Supporting Traditional Owners to build stronger cattle enterprises on Country
As part of Cape York NRM’s Cultivating Climate-smart and Sustainable Agriculture in Cape York Peninsula project, we recently held an information session at Normanby Station for Traditional Owners interested in managing cattle on Country.
The session brought together Traditional Owners, Biosecurity Queensland, Queensland Parks and Wildlife Service (QPWS) and the team at Normanby Station to share practical information and experience about establishing and managing a cattle enterprise.
Participants learned about the requirements for legally managing and transporting cattle in Queensland, including:
Registering a Property Identification Code (PIC)
Animal welfare requirements
Notifiable diseases and biosecurity responsibilities
The process for obtaining a mustering permit to remove stock from National Parks
Understanding these requirements helps cattle businesses operate legally and responsibly, while supporting the long-term health, productivity and sustainability of cattle enterprises on Country.
The Normanby Station team also shared their experience of building their cattle enterprise over the years, providing valuable insights into the opportunities and challenges involved in developing a successful agricultural business on Country.
Through partnerships and a strong focus on capacity building, the Normanby Station team have implemented sustainable land management practices, supported the restoration of sensitive ecosystems, and are building their own branded Cape York ‘Bush Beef'. Their experience demonstrates how knowledge and collaboration can help build a more sustainable and resilient agricultural enterprise on Country.
Vince Harrigan, Managing Director of Normanby Aboriginal Coorporation, emphasised the importance of sharing their experience with other groups across the region, allowing them to see for themselves what can be achieved on their Country.
“Since 1995, Normanby Aboriginal Corporation has worked towards building a sustainable grazing enterprise and developed strong partnerships with a range of industry groups. Over the past 10 years, we have transitioned to using lower-impact trapping methods and low-stress stock handling approaches to manage wild cattle on the station. We have also begun growing a managed herd of quality Brahman cattle for market, creating additional income for the Corporation.”
Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator Lauren O'Bryan said it was a great first workshop that provided the foundational basics for managing and selling cattle.
“Participants asked lots of questions and shared their interests and experiences. We’re looking forward to building on this session and continuing to support Traditional Owners to develop their capacity to manage cattle on Country.” Ms O'Bryan said.
Through our Climate-smart Agriculture project, Cape York NRM is working with Traditional Owners and other landholders to build knowledge, skills and capacity. As well as supporting the development of sustainable and resilient agricultural enterprises across Cape York.
Interested in learning more about managing cattle on Country or getting involved in the Climate-smart Agriculture project?
Get in touch with our Sustainable Agriculture Facilitator Lauren O'Bryan via email at Lauren.obryan@capeyorknrm.com.au
This project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program.
