Dairy News Australia - December 2019 - With West Vic Region

DECEMBER 2019 ISSUE 110

WEST VIC REGION

Brothers on board

Running a family business in the west see page 6

32 McMeekin Road, Warrnambool, Vic 3280 PH: 0488 605 713 Email: sales@wmifeeders.com.au 32 McMeekin Road, Warrnambool, Vic 3280 Website: www.wmifeeders.com.au

4

32 McMeekin Road, Warrnambool, Vic 3280 PH: 0488 605 713 Email: sales@wmifeeders.com.au

PH: 0488 605 713 Email: sales@wmifeeders.com.au Website: www.wmifeeders.com.au

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32 McMeekin PH: 0488 605 713 Website:

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2019

2 // WEST VIC REGION

Chair’s message Cautious optimism in the south-west IT’S SO wonderful to have the warmth of summer

here again.

Dare I say that the season in the south-west is generally looking optimistic?

Many of us have enjoyed a good spring that has allowed us to build-up feed reserves for the coming months. This combined with a decent milk price will hopefully put our region’s farmers in a more positive position.

During the favourable conditions, I’m very

much aware of our farming friends in many areas of the country who continue to struggle with drought and inaccessible irrigation water.

I sincerely hope their situation improves soon.

Award nominations open By now you will have heard that our Great South West Dairy Awards will be returning in March 2020.

The awards are a fantastic way of

acknowledging and celebrating the achievements of the region’s farmers and others working in our industry. Applications for the seven award categories are open until February 14.

I encourage you all to head along to www. westvicdairy.com.au to check out the categories and consider either applying yourself or nominating someone who you feel is worthy of the recognition.

You can also call the office on 5557 1000 if you prefer to apply or nominate that way. Please don’t think you haven’t done enough, or “I don’t want everyone looking at me”. We need to celebrate our successes more and stand-up for what we’re proud of.

New team members This month we welcome two new members to the WestVic team, Heather Smillie and Jim Burrell.

Heather takes over the Young Dairy Network extension officer role and Jim joins us in a new career development co-ordinator position. We

are all fully aware of the need to attract, educate and retain good people to our industry in order for it to thrive. The board wants to ensure we at WestVic Dairy are on the front foot and delivering significantly in this space.

Season’s greetings The season’s festivities are fast approaching.

It seems we all lead such busy lives in our businesses and down time is a real rarity.

However, I am looking forward to taking some time out to catch-up with family and friends and I hope you all do too. As you know, being there for loved ones, friends and neighbours is a value I hold dear.

As always please feel free to contact the office, our staff are always happy to help with any queries or questions you have.

For now, I wish you all a merry Christmas and a prosperous, healthy and happy 2020. · Simone Renyard WestVic Dairy chair

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2019

WEST VIC REGION // 3

Dairy awards back in 2020 WESTVIC DAIRY’S prestigious Great South

West Dairy Awards will return in 2020 with a gala evening acknowledging and celebrating those achieving great things in the dairy industry.

Applications are now open for the following seven categories: ■ ■ ■ ■

■ ■

■

Dairy Farm Business Management Award Young Dairy Leader Award Service Provider Award Natural Resource Sustainability Management Award Employee Award Western Victorian Dairy Industry Honour Board Farm Photo Award

WestVic Dairy regional manager Lindsay Ferguson is looking forward to applicants stepping forward.

“Farmers and others working in the dairy industry can be reluctant to put themselves forward for this kind of recognition — often not considering what they are doing to be anything special. However, we strongly encourage people to consider applying, as an industry we should be celebrating our achievements and be proud of the work we do.” Mr Ferguson said.

The Dairy Farm Business Management Award will become the premier award of the evening, combining three previous categories Farm Business Manager Award, Employer Award and Share Farmer Award.

Farmers and industry service providers are encouraged to prompt suitable applicants to apply or apply themselves.

Application forms are available at www. westvicdairy.com.au or contact WestVic

Dairy office on 5557 1000.

Winners will be announced at a gala evening held at the Wannon Function Centre, Warrnambool on Wednesday, March 25.

