Water talk november 2015 (low res)

ountry News Co

Water Talk Reaching Australia’s richest agricultural region

E 12-PAUG RE FEAmTber 2015 Nove

Your future in their hands VFF Water Council chair Richard Anderson (left), Fruit Growers Victoria chair Gary Godwill, Cr Jenny Houlihan and G-MW managing director John Calleja form one of the discussion groups at a regional water forum last week. See page 6

G-MW costs climb — page 2 | Rubicon taking on the world — page 8 | Irrigators surveyed on water stress— page 10

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PAGE 2—‘Water Talk’, November, 2015

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G-MW uses more consultants oulburn-Murray G Water’s last annual report reveals

consultants’ fees have leapt from $6 million to $9.1 million, reflecting an increase in its capital works budget.

The water corporation says it engages consultants where specialist advice is required that cannot be found in-house, or where it would be uneconomic to employ the expertise fulltime.

Some of the $9 million committed in the last financial year will be spread across a number of years.

In G-MW’s Water Plan part three, the approved capital works program will see a significant increase in capital expenditure during 2015-16.

A G-MW spokesperson said in the first two years of the Water Plan (2013-14 and 2014-15), G-MW introduced rigorous governance practices in regard to capital expenditure, which led to some delays and reprioritisation of projects and programs of work into the 2015-16 financial year.

Accordingly, consultancy commitments have increased in line with the larger scope of project delivery for 2015-16.

Construction work has added to Goulburn-Murray Water’s big consultants bill in the past year.

The spokesperson said dam projects were generally one-off projects as the requirement at each dam site is different.

These projects use specialist dam consultants of various disciplines (civil dam, geotechnical, marine,

hydraulic, mechanical and electrical engineers; geologists; hydrologists; and scientists) to undertake investigations, design and develop specifications, carry out quality assurance during implementation and peer review the works.

The dams are maintained in compliance with the Australian National Committee on Large Dams guidelines and Australian standards.

G-MW said SCD Tech provided services for $3.7 million for pump

stations, with about half of the expenditure committed to the 2014-15 year.

G-MW said SCD Tech was a specialist electrical engineering and mechanical engineering consultancy firm.

G-MW has used SCD Tech

for a range of projects to maintain the modernised systems such as pump stations and the upgrade of dams control systems which includes software development.

They have also assisted G-MW with the assessments on paint quality used by G-MW to ensure water quality is not impacted.

URS Australia provided services to the value of $161 000 for the Cohuna Weir fish ladder project.

G-MW required a consultant to provide guidance on fish habitats.

The Jacobs Engineering Group is providing services to the Jerusalem Creek sewerage upgrade, with a value of about $800 000.

One contract involves a new sewage pump-out barge for houseboats and the other is a 7 km pipeline which will connect Jerusalem Creek to Goulburn Valley Water’s Eildon Wastewater Management Facility.

A marine architect is required to design the barge and both projects require wastewater specialists.

Jerusalem Creek capital works will be fully funded from houseboat licence revenue.

Joyce welcomes water sale ederal Agriculture and F Water Resources Minister Barnaby Joyce has

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The sale of 20 Gl of excess Goulburn River environmental water has been welcomed by Barnaby Joyce.

welcomed the announcement of the Commonwealth Environmental Water Holder to sell 20 Gl of excess environmental water. ‘‘Good water management means that we can invest wisely in the future of agriculture, communities and the environment — to guarantee the future of the basin all three must thrive,’’ Mr Joyce said. ‘‘Through the Murray-Darling Basin Plan, we have now acquired more than 1956 Gl (long term average annual yield) for the environment through best practice management and investment in efficient infrastructure. ‘‘This tender process for 2 Gl of water holdings in the Goulburn River catchment area will allow bids for parcels as small as 30 Ml, which will give small irrigators the opportunity

to access much needed water. ‘‘Goulburn Valley farmers are currently experiencing very dry conditions, and this is the right time to ensure they have access to extra water to finish out this season’s cropping activity.’’

Mr Joyce said the decision to sell this water was made independently by CEWH as part of its role in planning, managing and monitoring a large portfolio of water for the benefit of the environment.

CEWH has previously completed two allocation sales: the Peel regulated allocation sale in March 2014, and the Gwydir regulated allocation sale in January 2014.

