Peter and Jenny live on their property in Coffs Harbour, where they have spent decades caring for the land and running cattle. The property was first settled in 1912 as a dairy farm under a Homestead Grant and was later used for banana plantations.
More recently, they have shifted their focus to holistic farm management, combining cattle grazing with sustainable forestry and conservation. As the stewards of the land for over 60 years, the forests are part of their story - past, present and future.
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Dairy to bananas to trees, one property over 100 years
Peter and Jenny Wills' property has a long history dating back to a homestead grant in the early 1900s. It was once a dairy and banana farm but now they raise cattle and harvest timber following a Private Native Forestry Plan.
Peter and Jenny Wills' property has a long history dating back to a homestead grant in the early 1900s. It was once a dairy and banana farm but now they raise cattle and harvest timber following a Private Native Forestry Plan. They're now on their fourth timber harvest in their 60-plus years of ownership.
How to improve biodiversity while sustainably harvesting timber.
The landholders needed a way to balance cattle production, forestry, and conservation while ensuring their forest remained healthy and resilient over time.
The property includes sections of land unsuitable for cattle grazing. These areas support an existing forest and require ongoing management to remain healthy and productive.
Solution
Working with a fourth-generation harvesting contractor and guided by a Forest Management Plan (FMP) that was approved by Local Land Services, Peter and Jenny have undertaken sustainable harvesting alongside grazing and conservation activities.
The FMP includes:
mapping of threatened species and buffer zones
identification of access roads, log dumps, and harvesting areas
basal area measurements to assess timber volumes and forest health
clear harvesting guidelines to ensure regrowth and habitat protection.
Supporting the birdlife on the property is a focus and source of joy for them. Peter and Jenny began planting fruited rainforest trees to improve wildlife habitat, increase biodiversity and encourage fruit eating birds to call the property home.
To achieve this, they chose to collect and scatter seed from native tree species present in their area as they walked through their forest.
Their forestry approach involves low-intensity, cyclical harvesting every 5–15 years. This creates a healthy and productive forest while minimising disruption to wildlife and cattle.
Outcomes
By using their Forest Management Plan to balance sustainable forestry, grazing and conservation, Peter and Jenny have:
improved forest health and each harvest produces better quality and greater volumes of timber
improved biodiversity by planting rainforest species and protecting threatened habitats so that fruit eating birds are now flourishing
created a cycle of regrowth that provides ongoing food and shelter for wildlife
balanced cattle grazing with forestry and conservation, strengthening the property’s long-term resilience.
For Peter and Jenny, the greatest reward comes from planting trees and seeing the health of their forest improve. Their work demonstrates how careful, long-term management can create productive and biodiverse landscapes.
