South-West WA Hub Update

November 2025

FDF Funding Opportunities

New FDF program to strengthen drought resilience

The Foundation for Rural and Regional Renewal (FRRR) and the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF) have launched the Future Drought Fund’s Communities Program, supported by the Australian Government.

This $36 million investment continues the Australian Government’s commitment to building social capital, wellbeing and connectedness of communities across remote, rural and regional Australia, helping them to prepare for and build social resilience to drought and our changing climate.

The program will see FRRR and ARLF working together to deliver multiple granting elements, as well as leadership and mentoring opportunities. These will support local events, leadership development, infrastructure upgrades and much more.

Applications for the Small Network Grants and RDRP Social Outcome Grants close 11 December 2025.

Strengthening Drought Resilience on Country

First Nations businesses, organisations or consortia (with a First Nations lead) are invited to apply for the Strengthening Drought Resilience on Country Program grant opportunity to build drought and climate resilience in partnership with First Nations peoples.

The program will run from 2025–26 to 2027–28, with $12 million available to support up to six First Nations businesses and organisations as Delivery Partners.

Applications close 16 December 2025.

Dry Season Resources

Dry Season Resources podcast

Find the latest episodes of the SW WA Hub's Dry Season Resources podcast below. Be sure to subscribe on your favourite podcast platform to never miss an episode. 

Dry Season Shorts: fast, practical tips for dry times

Short on time? So are we. That’s why our Dry Season Shorts video series delivers quick, practical advice from people tackling dry seasons head-on.

Watch our latest clips:

• Toland Poll Merino adopting containment feeding to manage dry seasons | Anna Toland, Toland Poll Merino
• Sustainable grazing and drought planning at Paringa Livestock | Olivia Lawson, Paringa Livestock
• Dryland wine making in the Yarra Valley: innovations for moisture conservation | Andrew George, Yarra Yering
• Precision grazing and robotic dairy in action | Stuart Beverly, University of Melbourne

General News

Hub’s resilience dashboard rolling out across Australia

An online tool that captures the factors contributing to community resilience in the face of extreme climate events, initially developed for NSW, is now expanding to Western Australia and other states. 

The Early Insights for More Resilient Communities Dashboard helps organisations working with communities affected by drought, bushfires and floods to pinpoint changes in community well-being.

This dashboard is being updated to include up to 10 new state-specific indicators and up to 10 new national indicators.

SW WA Hub director Dr Jo Wisdom said “by joining the Early Insights project, the SW WA Hub can bring in regionally relevant data and indicators that give us a clearer picture of how our communities are coping, and where extra support is needed".

Challenge winners from the Western Australian College of Agriculture Cunderdin with SW WA Hub Knowledge Broker Tanya Kilminster (left) and science teacher Kate Strong (right).

Students tackle climate challenges in WA agriculture

Students from two WA Colleges of Agriculture rose to the challenge of designing innovative solutions to real-world farming issues driven by Western Australia’s often hot and dry climate.

Now in its fourth year, the SW WA Hub's Climate-Smart Innovation Challenge encourages high school students to think creatively about the future of agriculture.

This year, sixty-six students from the Harvey and Cunderdin Colleges of Agriculture participated, tackling locally relevant problems such as improving water management and reuse, reducing bushfire risk, alleviating heat stress in dairy cows, enhancing farm-level weather information, improving nitrogen fixation, and increasing soil moisture retention.

Upcoming Hub event

Webinar: Agrisolar opportunities for WA farming – 3 December

Join our webinar on 3 December to learn how solar energy production and agriculture can work together for resilience, productivity, and sustainability.

We’ll share insights from the Plume Estate vineyard trial, explore global examples, and discuss agrisolar opportunities in other agricultural industries.

Date: 3 December 2025
Time: 12:00 pm – 12:45 pm
Location: Online (MS Teams)

Hub Projects in Focus

Exploring the potential of agrisolar in Western Australia’s vineyards

Growers, researchers and industry representatives gathered at Plume Estate in Bickley on October 28 to explore how solar panels installed above grapevines could improve vineyard performance while generating renewable energy. 

The trial is part of a national project led by the University of Melbourne and coordinated in Western Australia by the SW WA Hub.

The installation will monitor how solar panels affect vine growth, fruit quality and microclimate, with potential benefits for dual land use for energy production. 

While this trial is focused on viticulture, agrisolar could have applications in other agricultural industries, such as livestock grazing and berry production.

Join the upcoming webinar on Wednesday 3 December at 12.00 pm to learn more.

Pilot project turns potato waste into nutritious livestock feed

One of our transformational projects set out to tackle a major challenge in the potato industry: the high-moisture, unstable waste generated during potato processing. Using Whole Green Foods’ WINX technology, the project explored whether this underused by-product could be transformed into a safe, practical, and nutritious livestock feed ingredient.
 
The project team at Whole Green Foods found that WINX treatment significantly improved dewaterability, achieving moisture levels suitable for feed systems, and increased nutrient availability. Trials also identified an effective organic acid blend to stabilise microbial risks, while modelling showed substantial potential for greenhouse gas reductions when diverting waste from landfill to feed.
 
This pilot project has demonstrated a clear pathway for turning potato waste into a valuable resource. Watch our new video to learn more about the project.

Farm logistics under pressure from shifting harvest constraints

A new study from The University of Western Australia, supported through a SW WA Hub bursary, reveals that grain growers in Western Australia are increasingly employing on-farm storage, mobile freight capacity and tactical delivery scheduling to manage rising harvest bottlenecks.

These strategies are shaped by market signals, spatial disparities in receival sites and transport options, and behavioural heuristics that help farmers cope with institutional constraints.

While these adaptations offer short-term resilience, they also reinforce inefficiencies and inequities in harvest throughput, export timing and access to price premiums. Inland and smaller-scale growers are disproportionately affected by limited freight choices and longer delivery distances.