The Gwydir sale saw 10 Gl of Commonwealth environmental water sold for a return of $3.217 million for the MurrayDarling environment.

The Goulburn Valley tender closed on October 28.

Funding to tackle groundwater problem he Victorian Government is providing T $1.5 million to address the problem of rising groundwater in Bendigo.

Environment, Climate Change and Water Minister Lisa Neville said funding would be provided for a feasibility study to investigate pumping groundwater from the North New Moon mine shaft to Coliban Water’s Epsom water treatment plant.

Using Coliban Water’s Epsom plant would address the groundwater issue over the next three to five years while a permanent solution is developed.

Ms Neville also announced that in the immediate term, while the Coliban solution feasibility phase was under way, rising groundwater would be pumped to storage in the New Chum mine workings by Bendigo Trust.

No water will be pumped to the Woodvale ponds as part of the New Chum arrangement and Central Deborah tourist gold mine can remain open.

During the feasibility stage, the government will also be talking to GBM Gold, which is seeking to purchase the Unity Mine

site which includes the Woodvale ponds.

The immediate Deborah Mines costs for pumping will be covered in the short term and the feasibility work that Coliban Water is carrying out will look at this in the long term.

Shallow and rising groundwater has historically been an issue in Bendigo causing odours along Bendigo Creek, impacting on water quality and resulting in discharges at the surface.

The groundwater needs to be treated and by-products such as salts, arsenics and metals managed to mitigate these impacts.

‘Water Talk’, November, 2015—PAGE 3

water talk

Water is a universal language

By Emma Carinci

❝If you separate water from the land, you just have dirt.

Water means you can grow crops and put more people to work.❞ California Farm Bureau Federation president and farmer Paul Wenger using less water. ‘‘We’re looking at doubling productivity per megalitre — that’s the measure of success in irrigated agriculture,’’ he said. ‘‘The cost of water is up but if we can grow twice as much per crop, we will remain sustainable.’’

Mr Moller said around 70 per cent of the food and fibre production in Victoria was generated with surface or flood irrigation.

The commonly held assumption that less water compromises greater production is incorrect, he said.

Rubicon Water develops and manufactures a lot of the equipment used in irrigation modernisation, and hosted the visit in Victoria.

California Farm Bureau Federation president and farmer Paul Wenger said he was attending the study tour for ‘‘protection’’.

He said the Californian delegation was considering the possibility of employing some of Australia’s water management ideas. ‘‘We’re trying to bring focus on how it would affect farmers in California,’’ Mr Wenger said.

He said Australia and the United States shared a major similarity, with the farm gate value of Australia being only US$8 billion less than the US. Policy is also restricting California as the state does not separate water rights from property and land like in Australia and therefore farmers cannot sell water, he said.

Mr Wenger said irrigation efficiency was also important to California because it was linked to job opportunities. ‘‘Water means you can grow crops and put more people to work.’’

Mr Wenger said farmers invested a lot into their crops and irrigation was a primary concern. ‘‘If you separate water from the land, you just have dirt.’’

Mr Wenger said he has found Australia’s environmental leaders to be more willing to work together to find solutions to water issues. ‘‘Australia is not so politically polarised . . . it’s a breath of fresh air.’’

The delegates also visited Russell and Cath Pell’s farm at Wyuna before moving on to Sydney the following day.

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The Californian visitors observe Mr Craig’s channel with its solar-panelled gate while listening to Rubicon Water’s Peter Moller talk about irrigation efficiency.

Mackenzie Craig (left), from Nathalia, and Paul Wenger, from California, at Mr Craig’s farm during the American delegation’s visit.

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armers from California have called on farmers from northern Victoria to teach them about modernised irrigation systems as the American state enters its fourth year of serious drought.

The high-powered delegation of around 40 legislators, regulators and labour leaders from California spent October 22 in the Goulburn Valley as part of a nine-day study tour to learn about efficient irrigation management and how Australia managed during its worst drought on record from 1997 to 2009.

The delegates visited Mackenzie Craig’s 800 ha property at Nathalia, which has more than 200 ha of irrigation and uses a mixture of technologies including automated flood.

Mr Craig, an award-winning farmer and internationally recognised pioneer for irrigated agriculture, joined the group for the day to share information about irrigation efficiencies.