Tickets will go on sale early in the new year.

Farm business management award winners Kevin and Claire Ecklin with Gardiner Foundation Chair Bruce Kefford.

Farm fire claims move ahead A SERIES of legal cases involving south-west

Victorian dairy farmers seeking compensation after major bushfires in 2018 is coming to a close.

At least two cases have been settled, and a Supreme Court civil trial is progressing in Melbourne.

In total, the fires on March 17 burnt about 40 000 ha in the region, destroying more than 20 houses and damaging dozens of dairy farms.

A civil case over the Garvoc fire against Powercor Australia Ltd and pole inspection contractor Electrix Pty Ltd is being heard before Justice Ginnane.

In a plaintiff ’s written outline submitted to the court by law firm Hall and Wilcox, it is claimed the bushfire near Garvoc started as a result of the collapse of an electricity distribution pole due to wood rot and termite attack.

The outline said evidence would be presented to show a conical or vase-shaped void about two metres’ high had developed inside the pole.

“The collapse was the result of wood rot and termite attack which had weakened its bending strength to an extent that it was unable to withstand the applied wind load that day.”

The Garvoc dire resulted in the destruction of two homes and 19 sheds. Thirty-seven plaintiffs in the proceedings sustained losses of $19.1 million, about $11.1 million of which are uninsured losses.

The outline says many of the plaintiffs are in the dairy farming business and have sustained business losses due to the impacts of the fire.

The plaintiffs claim Powercor’s inspection systems were inadequate to identify and deal with poles operating at elevated risk of in-service failure, that ‘red flag’ characteristics of the pole ought to have been picked up and that it failed to train, supervise and audit Electrix’s inspection personnel.

The outline claims the pole was not in a fit state to be used for the transmission of electricity the day of the fire.

It says the inspections by Electrix were incompetent in that they left the pole in service.

The pole was made of Mountain Grey Gum, a species with no termite resistance which is characterised as moderately durable timber that has an untreated in-ground service life of five to 15 years. The pole was double-staked in 1994.

Along with several expert witnesses, a number of farmers were being called to testify about their losses.

A spokeswoman for Powercor said the electricity company would not be commenting while the case was before the court.

Maddens Lawyers announced in October that an in-principle settlement had been reached in a class action for the Terang-Cobden bushfire,

including claims for loss and damage arising as a result of peat fires at Lake Cobrico and Lake Elingamite.

It had been alleged the Terang/Cobden fire ignited near the Terang Power Substation as a result of clashing conductors. It was alleged the fire could have been avoided by the appropriate management of electrical assets.

A Powercor spokeswoman said the company acknowledged the fires had been devastating for landowners and the community. “We are pleased to have reached a settlement agreement for the Terang fire with all parties,” she said.

The proposed settlement for those involved in the class action is subject to approval by the Supreme Court and is without admission of liability by Powercor.

Maddens Lawyers had earlier announced a proposed confidential settlement had been reached between the parties in a separate Garvoc bushfire class action.

Maddens Lawyers Class Action Principal Kathryn Emeny said the law firm was pleased to achieve a positive result for local farmers and the Garvoc community.

“We have commenced the settlement approval process with the Court and will do our best to advance that process as quickly as possible so that compensation payments can be made to

class action participants sooner rather than later,” Ms Emeny said.

Maddens Lawyers represented 40 residents, landowners and businesses impacted by the bushfire who suffered damages in excess of $3 million. The class action was started in the Supreme Court in March 2018 and a trial had been due to start in November 2019.

Earlier this year Powercor said in a statement that additional inspections of all power poles across the south west region had confirmed the electricity network was in safe working condition.

Of the 19 663 poles tested, only nine have been replaced as a priority after being rated as unserviceable.

Powercor chief executive Tim Rourke said: “We are confident in the network to deliver safe and reliable power to the south-west community.”

Of the nine poles replaced, only one was due to levels of sound wood. Four had been struck by lightning during recent storms and four were due to visual appearance.

