The latest news, events and opportunities from the SW WA Hub
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August 2026
Welcome from the Hub Director
Welcome to the August edition of the South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub newsletter.
It’s been a busy month for the Hub, with plenty of opportunities to see innovation and collaboration in action across our region.
We were pleased to welcome Federal and State Agriculture Ministers Julie Collins and Jackie Jarvis, and local Member for Bullwinkel, Dr Trish Cook MP, to Plume Estate in the Perth Hills to see our agrisolar trial firsthand. The project is exploring how solar panels above grapevines could help vineyards adapt to a hotter, drier and more variable climate while generating renewable energy. We also welcomed Minister for Peel Jessica Stojkovski and local members to Spinifex Brewing, where the PropaGATE project is trialling innovative technology to reduce the cost and environmental impact of wastewater treatment in the brewing industry. Both visits highlighted the value of bringing together researchers, industry, government and innovators to tackle practical challenges.
This month, we’re also sharing a thought-piece and video from the Transformative Aboriginal Agricultural Methods project, which explored how Aboriginal knowledge and farmers’ practical experience can be brought together to retain water, reduce erosion and improve soil health.
We’ve also launched a new Field Notes section on our website, where Hub staff
will share observations and reflections from industry events and conferences. This month, you can read insights from LambEx26 and the UWA Institute of Agriculture Industry Forum.
Finally, a new case study from Bolgart shows how addressing multiple soil constraints together can improve soil function, crop growth and farm productivity. Read the case study, along with more practical soil management resources, in the section below, authored by South-West WA Regional Soil Coordinator Bridget Watkins.
I hope you enjoy this month's stories. If this newsletter was forwarded to you, why not subscribe to receive the SW WA Hub’s latest updates, events, and opportunities directly in your inbox?
Kind regards,
Tanya Kilminster | Acting Hub Director
South-West WA Drought Resilience Adoption and Innovation Hub
Dry Season Resources
Dry Season Resources podcast
We're taking a short break from the podcast, but we'll be back soon with more episodes packed with tips to help you manage dry seasons. In the meantime, you can revisit some of our most popular episodes.
Subscribe to the Dry Season Resources podcast on your favourite podcast platform so you never miss an episode.
Managing farming risks with soil surveys
Aidan Sinnott (VRT Solutions) and Giles McMeikan (Farmanco) explore how soil surveying can be used to manage risk in modern farming systems, soil surveying technologies available to farmers, how soil data can help improve water use efficiency, and the practical implementation of variable rate technology (VRT).
Use of virtual fencing to build farm resilience
Virtual fencing could become a powerful tool for dry‑season management. Esperance farmer Simon Fowler and SARDI researcher Bianca Agenbag unpack how the technology is helping producers maximise pasture utilisation, run virtual feedlots through feed gaps, and protect precious feed reserves when seasons turn tough.
Have feedback or suggestions?
If you have ideas for topics we could cover, we’d love to hear from you.
Email us at swwadroughthub@gga.org.au.
General News
Celebrating five years of regional drought resilience
The Hub recently invited representatives from its eight Regional Nodes for a celebratory meeting and networking dinner, marking five years of collaboration to strengthen drought and climate resilience across South-West WA.
The event provided an opportunity to reflect on the Nodes’ achievements, share lessons learned and celebrate the connections built through the program.
Since 2021, the Nodes have provided the Hub with valuable insights into priority issues affecting the resilience of farming systems, industries and communities. They have also helped producers access practical information through case studies, webinars, podcasts, demonstrations and events.
The work has spanned diverse topics, from water quality testing, weather stations and drone weed mapping to perennial pastures, preparing for feed shortages and carbon accounting.
For many Nodes, the biggest benefit was the connections made across the industry, including with other Nodes and Australian Government-funded programs; connections that may not have happened without the Hub.
The eight Nodes were Facey Group, Merredin and Districts Farm Improvement Group, Northern Agricultural Catchments Council, Rangelands NRM, South East Premium Wheat Growers Association, Southern Forests Food Council, South West NRM and Stirlings to Coast Farmers. The Nodes program concluded in July 2026.
Hub Projects in Focus
Ministers see agrisolar innovation in action
Australian Minister for Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry, Honourable Julie Collins MP, WA Minister for Agriculture and Food, Honourable Jackie Jarvis MLC, and local Member for Bullwinkel, Dr Trish Cook MP, visited Plume Estate in the Perth Hills on Monday to see an agrisolar trial in action.
The project is investigating how solar panels installed above grapevines could help vineyards adapt to a hotter, drier and more variable climate while generating renewable energy.
The WA demonstration is coordinated by the SW WA Hub, supported by the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, in partnership with Plume Estate, Sunrise Energy Group and The University of Western Australia.