One of the most significant improvements in his irrigation system is the soil moisture probe which drives the whole system, Mr Craig said. ‘‘The soil moisture probe lets you know how far down the moisture goes so you don’t saturate the soil beyond the level that the roots can absorb . . . there is no deep drainage loss.’’

He said it was an ‘‘incredibly small investment’’ for the amount of information and data it provided on crop activity.

The technology gives a biometric measure so farmers know how much capacity is in the soil and how much water needs to be given to the crops. ‘‘I can see what my plants are doing one metre into the ground . . . it’s an amazing diagnostic tool.’’

Farmers receive regular information about the soil moisture and can therefore place orders for water as needed.

Mr Craig said the irrigation technology had allowed him to achieve a 95 per cent application efficiency — 95 per cent of the water he uses from the Goulburn-Murray Water outlet reaches the active root zone of the plant, therefore almost no water is wasted.

Rubicon Water’s FarmConnect business general manager Peter Moller said the representatives, who had come from all departments being affected by the drought, would benefit from seeing the changes Mr Craig made on his farm to respond to the drought and water scarcity conditions. ‘‘Mackenzie has found a way to use less water and produce more crop,’’ Mr Moller said.

He said the day’s focus was to provide an understanding of some of the technologies, science and methods that Australia has employed for water efficiency.

With the recent price increase of water in the Goulburn system to $250/Ml, Mr Moller said farmers needed to focus on

Ow ne d &

PAGE 4—‘Water Talk’, November, 2015

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Murray River turtles live in the Campaspe River.

Dr Melody Serena from the Platypus Conservancy provides information and advice to the North Central CMA on habitat issues. The marsupials have been seen in the Campaspe River.

The Campaspe River supports many river red gums.

Bringing the river back to life

eeping the Campaspe River K healthy provides the lifeblood for the communities it

flows through.

A healthy river ensures irrigators, anglers, bushwalkers, swimmers, canoeists and campers can enjoy it for generations to come.

Winter and spring of 1964 were comparatively wet seasons along the Campaspe River.

Almost 660 mm of rain fell at Lauriston, well above the winter and spring average of 474 mm.

Downstream, Redesdale recorded 489 mm, also much higher than the seasonal average of 333 mm.

In most other years, that rainfall would provide the iconic river red gums along the Campaspe banks all the way to Echuca with a vital drink in preparation for the long, dry summer ahead.

It would stir up waterbugs to allow platypus to feed and would let fish know it was spawning season.

However, this time around, one thing stood in the way: earth and rock 45 m high and more than 1000 m long.

Months earlier, Victorian Premier Henry Bolte had officially ended construction of the Eppalock Dam wall, proclaiming Bendigo as ‘‘drought-proof’’.

The Eppalock Dam has supported the irrigation industry and provided vital water security for Bendigo.

It has also resulted in environmental challenges for the river downstream to Echuca, which needed to be addressed.

More than 50 years of regulation has taken its toll by reversing the natural flow patterns.

The iconic river red gums along the Campaspe’s banks, many of which have been there since preEuropean settlement, are stressed.

Native fish, reptile and mammal numbers have declined, and vegetation has become stressed.

The millennium drought also hit the river hard.

In more recent years, low flows resulted in a blackwater event in 2007, which killed fish and crustaceans.

The record 2010-11 floods decimated a lot of fringing and in-

stream vegetation in the Campaspe — habitat and nourishment that is vital for the food chain.

Since 2013, the North Central Catchment Management Authority has helped to deliver a new environmental water entitlement held by the Victorian Environmental Water Holder. ‘‘We started managing environmental flows to the river in 2005, but it has only been in the past three years we have been able to introduce the range of much needed flows for the river,’’ North Central CMA program delivery executive manager Emer Campbell said. ‘‘During the drought we tried to keep alive what we could. It was a real challenge. ‘‘From 2013 onwards we have been able to focus on high and base flows, helping the river recover from drought and flood, and building resilience for the future.’’

Environmental flows have had a strong impact. Since 2013, monitoring has unveiled a significant increase in the health of the river.