Earlier 15 poles were removed from the Sparrow and Craven Spur lines near Terang during December 2018 and January 2019 after community members raised concerns about the appearance and age of poles.

The inspections were in addition to Powercor’s annual safety program.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2019

4 // WEST VIC REGION

Brad Collins believes western Victoria is the best dairy farming land in Australia, and will only continue to grow in stature.

A simple plan for Australia’s food bowl BRAD COLLINS is going back to basics as he

looks to capitalise on what he calls the best farming land in Australia.

Third-generation farmer Brad farms with his wife Tammy at Dixie, south of Terang, and is in the final year of a four-year plan to buy the property from his parents, Jeff and Barb.

Now 44, Brad has been farming most of his life, including stints in northern Victoria, NSW and South Australia.

He looked at other options, but settling on the family farm emerged as the best plan.

“We could have bought cheaper farms but this is one of the best areas,” he said.

Simple is best, Brad Collins believes.

“Out of all the places I’ve farmed, this kills it.”

Since returning to the farm, he’s made it a oneman operation and embarked on making farming simpler.

“We were getting great production but making no money,” he said.

“The way we were treating our farm wasn’t going to be sustainable. We were pushing it so hard; hammering it with urea, pushing the stocking rates. It wasn’t going to last and wasn’t what people want.

“It’s going back to simple is best; running the farm myself, rolling my sleeves up and doing the work.

“We’re farmers; we should work and be proud of what we do. I had to change my mentality to be

proud of what I do.”

Brad said the farming and feeding systems of 15 years ago don’t work today because of grain prices, labour and other costs and changing markets.

“People want clean and green and we have to be as clean and green as we can,” he said.

“Let’s bring the protesters into the room and listen to them and make them listen to us. They’re not going away so let’s meet in the middle and educate each other.”

At one stage the farm was milking 450 cows, but has cut to 230 to 240. Production has dropped but so has the cost of production and the farm is more profitable.

“We were feeding 2.5 tonne of grain; now we’re about 1.2,” Brad said.

“I can still increase production but we’ve got to find the happy medium.”

Brad’s main focus is growing crops during summer and fully utilising his irrigation while reducing fertiliser applications.

He hopes the mainly Holstein herd will push about 7000 litres this year and ultimately reach 8000 on about 1.2 tonne of grain.

“To go from 8000 to 10 000 would be a kilo of feed for a litre of milk, depending on time of lactation. When grain is $400 a tonne, there’s not enough margin to make it worthwhile,” he said.

Brad Collins predicts dairy farmers will become more diversified: he and Tammy already host a swim school and will consider other options.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2019

WEST VIC REGION // 5 His crops include maize, chicory for the first time, lucerne, clover and turnips.

“I like the mix. Lucerne can be tricky but there’s no restriction on the amounts the cows can have, whereas turnips are limited to about 5 kg a day.

“I want to back off on the grain and on more strategic use of urea, using the better feed value of the crops to inject natural nitrogen into the ground.”

The farm uses only about a third of its 360 Ml water right and will add a turkey’s nest dam early next year and pump water into it to help drought-proof for the future.

“It will give us added resources over summer and we can’t pump water out of the ground quickly enough at the moment,” Brad said.

He has also added a mill beside the 30-yearold rotary dairy, regularly maintains the dairy and will plant 1000 trees this year and 3000 next year.

Brad also has a half-share deal with a cropping farm at Darlington where he does the work and takes half the product each spring.

“It takes the pressure off him and brings fertility back here,” he said.

“It’s important to have connections to other farms and systems and for farmers to stick together so we have a strong voice.”

He has adopted February-March calving, replacing the previous split autumn-spring system.

“We’ve gone back to a one-man operation and wanted the simplicity of one calving.

“We’ve got the irrigation to grow crops to feed them early, and, for selfish reasons, we wanted to have January off to go fishing.”

Brad is convinced south-west Victoria will become Australia’s food bowl and is already the

best area for dairy.

“We’re going to have more competition with sheep and beef and eventually fruit and vegetables,” he said.

