Clean coastal catchments on-ground

Farms are an important part of the Australian landscape. They provide:

• food for people
• jobs for locals
• support for the economy

This action aims to improve farm production and help coastal waterways stay healthy.

It will do this by helping farmers to make better use of fertilisers. It will also help reduce sediment washing off farms into waterways.

This action will:

• help farmers to stop fertilisers and soil from flowing off farms into waterways
• study how to grow blueberries using less fertiliser
• trial new ways to reduce erosion and use fertiliser more effectively in blueberry and macadamia orchards.

DPI Wollongbar Primary Industries Institute

• Blueberry nutrition research

Richmond River region

• Work with macadamia farmers on fertigation trials, erosion mitigation research, and water and nutrient monitoring
• Incentives for on-ground action to reduce sediment loss from macadamia farms

Coffs Harbour region

• Work with blueberry and vegetable farmers including research into erosion mitigation, and water and nutrient monitoring on farms and in  greenhouses
• Demonstrations of fertigation and water recycling in blueberry orchards
• Incentives for on-ground action to reduce nutrient and sediment loss from blueberry farms

Department of Primary Industries - Agriculture

• Local Land Services
• Southern Cross University National Marine Science Centre
• Australian Macadamia Society
• Australian Blueberry Growers Association
• Berries Australia
• Fertiliser Australia
• Oz Group Cooperative

• Clean Coastal Catchments website - for information and updates about the project.
• New fertiliser guidelines for blueberry growers - for use by Australian growers in the blueberry industry.
• Macadamia integrated orchard management practice guide 2016 - for advice on best practice management of macadamia orchards.
• NSW Macadamia plant protection guide 2019-20 (PDF, 16138.51 KB) - for up-to-date information on all aspects of protecting orchards from pests and diseases.
• Berry plant protection guide - for up-to-date information on pest and disease management in berry crops.