Supporting sustainable grazing practices

During this project — Harvesting Tomorrow: Boosting Agricultural Sustainability and Productivity in Greater Sydney — sustainability champions and innovative land managers are collaborating with Greater Sydney Local Land Services over a 3-year period to trial and demonstrate different farming and grazing techniques.

Participants are receiving coaching, guidance, resources and ongoing support until December 2027 to help improve part of their property and showcase it to others.

Four demonstration sites have been selected within the Greater Sydney region, each with a different focus and outcome. They are located at:  

• Central Coast
• Hawkesbury
• Macarthur  
• Megalong Valley.

Project objectives

The aim of the project is to equip land managers to adapt to a changing climate by improving understanding of environmental resilience and sustainable land management practices that promote healthy soils, pastures, livestock and plant production.

This project will have a long-term, positive environmental impact by helping land managers to trial and adopt practices that:

• improve farm productivity and profitability
• enhance soil health and improve water retention
• protect biodiversity and reduce environmental harm
• increase resilience to changing climate conditions.

Project delivery

Works at the demonstration sites include trialling new farming techniques and innovative practices, such as:

• alternative pastures suited to local environment and animals
• different management methods that help improve farm operations
• alternative fencing designs and new products to improve stock management and effectiveness. 

This is being achieved through:

• a variety of capacity-building engagement activities
• on-farm demonstrations
• soil, pasture, livestock and plant production trials
• case studies.

Throughout the project, participants:

• continue to manage and operate their property
• use their animals to graze the pastures
• record key observations such as plant growth, animal behaviour and soil conditions
• host workshops, field days and/or training sessions to demonstrate their new farming techniques
• document and share their experiences through photos, videos and case studies.

The project includes ongoing consultation with industry leaders to ensure it remains targeted and relevant to the long-term vision of driving large-scale adoption of effective practice change and climate resilience.

The work builds on the strong relationships Greater Sydney Local Land Services has developed through previous programs.

Project timeline

2024–25: 

• Select sites and establish work agreements.
• Implement trials with participating land managers.
• Establish benchmarks.

2025–28: 

• Document observations of trial site activities.
• Participant workshops.
• Field days to demonstrate trial progress and outcomes.
• Project close (30 June 2028) and outcomes reporting.

Work underway

• Expressions of interest have now closed, farms have been assessed, and participating land managers have been selected.
• Trials and monitoring has commenced.

Funding and partnerships

Greater Sydney Local Land Services’ key delivery partners are private land and livestock managers.

This project is supported by the Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program and delivered by Local Land Services, a member of the Commonwealth Regional Delivery Partners panel. All outcomes for this project are recorded in MERIT.