Brad and Tammy like the idea of diversifying. They already run a few beef cows and also host a swim school at their indoor pool, run by Brad’s sister Holly.

“In 10 years’ time, I don’t think we’ll be just dairy farmers. I think the industry will push that way and people are thinking outside the box.

“We need to be proud of what we do and education should be about diversity; not just one path.”

Brad is very positive about the future although he questions the longevity of export markets.

“We should concentrate on growing our clean, green industry and promote that in Australia,” he said.

“Norco pays farmers 75 cents a litre and they’re pretty much 100 per cent domestic.”

After completing Dairy Australia and Great South Coast leadership courses, Brad has been elected as a WestVic Dairy director.

“If you believe it’s the best area for dairy and want to create change, you’ve got to do the right thing and get involved and help guide WestVic on introducing how best to help farmers. Farmers don’t realise the resources we have and they should reach out for them,” he said.

“There are a lot of good stories here and a lot of farmers making good money in the dairy industry.

“In 10 years, I think this region will be the best in Australia, I don’t think we will be a mass exporter but we will be growing the food that people want, need and love.”

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DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2019

6 // WEST VIC REGION

Daniel Parkinson, his wife Erin and their daughter, Grace.

Farming a family affair WITH FIVE brothers interested in farming, the

Parkinson family at Kirkstall had to get big to keep busy.

Today, the extended family runs three adjoining farms and a dry-stock farm, with a peak of about 2550 cows, and brothers Xavier, Vin, Adrian, James and Daniel having their own patches.

If looking at it like a board of management, dad David is the chair and the brothers are directors.

It works well, bringing economies of scale from sharing resources and labour.

Daniel, 30, joined the family operation about five years ago and says it is equitable and successful.

“Operationally we each have a patch to take care of,” he said.

“Strategically we set the plans and meet monthly with a consultant to set budgets and track cashflow, production and costs.

“We’re lucky we get along so well. We’re all at a similar stage with young families and all live on the farms and it’s all equitable.”

The massive family operation wasn’t always planned. Vin and James had shown interest in returning to the home farm but Adrian and James did trades and Daniel did civil engineering and lived in Melbourne for five years.

“I didn’t think city life was for me anymore,” Daniel said.

“There were more opportunities here and it’s a better place to raise a family.”

The Terka Rd farm is home to 1100 cows, the largest of the three adjoining herds.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2019

WEST VIC REGION // 7 The home farm in Spencer Rd covers 450 ha and has a 50-unit rotary, the central farm in Terka Rd is largest at 650 ha and the latest addition to the north in Riddell’s Rd is 350ha. Both these farms have 60-unit rotary dairies.

“There are economies of scale and we’re all about sharing resources like plant and equipment and labour and we all get a bit of time off to be with our families, which is important. We each live on a different road; we joke that we’re like an Amish community,” Daniel said.

About four years ago the family shifted all calving from the home farm to a large new shed

in Terka Rd. “It became a bit far geographically to calve at Riddell’s Rd so we wanted something more central,” Daniel said. “It’s efficient to have all the calving happen in one spot.

“When we benchmark our costs against other businesses, we’re very efficient with labour, having centralised calving and we have some of our gear for harvest. Everything is pooled.”

Cow numbers adjust seasonally relative to calving and feed availability; at the peak this year they milked a combined 2550 Friesians.

Terka Rd, where Daniel is based, is able to

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carry more stock in wet conditions and is home to 1100 cows. “It holds up and it’s a big area so you can share it around during the tough months of August and September,” Daniel said.

“This farm probably finishes the earliest of the three. We have a little bit of irrigation but the other two are better equipped with irrigation. We treat this as a winter farm and chase winter production whereas on the other farms we chase late-spring and summer production.”

Calving starts with heifers in mid-February, cows start about 10 days later and the whole process continues until late July.

“We like the early calves because it gives us better opportunity to get them in-calf down the track,” Daniel said.

This year the combined operation reared about 960 heifer calves, with Adrian and a contract employee in charge. During this time the usual roster of six full-time employees expands to 12.

