Useful Links
Sources of Useful Information
A range of websites are offered in this section to help you find useful information related to what you are doing or intend to do on your property.
Blackwood Environment Society
c/o Community Landcare Officer, Visitors’ Centre, Bridgetown
Text: 0428 723 111 E-mail: <nrmbridgetown@gmail.com>
Agroforestry
The South West Agroforestry Network is a good place to start. Their website states: ‘The South West Agroforestry Network supports the growing of trees and forests for the many benefits sought by landowners. Benefits include soil and water protection, wildlife habitat, timber and other tree products, carbon storage and aesthetics.
We support landowners and others by being a contact point for information, by holding field days and courses, and by keeping people connected to what’s going on in the world of tree growing and revegetation.’
https://www.swagroforestrynetwork.com.au/
If carbon farming is something you are considering, here’s a place to start:
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/carbon-farming/carbon-farming-factsheet-farm-forestry
Aquaculture
For a National Government perspective:
http://www.agriculture.gov.au/fisheries/aquaculture
See this page for Aquaculture in WA, including licence requirements:
http://www.fish.wa.gov.au/Fishing-and-Aquaculture/Aquaculture/Aquaculture-Management-and-Licensing/Pages/default.aspx
Bushcare
Land for Wildlife is a good place to start in South West WA:
https://www.dpaw.wa.gov.au/management/off-reserve-conservation/land-for-wildlife
The following site provides an example from Margaret River of a bushland management plan:
http://www.mrrec.org.au/downloads/MRREC_bushland_management_plan.pdf
Business
https://www.weeklytimesnow.com.au/agribusiness/farm-magazine/how-to-make-a-profit-on-a-small-acreage-farm/news-story/00995f4957856997c88a37be70200e5b
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/small-landholders-and-business-management
Floriculture
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/nursery-cutflowers/flowers-giving-market-what-it-wants
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/nursery-cutflowers/commercial-flower-growing-it-you
Horticulture
Broadacre crops
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/crops
Orchard crops for the South West of WA – (See Tree Crops)
Specialist crops
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/crops/horticulture/new-horticulture-crops
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/crops/irrigated-crops/hemp
https://trufflegrowers.com.au/
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/new-horticulture-crops/cultivation-black-truffles-western-australia
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/minor-fruits/jujube-fertiliser-recommendations
Vegetables crops for the South West of WA
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/crops/horticulture/vegetables
‘The horticulture handbook – a reference guide for establishing horticulture enterprises in Western Australia’:
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/horticulture-handbook-reference-guide-establishing-horticulture handbook
Vines
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/crops/horticulture/grapes-wine
Waterwise irrigation – big benefits for small properties:
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/waterwise-irrigation-big-benefits-small-properties
Production and post-harvest
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/crops/production-postharvest
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/going-organic-what-you-need-know
Soil Laboratories
Eurofins APAL Agricultural Laboratory:
Main office and laboratories: Unit 3, Ridley St, Hindmarsh, SA 5007
Postal address: PO Box 155, Welland, SA 5007
Tel: 08 8332 0199 E-mail: info@apal.com.au Web: https://www.apal.com.au/
Depot: Unit4, 158, Francisco St, Belmont WA 6104
Postal address: PO Box 174, Belmont, WA 6104
Tel: 08 9477 2277 E-mail: info@apal.com.au
SWEP Pty Ltd Analytical Laboratories
45-47 / 174, Bridge Road, Keysborough VIC 3173
Postal address: PO Box 583, Noble Park, VIC 3174
Tel: 03 9701 6007 E-mail: services@swep.com.au Web: www.swep.com.au
Livestock
General management
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/livestock-animals/livestock-management
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/agistment-small-landholders
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/maintaining-livestock-water-quality-small-landholdings
The next website covers many aspects of management and many species of livestock:
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/small-landholders-and-livestock-management
Alpacas – camelids
https://www.alpaca.asn.au/start-alpaca-farming/starting-out/73-buying-your-first-alpaca
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/basics-alpaca-keeping?nopaging=1
Bees
http://www.abc.net.au/news/science/2018-08-15/bee-honey-hive-apiary-beekeeping-beekeeper-get-started/10107566
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/beekeeping-small-landholders-western-australia
Cattle
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/livestock-animals/livestock-species/beef-cattle
https://www.mla.com.au/
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/first-time-cattle-ownership-small-landholder
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/cattle-production-small-landholders
https://www.stockandland.com.au/story/5121958/hobby-turns-into-serious-farming-enterprise/#slide=1
https://www.farmco.com.au/blog/getting-started-with-cattle
Goats
While the following article is concerned with dairy goats, many of the management aspects will apply to goats kept for meat:
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/introduction-dairy-goat-farming-small-landholders
Horses
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/livestock-movement-identification/horse-identification-western-australia
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/livestock-animals/livestock-species/horses?page=1
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/keeping-horses-small-properties
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/manure-management-small-properties?page=0%2C0
Book Advert: ‘Managing horses on small properties’, edited by Jane Myers:
https://www.publish.csiro.au/book/4896/
Poultry
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/livestock-biosecurity/keeping-backyard-chickens
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/livestock-parasites/stickfast-fleas-control-and-eradication
Sheep
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/news/media-releases/call-condition-score-sheep
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/feeding-nutrition/sheep-feeding-and-nutrition
Perennial pastures
‘Perennial pastures for Western Australia’ compiled by Geoff Moore, Paul Sanford and Tim Wiley (2006) is available to purchase and download from:
https://researchlibrary.agric.wa.gov.au/bulletins/1/
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/small-landholders-and-pastures
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/pasture-management/pasture-feed-offer-and-growth-rate-maps-2018
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/establishing-pasture-small-landholders
Tourism (WA)
Farm stay
First, this national site has much more information than you will need:
https://www.business.gov.au/planning/templates-and-tools/industry-factsheets/tourism-industry-fact-sheet
http://www.tourismcouncilwa.com.au/you-start
https://www.smallbusiness.wa.gov.au
What’s happening in the Eastern States:
https://austfarmtourism.com/
https://www.realestate.com.au/advice/rural-retreats-also-businesses/
Property visits and produce sales
The first website is also relevant to food provided to farm stay paying visitors:
https://ww2.health.wa.gov.au/Articles/F_I/Food-prepared-in-residential-premises
https://www.foodsafety.com.au/resources/articles/everything-you-need-to-know-about-starting-a-food-business
Tree crops
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/small-landholders-western-australia/establishing-orchard-small-landholders
In the following website choose the fruit crops in which you are interest from the selection on the right-hand side of the page under ‘Filter by topic’.
https://www.agric.wa.gov.au/crops/horticulture/fruit
Alternatively, when on the DPIRD website, type your interest (e.g. ‘avocado’) into the Search bar at the top right of the page.
Nut trees crops
Try the Australian Nut Industry Council website:
http://www.nutindustry.org.au/growing-tree-nuts-in-australia.html
Timber crops – see Agroforestry above
Here are a range of other ideas, although a lot of them are just that – ideas. Separate information will need to be sought to find likely financial returns and how best to set up and run the ideas that appeal to you:
https://smallbiztrends.com/2016/12/agricultural-business-ideas.html