Fish numbers and variety are always good indications of river health, and recent surveys along the Campaspe have revealed impressive results. ‘‘One standout is the MurrayDarling rainbow fish. They haven’t been recorded in the system for more than 80 years and they are there now,’’ Ms Campbell said. ‘‘Another success story is the dwarf flathead gudgeon. It was found in the Campaspe for the first time ever this year. ‘‘This fish was only recorded in nine of 351 sites across the entire lower Murray system. ‘‘This is really exciting news.

And we hope the numbers increase in next year’s survey. ‘‘There are also strong populations of other small-bodied fish like carp gudgeon, flathead gudgeon and the Australian smelt in the river. ‘‘The presence of these small fish indicates a river that is getting healthier.’’

Recreational anglers are also benefiting from environmental flows, regularly catching fish such as golden perch and Murray cod. ‘‘Anglers are telling us they are

very happy with the numbers of fish they are catching in the Campaspe,’’ Ms Campbell said. ‘‘The fact that they are reporting these catches, especially the Murray cod, is a good sign numbers are strong.’’

Environmental flows have also been pivotal in the re-emergence of reptiles and mammals. ‘‘The Murray River turtle has been recorded in the Campaspe for the first time, both adults and juveniles,’’ Ms Campbell said. ‘‘This species is listed as vulnerable, so it is great news they are in the system and breeding. ‘‘We have also worked hard to protect our platypus population.

There are very few platypuses downstream of Echuca in the Murray River. ‘‘The Campaspe is a very important source of juvenile platypus and we need to provide the right conditions for them to breed in the Campaspe and migrate to the Murray and recolonise.’’

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‘Water Talk’, November, 2015—PAGE 5

water talk

Dam upgrade plan lanning is continuing on the safety P upgrade to Goulburn-Murray Water’s Tullaroop Reservoir.

In G-MW’s 2014-15 annual report, the water corporation committed about $50 000 for consultants to provide planning services for the upgrade.

The work is to bring it into line with current dam design and construction standards.

Tullaroop Reservoir is a 74 500 Ml storage located on Tullaroop Creek in central Victoria, which supplies town water to Maryborough and irrigation water to the district.

G-MW has its own engineers who work on dam projects.

However, a G-MW spokesperson said these projects used specialist dam consultants of various disciplines (civil dam, geotechnical, marine, hydraulic, mechanical and electrical engineers; geologists; hydrologists; and scientists) to undertake investigations, design and develop specifications, carry out quality assurance

during implementation and peer review the works.

The dams are maintained in compliance with the Australian National Committee on Large Dams guidelines and Australian standards. ‘‘G-MW cannot sustain the variety and depth of specialists required in-house on an ongoing basis, as there is insufficient work in any one discipline to maintain the knowledge required in the long term and would be more expensive to maintain within the business,’’ the spokesperson said. ‘‘Tullaroop dam safety upgrade design work has been delayed about a year to ensure potential failure modes were considered which informed the detailed design. The project is currently mobilising on site. ‘‘G-MW does not have all of the appropriate resources internally to undertake the investigations and design work for this $10 million project, although the construction works are being undertaken by the G-MW construction unit.’’

Tullaroop Reservoir is set for a safety upgrade.

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Comment:

thank people for the effort and time you’ve taken to meet with me and Murray-Darling Basin Authority staff and continue to have input into our work.

Just this month, an impressive range of people across the basin have contributed their expertise and passion at different levels.

Whether it’s discussions with Murrumbidgee and Goulburn landholders and traditional owners near Albury, or irrigator meetings at Moree and on the Gwydir about the Northern Basin Review, the involvement of people across the basin is central to our work.

In recent weeks, I’ve visited parts of the Macquarie with farmers and environmental water managers.

I’ve also met with horticultural leaders in Mildura and Renmark and I’m looking forward to the gathering of the MDBA’s community advisers at Goolwa.

A lot of people are very interested in the next set of milestones we’re working towards.

They include an opportunity next year to reduce the 2750 Gl of water recovery through projects put forward by the basin states, while still achieving good environmental outcomes.

At the same time, water ministers will be deciding how best to progress and fund local work on constraints to environmental watering.

There’s also the prospect of revising some of the settings in the basin plan following the review in the northern basin.

I’m aware that some areas of the basin are feeling the stress of economic, climatic and policy changes that have occurred over recent decades. We know that some areas are more vulnerable than others.

We’ve been looking at what drove those past changes to help us better understand how communities are responding to the more recent water reforms.