They keep 600 to 650 of the best calves as replacements and export the rest.

About half the replacements come from sexed semen, which Daniel said has worked well but is governed by bull availability.

>>

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2019

8 // WEST VIC REGION

Daniel Parkinson

1,000 800 600 400

Annual rainfall 18-19

Long-term average annual rainfall

Source: Dairy Farm Monitor Project Farm Physical Parameters

South West average

Q1 to Q3 range

Top 25% average

Annual rainfall 2018-19 (mm)

746

622 - 807

680

Herd size

364

180 - 505

427

Total water use efficiency (t DM/100mm/ha)

0.8

0.6 - 0.9

1.0

Total usable area (hectares)

325

158 - 434

378

Milking cows per usable area (cows/ha) Milk sold (kg MS/cow)

1.1

0.9 - 1.3

1.2

492

456 - 530

537

Milk sold (kg MS/ha)

553

428 - 638

637

Home grown feed as % of ME consumed

68%

61% - 74%

70%

Labour efficiency (cows/FTE)

99

83 - 115

106

Labour efficiency (kg MS/FTE)

48,587

38,431 - 56,530

56,711

SW0051

SW0052

SW0050

SW0047

SW0049

SW0046

SW0045

SW0043

SW0044

SW0042

SW0037

SW0040

SW0035

SW0036

SW0033

SW0032

SW0027

SW0030

SW0025

0

SW0011

200

SW0022

West Victoria region improved in 2018–19, according to the Dairy Farm Monitor Project.

This was driven by increased milk prices and favourable seasonal conditions.

Average earnings before income tax and return on total assets increased 47 per cent and 19 per cent on the previous year respectively yet remained below the long-term average for the region.

On average, farms maintained their herd and farm size compared to the previous year.

The improvement in seasonal conditions enabled farmers to increase their homegrown feed as a proportion of ME consumed.

The proportion increased to 68 per cent, up from 62 per cent the year before and returned to historic levels.

Farms in the top 25 per cent group (ranked according to RoTA) had higher milk production measured per cow and per hectare, and higher

labour efficiency, based on cows/FTE and kg MS/FTE. On average, total milk solids reduced by 5 per cent to 187 000 kg MS per farm, down from 196 000 kg MS the previous year.

This was higher than the 2.5 per cent reduction in milk production recorded by Dairy Australia for the South West region.

1,200

SW0009

THE ECONOMIC performance of the South

“The price is the best in a decade; the industry will go well as long as farmers are getting paid well,” he said.

“The extension space is very good but advocacy needs to be tidied up and it will be interesting to see what comes in the Australian Dairy Plan.

“There is a good long-term future for dairy.

It can be a sustainable industry and we need to be careful and listen to what our consumers want and be prepared to adapt. Farmers will be happy to adapt providing they are supported.”

1,400

SW0008

Dairy farm performance improves in west

five years on the farm.

“I’ve still got a lot to learn. I grew up on the farm so had practical skills but not the high-level management side of it,” he said.

An interest in using resources to gain knowledge led Daniel to follow his father and become a WestVic Dairy director.

“The resources were coming from WestVic and that got me interested in joining the board,” he said.

“The industry is forever changing and there’s always a need for extension and ongoing education, and farmers are time-poor so you have to put information to them.”

Daniel sees a positive future for dairy.

SW0001

generally renovate with a higher-end perennial.

“This season has been good; we’ve grown enough silage to get us through, with additional carryover,” Daniel said.

“I can’t remember the last time we bought hay.

That’s part of our business; not being backed into a corner where we have to buy hay.”

They have also reduced grain input. “Through necessity we’ve pulled back this year to reduce costs and we’ve probably produced a bit less milk but made more money. The net result we’re in front.”

The farm produces a bit over 20 million litres a year and 1.3 million kg/Ms. Daniel admits he’s “as green as the grass” after

SW0007

Because fertility was dropping, the farm shifted from big, high-producing cows to a smaller, solid and more fertile cow.

“We’ve taken a check in production because of it but overall our net financial result isn’t worse off,” Daniel said.

