant areas of native vegetation.
For further information on “Arcadia Saltbush Lamb”, view their Facebook page here.
It started with the drought…
After the droughts of the early 80’s and 90’s, the Strong Family started to notice a change in farming profitability. In 1996, they started planting saltbush and native perennial grasses to feed their sheep. By 2001, the millennium drought meant that the Strong family were glad of these perennials which continued to provide feed for their sheep.
The family have embraced the principles of regenerative agriculture in many ways. They have subdivided their paddocks, put in laneways and use electric fencing to allow them to use rotational grazing. This provides longer rest periods for plant growth and helps retain ground cover to protect the soil. In addition, they have not muelsed for about 15 years, and have not used any broadacre insecticides or fungicides for over 25 years. Herbicides are used sparingly and usually spot-sprayed.
In 2006, they began marketing ‘Arcadia Saltbush Lamb’, highlighting the sustainable practices they were using to produce their meat. They have also built up a self-replacing SRS dual purpose merino flock, with the wool sold as Ethical Wool for which they receive a premium.
Revegetating the property
Around the same time as they began changing their management practices, the Strong family also undertook extensive revegetation works. They started by planting tree belts 30 to 50 m wide around their fencelines. Through experimentation, they soon perfected their method of direct seeding locally sourced native seed, using cropping machinery. In 2000, Graham was named ‘Young Australian of the Year – Environment NSW’ for the method of direct seeding he had developed using broadacre cropping machinery and techniques. They have continued to plant trees and shrubs ever since, and now have extensive areas of native vegetation across their property.
In 2007, the Strong’s were quick to register 22 ha of their property under Landcare’s CarbonSMART program, which was established to help landowners register and trade carbon sequestered on their properties in biodiverse forest sinks. The program was financed by the Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme (CPRS), and was designed to be active for 99 years, but unfortunately, it was abolished by the Abbott government.
The role of Landcare
Graham Strong notes that “The Landcare movement has been an important driver and influence for us and the neighbouring properties”.
The Strontian Road Landcare Group was established in 1991, and the Strong’s were members and office bearers for many years. During the early days of the Landcare group, salinity was a problem for some properties in the area, as it was for many across our region. Over the next two decades, several hundred hectares of Old Man Saltbush was planted by the Group, helped by funding from the National Heritage Trust, Greening Australia and other sources. While the Strontian Road Landcare Group folded in 2019, they were able to pass their assets on to the Narrandera Landcare Group, which remains a strong local voice.
Looking to the future
The Strong Family intend to continue with their goal of maintaining 100% groundcover 100% of the time. They also aim to continue to produce wool and meat in an ethical and environmentally positive way. As Graham says, “The goal is to not only be sustainable but be regenerative”. An admirable goal, which they have shown their commitment to for many years!
A big congratulations to the Strong Family!!!