It’s also been useful to pick up the different threads running in the senate inquiry into the basin plan.

The MDBA’s submission is publicly available and we’ll continue to provide information to the committee as needed.

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Community input is valued s we make our way through a very A busy year in the Murray-Darling Basin, I would like to take a moment to

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Are you looking to Buy or Sell Water!

Neil Andrew inspects irrigation equipment on a trip through the basin.

I’m very conscious that dry times are continuing in the north and have now arrived in the southern basin, creating a new set of challenges.

Low water storages on the Murray after a very dry winter mean the states are carefully managing their reserves.

We’ve also been watching the temporary water markets and how they respond to the states’ allocations — the two are strongly linked.

It is apparent to me, though, that water reform in the past 15 years, including the basin plan, has helped us prepare for drier conditions.

It means we’re in a much better position than we were at the start of the millennium drought, and it’s important we continue to talk and share understanding across the basin.

I’m pleased to say we’ve been warmly welcomed by the agriculture portfolio in our recent move from environment.

This step has provided further reassurance to people in regional communities that our work considers the triple bottom line.

— Neil Andrew, chairman Murray-Darling Basin Authority

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PAGE 6—‘Water Talk’, November, 2015

water talk

Call to halt water buybacks

By Geoff Adams

N

orthern Victorian water industry leaders want a temporary halt in Commonwealth water buybacks and a study to find out how the Murray-Darling Basin Plan is impacting regional communities.

A meeting of water stakeholders voted to form a lobby group to take water issues to governments.

State Member for Shepparton Suzanna Sheed brought together about 90 stakeholders from the dairy, agricultural, horticultural, mixed farming and urban communities, to participate in the meeting at Tatura last week.

The forum was run in conjunction with the Committee for Greater Shepparton and Greater Shepparton City Council.

Many of the farm leaders also wanted a more open water trading system.

Farmers told the meeting Victoria had already done its share in terms of generating water savings for the Murray-Darling Basin and it was time for other states to contribute more.

Ms Sheed said the region had a vibrant economic base which could not be allowed to be eroded.

The forum broke up into groups to tease out water issues. Included in the group closest to the camera is Katunga dairy farmer Daryl Hoey and Dairy Australia chairman and farmer Geoff Akers. ‘‘We are on a mission and we are going to make this work,’’ she said. ‘‘There are two things which are the big takeaways from today. ‘‘One is that we halt and pause what is happening in terms of water buybacks. ‘‘We don’t want any more

water taken out of the system. We want water saving infrastructure to deal with the water required. ‘‘We are concerned about the 450 Gl up-water amount that the Murray-Darling Basin Authority is looking for. ‘‘We don’t think Victoria

should be having to contribute to that. We have already done the heavy lifting on that so far. ‘‘There is no-one in that room who is antienvironment,’’ Ms Sheed said. ‘‘There is a general acceptance that the

2750 Gl is going to happen.

We are very close to it, but the rest needs to come from infrastructure savings, not buybacks. ‘‘The other thing is that we need a leadership group to take these issues forward. ‘‘I would like to see a

pause to see where we are up to. ‘‘We need a group of people representative of the whole GMID to lobby and inform government.’’

Ms Sheed praised Victorian Water Minister Lisa Neville for devoting the whole morning to listening to the forum.

Goulburn-Murray Water managing director John Calleja outlined the progress in the MurrayDarling Basin plan so far.

The forum heard keynote speakers, including orchardist Peter Hall and dairy farmer Natalie Akers, and then broke up into small groups to brainstorm the key issues.

Committee for Greater Shepparton chair David McKenzie said while a healthy river system was important, the ‘‘viable future of our northern communities is also critical’’. ‘‘It is now crucial that the positive and negative impacts of the implementation of the basin plan so far are well understood, before any additional commitments are made,’’ Mr McKenzie said.

‘Water Talk’, November, 2015—PAGE 7

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PAGE 8—‘Water Talk’, November, 2015

water talk

Water technology goes global

By Geoff Adams

A

Shepparton industry, borne out of the need for a more efficient water delivery system in the Goulburn Valley, is taking on the world.

Rubicon Water has a manufacturing facility in Wheeler St, Shepparton, and employs about 200 people.