The Parkinsons aim for self-sufficiency, buying grain but not hay.

“We’re not overly fussy about pastures; we focus on growing grass but we’re not hamstrung about what type,” Daniel said.

They sow about 25 per cent of the farm every year, usually about one-third each of perennials, annuals and Italians. Under irrigation they

Rainfall (mm)

>>

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2019

WEST VIC REGION // 9

Grain prices influenced profit in 2018/19 Southern parts of south-west Victoria reported favourable conditions through the year, however, the north-west experienced a late break, according to the latest Dairy Situation and Outlook report.

Several farmers with failed pastures in 2017–18 over-sowed for autumn, which paid off with a faster pasture recovery from the long summer. With high grain prices, the ability to produce milk off concentrates fed at a margin was key for success for many farms businesses.

Twelve of the 25 farms in the Dairy Farm Monitor report reduced milk on a per cow basis, reflecting individual farmer decision to manage risk. This was consistent with Gippsland where a late autumn break was also experienced.

SPECIAL RATE FOR YOUNG FARMERS Young dairy farmers around Australia have been invited to consider the Australian Dairy Conference as a key forum to enhance and advance their career.

For the first time the conference is offering a ‘Young Farmer’ registration for Australian dairy farmers under the age of 40 for $440 (early bird farmer registration rate is $770).

ADC president and Tasmanian dairy farmer Ben Geard said that ADC was aiming to make Australia’s premier dairy event more appealing to the next generation of dairy leaders by making attendance both more affordable and accessible.

“The number of young farmers at ADC has notably increased over the last couple of years and feedback from those attending has been that the event has been really valuable for their knowledge base and opening up new dairy connections,” Mr Geard said.

“ADC is a forum for farmers by farmers hence topics are specifically directed towards knowledge acquisition and advancement yet the greatest value is the people you meet from fellow farmers through to CEOs and global innovators.

“I think many young farmers probably don’t consider ADC a forum for them.

However attending can really broaden your horizons and as a result we are opening up opportunities to encourage them to attend,” he said.

“The dairy industry is under quite a bit of pressure at the moment and the more we can bring young farmers into the fold to connect, engage and network with industry leaders the brighter the future will be.”

“Our emerging farmers are an enterprising bunch so we think it’s important they form part of the conversation for the industry moving forward particularly at this point in time on the cusp of significant change.”

“My ADC journey started out as a young dairy farmer delegate and I never would have imagined it would take me to where it has today including the leadership opportunities and personal development as part of this journey.

I hope others can continue to benefit from the experience.”

Only 40 young farmer tickets at $440 (GST inclusive) are available subject to application by individual farmers.

Source: Situation and Outlook report.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2019

10 // WEST VIC REGION

Mixing milk and wine BARRY AND Bernadette Wurlod’s farm south

of Terang makes milk for breakfast and will soon make wine to have with dinner.

The dairy part of the farm is leased but Barry and Bernadette have been tinkering with a vineyard for the past 12 years and are now getting ready to go commercial.

The fertile land on the edge of a crater is well suited to both pursuits and the enterprises have blended together and developed successfully in their own right.

The dairy farm was established in 1963 by Barry’s parents and he worked on the farm after leaving school. Barry and Bernadette married in 1979 and had three children and continued farming until about 15 years ago.

“When we were in our mid-40s we decided we were ready for a change,” Barry said.

None of their children wanted to become dairy farmers. “That was one of the reasons we stopped dairying when we did,” Barry said.

“We were at a stage where we had a big operation and there was no real need to continue the way we were.”

Barry moved into fitness training as assistant manager and personal trainer at Terang’s fitness centre and Bernadette worked in health.

However, their decision to leave dairy didn’t mean leaving the land they love.

“We kept the dairy farm and started with a sharefarmer and then moved to leasing the property,” Barry said.

“We wanted to stay here. It’s a family property and while family are interested and still want to live here, the farm will stay with the family.”

Now in their early 60s, Barry and Bernadette aren’t resting on their laurels.