The research was undertaken by PhD student Ms Garima (UWA Business School and The UWA Institute of Agriculture).

WaterSmart Dams case studies showcase solutions to improve water investment decisions

The Grower Group Alliance has released a new WaterSmart Dams - Making Dams Work Again Case Study Booklet shining a spotlight on innovative farmer-led trials that are helping shape the future of on-farm water security in Western Australia.

The nine case studies highlight the core demonstration trial sites on farms from across the South-West, Great Southern, and Wheatbelt region that investigated the effectiveness of innovative solutions to improve water security, including renovating existing dams, building new dams, and implementing evaporation suppression and run-off technologies.

Regional Nodes

Recording and resources available for Making the Most of Salinity webinar

Did you miss Facey Group's latest webinar on transforming salty country into productive, resilient landscapes?

Fetauring Dr Hayley Norman (CSIRO) and Dr Chris McDonough (Insight Extension for Agriculture), the session unpacked practical approaches to managing saline soils, selecting salt-tolerant forages, and rehabilitating damaged areas. The webinar recording is now available on Facey Group's website. 

Below are additional links to resources on soil salinity:

• Reversing the Growing Impacts of Soil Salinity in Dryland Agriculture While Facing Shifting Farming Systems and a Changing Climate
• Mallee Seeps Decision Tree  - Mallee Sustainable Farming 
• Dry Saline Land - Mallee Sustainable Farming
• About Anameka Saltbush

Facey Group is the South-Eastern Wheatbelt Node of the SW WA Hub.

Perennials vs annuals: new funding helps measure feed quality through the season

As part of their Drought Node role with the SW WA Hub, South West NRM has been awarded a small grant to perform feed tests on six farms over the next five months. The tests will compare feed quality (e.g. energy, protein) of perennial pasture versus annual pasture in late spring, mid-summer, and early autumn.

Sustainable Agriculture Manager, Peter Clifton, says he hopes the results from the feed tests will help growers better understand the value of perennials as a feed source in drier months.

“Establishing perennial pastures is challenging, so for farmers to commit, they need to understand the rewards to incentivise overcoming those challenges,” Mr Clifton explained.

“Demonstrating the feed value of perennials on the shoulders of the growing season, or after summer rain events, may encourage producers to look harder at how they can be incorporated into their system.”

Soil Stories

Soil sampling: why summer is the perfect time

By Bridget Watkins, South-West WA Regional Soil Coordinator

Summer is an ideal season to run a soil sampling program. Soil sampling provides valuable insights for planning the next season and helps track trends in soil results over time. Testing at the same time each year ensures results are comparable, building a clear picture of how soil parameters change over time.

Sampling 25% of a farm each year creates a four-year rotation, meaning every paddock is assessed once every four years. As a general rule, a three-to-four-year timeframe is adequate to detect changes in pH and allow adjustments in liming practices. This timeframe is also typically suitable for key soil characteristics like phosphorus, potassium, salt, and organic carbon which are reasonably constant with consistent management.

Bridget Watkins is the South-West WA Regional Soil Coordinator (RSC). The RSC project provides opportunities for researchers, primary producers and community groups to collaborate and share knowledge related to soil health and management. The project is supported by the Australian Government's Climate-Smart Agriculture Program under the Natural Heritage Trust, and in South-West WA is led by the SW WA Hub in partnership with SoilsWest at Murdoch University.

Relevant News, Events and Resources

Great Southern Development Commission announces new Drought Resilience Plan

The Coastal Great Southern Regional Drought Resilience Plan is now available online. It was developed by the Great Southern Development Commission in partnership with the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), and jointly funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the WA Government. This community-led, evidence-based roadmap will help the Great Southern region proactively prepare for and respond to future dry seasons.

The Plan covers the City of Albany, Shire of Denmark, Shire of Plantagenet, and the Frankland River region in the Shire of Cranbrook. It identifies key focus areas including water infrastructure, climate monitoring, sustainable agriculture, community support, risk management, research and innovation, and environmental conservation.

Local governments, producers, community organisations, and Traditional Owners are encouraged to use the Plan to guide decision-making, investment, and collaboration.

Learnings and insights from the FDF's Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative

Between 2023 and 2025, FRRR and ARLF partnered to deliver the Future Drought Fund’s Helping Regional Communities Prepare for Drought Initiative, investing over $29.6 million to strengthen social resilience in agriculture-dependent communities.

Through grants, leadership activities, mentoring, and national networks, the program supported local capacity building and preparedness for future droughts.

An independent evaluation by Nous Group assessed its impact and lessons learned. Join FRRR, ARLF and guest speakers in an online webinar on Thursday 4 December 2025, 1.00 - 2.00 pm AEDT as they share insights, reports, and host a Q&A.

Locally Relevant News from the Future Drought Fund

No drought declarations needed, support is always available

Did you know that farmers or agribusinesses don’t need a drought declaration to access support from a bank or to access Australian Government drought programs? 

The Australian Government no longer makes formal drought declarations. Instead, a range of support options are always available for those experiencing hardship — to help farmers and agribusinesses prepare for, manage through, and recover from drought.

Banks are able to help too. If you work with farmers or agribusinesses feeling financial pressure, encourage them to contact their lender early. Banks have dedicated teams ready to help.

Visit Support without drought declarations to find out more. Feel free to share this information with your own stakeholders and networks.

You can also visit Australian Banking Association Financial Assistance Hub to see how lenders can help.

To learn more about Australian Government drought support, visit drought.gov.au

Find out about the Future Drought Fund

The Future Drought Fund (FDF) provides secure, continuous funding for drought resilience initiatives and will help Australian farmers and communities prepare for the impacts of drought.