The privately owned company has been exporting to its biggest market, the United States, since 2005, but that market is expected to be soon overtaken by China, chief executive officer Bruce Rodgerson said.

The company already has 12 people in its Beijing office.

The company seized the opportunity of the $2 billion Foodbowl Modernisation Project to develop automated water delivery systems and won the contract to supply the high tech equipment.

However, Mr Rodgerson said if they wanted to secure a long-term future, they needed to expand beyond Australia. ‘‘The Goulburn Valley’s area is just a fraction of the world market,’’ he said. ‘‘Last year our international business was

Rubicon chief executive officer Bruce Rodgerson with a blade meter designed by the Rubicon research and development team for use with their low energy pipeline. about 20 per cent of the business. Over the next three to four years we expect that to reach 50 per cent.’’

Recently Rubicon Water won the Environmental Services Award at this

year’s Governor of Victoria Export Awards.

The awards recognise Victoria’s most successful and innovative exporters.

All major Australian irrigation authorities are using Rubicon’s technology

and the company exports to the US, New Zealand, Spain, France, Italy, Mexico, China and Chile. ‘‘Winning this award is recognition of the great quality products we are manufacturing in

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Shepparton,’’ Mr Rodgerson said. ‘‘Increasingly irrigation districts around the world are looking to Australia to help them save water and improve productivity on the farm, and Rubicon is at the

forefront of it. ‘‘Our continuing investment in research and development means that we are able to deliver integrated solutions that are more advanced and more effective at delivering benefits than other solutions available internationally.’’

The company sees some major opportunities in China where it already has successful projects running in Jiangsu province. ‘‘We had our best year ever in China last year, where our products are trusted and well recognised,’’ Mr Rodgerson said.

The company, like others, faces the prospect that its products will be copied, but Rubicon is concentrating on reinforcing its reputation for quality and innovation. ‘‘There has been some copying but the customers we have lost to competitors are not the jobs we would have wanted to do anyway,’’ Mr Rodgerson said. ‘‘And we don’t want to cut costs at the expense of quality.’’

Rubicon hopes it can be a long-term partner in China’s quest for better food security.

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‘Water Talk’, November, 2015—PAGE 9

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PAGE 10—‘Water Talk’, November, 2015

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Water windfall funds projects windfall of almost $500 000 from A the sale of water due to the closure of an irrigation system will be applied to

recreation projects for the Rochester district.

A total of $481 883 was given to Campaspe Shire Council in 2010 by the then Northern Victoria Irrigation Renewal Project to allow council to exit the Campaspe Irrigation System located at the Rochester Racecourse Recreation Reserve.

In November 2011, council resolved to use these funds for the recreation needs of the Rochester community, and to develop guidelines and a process to determine the range and priority of projects that would be funded.

Hard courts for tennis have been named the priority one project following detailed assessment of the four recreation projects progressed from stage one of the Rochester Community Recreation Grants program.

Campaspe recreation spokesperson Greg Toll said the project submitted by the Rochester Racecourse Recreation Reserve committee of management aimed to provide two hard courts supported by night competition-standard lighting at the reserve.

‘‘While the review group recommended this project as a priority two, an alternate motion was supported moving it to priority one given it is ‘shovel ready’,’’ Cr Toll said. ‘‘The project will also provide some benefit to the reserve from where the water right was used. ‘‘Staff will now look at what other funding grants are available to support this project, using funds allocated from the community grants program as leverage.’’

Council further approved $10 000 from the funds to further investigate the electrical and lighting design required for the priority two project, ‘Lighting up Rochester for the Future’. ‘‘This will inform what works are required and additional funding needed to complete this project,’’ Cr Toll said. ‘‘Again funds from the grants program can be used as leverage for a future grant application. ‘‘Where possible, matching initiative grants from other levels of government will be sought to bolster the $481 833 available, and to maximise recreational benefits and outcomes for the Rochester community.’’

SURVEY DESIGN IRRIGATION SURVEY DESIGN IRRIGATION SURVEY DESIGN IRRIG

Agriculture

A telephone survey will help researchers understand the pressures Goulburn Valley irrigators are under.

Irrigators surveyed

he Murray-Darling Basin, including T the Goulburn Valley, will be the target of a new survey aimed at better

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understanding the range of pressures being experienced by irrigators and the consequences of that stress.