When they built their new home about 12 years ago to take advantage of the views, they retained enough land on a sub-section of the title separate to the dairy just in case they wanted to try something different.

“We have spectacular views and had a vision to capture that,” Bernadette said. “That’s why we kept a bit of land in case there was something else we wanted to do to make the most of it.”

Bernadette decided it would be nice to grow some grape vines. “It was for no other reason than I thought they would look nice,” she said.

“We landscaped the gardens and put the grapevines in.”

The grapes were a success and eventually Barry and Bernadette decided to make wine.

“As with most new wine makers, the early vintages weren’t great, but we continued to get more interested in it so continued to plant more vines,” Barry said.

The trial and error continued until the right blend was found.

“We got to a point where we were making more wine than we could drink so we could either reduce that or expand and we made the decision to plant more vines,” Barry said.

“We’re reasonably happy with the wine we’ve made in the last vintage and we’ll continue to improve.”

Barry and Bernadette Wurlod are finding life after dairy farming is full of wine and opportunities.

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2019

WEST VIC REGION // 11

The dairy farm surrounding the vineyard is now leased and the two enterprises successfully cohabitate.

“It seems like it’s going through a difficult stage but I haven’t seen any let-up in enthusiasm locally.”

An extra 1000 vines will be planted before the end of the year, a significant increase on the existing 500 and moving the enterprise beyond the hobby stage.

They currently produce two varieties — Syrah and Pinot Noir — and hope to open a cellar door next year to sell their own products.

“We found through research, that the soils we’ve got and the drainage is best suited to Pinot Noir,” Barry said.

“We’re on the side of a crater with heavy dark aerated soil.”

The vineyard is named Keayang Maar as the farm is on part of the original Keayang Station land and overlooks a low-lying volcanic crater or maar.

There are plans for a new steel shed that will house machinery, wine processing and a specific cellar door section. Barry and Bernadette are confident they will open next year.

There have been a few small wineries in the region, but not many have lasted.

“A lot of that is probably due to the fact there’s a lot of work involved,” Barry said.

“People look at a vineyard and think it’s fun and interesting but they don’t realise that anything to do with growing something on a rural property takes a lot of work.

“Unless you go in with your eyes open and realise that, it’s probably better not to do it.”

A background in dairy farming has primed Barry and Bernadette for the challenge.

>>

DAIRY NEWS AUSTRALIA DECEMBER 2019

12 // WEST VIC REGION >>

The new venture has piqued the interest of their son and daughter-in-law, who have returned home to the farm, to help out on the vineyard.

The entire property covers nearly 200ha. The dairy operation is now leased to the neighbouring Moloney family who have added it to its existing adjoining farm.

“The lease works well. What we’re doing isn’t intruding on the dairy farm,” Barry said.

“We keep in contact with the Moloneys and we’re interested in what they do, but we let them do their thing.”

The only stipulation is keeping chemicals away from the vines.

“Grapes cannot tolerate broadleaf herbicides so we manage all the broadleaf control on the dairy farm around our title,” he said.

Barry is no longer a dairy farmer but he keeps abreast of the industry and sees a positive future for the region.

“It seems like it’s going through a difficult stage but I haven’t seen any let-up in enthusiasm locally,” he said.

“People are realising this region has always had a reliable climate.”

As the cellar door becomes established, it is hoped that Keayang Maar vineyard can partner with other local artisan producers, including cheese makers, to showcase regional produce to visitors.

The dairy farm surrounding the vineyard is now leased and the two enterprises successfully cohabitate.

Great South West Dairy Awards 2020 APPLICATIONS ARE NOW OPEN!!

This prestigious event recognises and celebrates the achievements of the region's farmers and service providers in the following categories:

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Dairy Farm Business Management Award Employee Award Young Dairy Leader Award Natural Resource and Sustainability Management Award Service Provider Award Farm Photo Award Western Victorian Dairy Industry Honour Board

www.westvicdairy.com.au office on 5557 1000 to request an application form or nominate.

Applications close on Friday 14th February 2020