The survey is part of a major project at the University of Adelaide to gather knowledge about farm exit, stress and mental health issues, including suicide, in country regions.

Specific areas being targeted by the survey include: the Murray regions, Goulburn Valley, the Riverina and Murrumbidgee regions, and South Australia’s Riverland. ‘‘Farmers and irrigators in the MurrayDarling Basin have faced enormous change over the past 20 years,’’ research leader Sarah Wheeler said.

Associate Professor Wheeler is an Australian Research Council Future Fellow in Global Food Studies at the University of Adelaide. ‘‘Drought and policy reform such as severe cuts to water allocations and a change from consumptive to

environmental water use have inflicted major economic, social and personal stress on rural communities,’’ she said. ‘‘They have also experienced falling commodity prices, increasing input costs, continuing population decline, and decreasing rural services such as education and health.’’

Assoc Prof Wheeler said increased drought and water scarcity in the years to come could exacerbate the issues faced by irrigators. ‘‘It’s important for us to fully understand the extent of the pressures on irrigators, so that their mental health, as well as their economic and social wellbeing, can be considered in any analysis of water and farm behaviour. ‘‘There is a great need to understand how we can design policies to reduce the stresses associated with farming, and we hope to inform such policies.’’

Until the end of November, telephone surveys will be conducted with 1000 irrigators across the southern MurrayDarling Basin in South Australia, Victoria and NSW.

‘Water Talk’, November, 2015—PAGE 11

water talk

Capturing the essence of a lake ake Hume is a moody beast, L especially in the depth of winter when the shadows are at their longest.

Over a series of three days in June this year, Albury aerial photographer David Taylor took to the skies above the lake to capture its very essence.

The result is an exhibition, titled Shooting at Shadows on the Hume, portraying the raw beauty of the exposed lake bed at just 30 per cent capacity.

The river channels snake back on themselves, skeletal fence lines are reminders of a bygone era and the terracotta hues of the washed clay lake bed emerge to bake in the winter sun.

The exhibition will open at GIGS Gallery, Wodonga, on November 3 and continue until November 30.

Imbued with an intuitive sense of colour and light, Mr Taylor has won acclaim for his images of outback lakes including Torrens, Frome and Eyre, the Cooper Creek, Diamantina and Warburton rivers, and Toko Range.

Selected images were published in 2011 in the book, Desert Channels and Lakes, others are hanging in many private collections while a work depicting Lake Gregory, in the western Tanami Desert, hangs in the Nevada Museum of Art in the United States.

Mr Taylor’s love of aerial photography began as a hobby

Albury aerial photographer David Taylor captures the many moods of Lake Hume in his latest exhibition.

during forays across Australia in his Cessna 210.

It culminated in a successful first exhibition, Timeless Land, in Wodonga in 2010, and was followed by a second 18 months later.

Whether it is desert or lakes, the Australian outback is a beautiful place, according to Mr Taylor. ‘‘I love the peace, the colours, nature and the sheer rawness of the landscape,’’ he said. ‘‘It’s about listening to the land

and being aware of what you are feeling. ‘‘Nature is so powerful and our supreme ruler — even though humans think they are the ruler, it will always have the last say.’’

These days he shoots his images from a four-seater Glasair Sportsman, a tail dragger ideally suited to bush flying.

He flies an average of 100 hours a year, criss-crossing the continent at 130 knots and armed with an open-platform, high-end

medium format Phase One camera.

Aside from photography, Mr Taylor is the stud adviser for Paraway Pastoral Company’s Pooginook Merino Stud, Cooinbil Station and Borambil Station in the Riverina.

He has a combined flock of 54 000 ewes under his guidance, supplying classing expertise, genetic selection, pasture and grazing management advice.

Pooginook is now a leading

parent stud in Australia, producing 1200 rams a year for stud and commercial clients.

The Taylor family’s connection with the iconic stud stemmed from 1912 until the stud and property’s sale to Paraway Pastoral in 2008.

While living and working at Pooginook, Mr Taylor developed a deep spiritual connection with the land, based on years of being at peace with nature and what it offers.

In 1992, he adopted holistic management principles to better understand sustainable land observations.

— Kim Woods

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PAGE 12—‘Water Talk’, November, 2015

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