The trial forms part of a national cross-Hub collaboration led by the University of Melbourne and Victoria Drought Hub, with investment from AgriFutures Australia. The Tas Farm Innovation Hub and University of Tasmania, and the SA Drought Hub and Adelaide University are also part of the project.
This work demonstrates the value of collaboration in developing practical solutions for more resilient and sustainable agriculture.
Top photo (L-R): Acting Hub Director Tanya Kilminster, The Hon Julie Collins MP, Plume Estate owner Marcus Geisler, GGA CEO Rikki Foss, Plume Estate owner Anita Geisler, Hon Jackie Jarvis MLC, GGA Board Chair Erin Gorter, GGA/Hub Innovation Manager Doug Hamilton.
PropaGATE showcases global innovation solving local industry challenges
The PropaGATE project team joined Minister for Peel, Hon Jessica Stojkovski MLA, Local Members Rhys Williams MLA and Lisa Munday MLA, and Peel Development Commission Chair, Myrianthe Riddy on 30 July to tour Spinifex Brewing and look at its wastewater treatment trial with Singapore-based HydroLeap.
Early data shows improved wastewater quality and lower disposal costs for Spinifex.
PropaGATE is a strong example of cross-sectoral collaboration between industry and project partners Beanstalk AgTech, Grower Group Alliance, the SW WA Hub, and Food Innovation Precinct WA, with support from the Peel Development Commission.
This is a clear demonstration of how connecting global innovators to Western Australia can address industry-defined challenges and position the Peel as a regional innovation hotspot.
Bringing two knowledge systems together to build healthier soils
In marginal parts of the Wheatbelt, intense rainfall can strip away precious topsoil, threatening long-term farm productivity. Decades of European farming practices have also depleted carbon and nutrients from soils that were nutrient-poor to begin with.
Supported by the Hub and WAARC, the Transformative Aboriginal Agricultural Methods project explored how Aboriginal knowledge and farmers’ practical experience could be brought together to keep water on Country, reduce erosion and improve soil health.
Led by Edith Cowan University and Maaman Marra Boodjar, the project combined two knowledge systems to explore ways to support more sustainable productivity over time.
Watch our video and read the thought-piece to learn more about the project and how these knowledge systems are being brought together.
Smart Sprays: turning rainfall into productivity
As Western Australia’s climate dries, finding new ways to capture and make the most of rainfall is becoming increasingly important.
The SMART SPRAYS project, led by Murdoch University with support from the Hub and WAARC, is developing biodegradable sprays designed to move water from crop interrows into furrows, helping plants capture more rainfall and potentially increase productivity.
After extensive laboratory and glasshouse testing, the project has moved into field trials to test how the technology performs in real farming environments.
Researchers are also exploring additional applications, including dust suppression and protecting herbicides from movement and UV damage.
Working with growers and industry partners is helping the team identify barriers to adoption and ensure the technology delivers value for farmers.
Watch the video to learn more about this innovative project.
Hub Team Out and About
LambEx26: Turning innovation into adoption
More than 1,300 delegates gathered at LambEx26 to explore the future of Australia’s sheep and wool industries. One message stood out: producers aren’t short of appetite for innovation. They need the support, confidence and practical pathways to put new ideas to work.
Attending on behalf of GGA and the Hub, Maddison McNeil and Doug Hamilton explored what the latest research and technologies could mean for Western Australian producers.
From virtual fencing and automated weighing to pasture measurement, containment feeding and area-wide pest management, the technologies are developing rapidly. But the real challenge is translating innovation into something producers can confidently trial on their own farms.
Read Doug's reflections from LambEx26 and explore what it means for the future of agricultural adoption.
What the 2026 UWA Institute of Agriculture Industry Forum means for drought resilience
Can Australian agrifood capture a $200 billion opportunity by 2030?
That was the question at the heart of the UWA Institute of Agriculture’s 20th annual Industry Forum, held at the University Club of Western Australia on 8 July 2026 and attended by around 250 people.
Drought as an event was not spoken of directly, but the speakers’ points describe how a farm copes when a dry season arrives.
Read our insights from the event in our blog post.
Soil Stories
Left: no amelioration. Right: delved, spaded and limed. Photo: Bridget Watkins
Liming and clay delving to address multiple soil constraints
By Bridget Watkins, Regional Soil Coordinator
A case study from Bolgart shows how tackling multiple soil constraints together can deliver lasting gains in productivity and profitability.
By combining liming, clay delving, spading and controlled traffic farming, Trevor and Renae Syme were able to reduce soil acidity, water repellence and compaction, leading to improved soil function, stronger crop growth and higher yields across a range of sandy and gravelly soil types.
This case study was recently published by the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD), in collaboration with the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC), as part of the Soil Water and Nutrition (SWAN) project.
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
Preparing for a dry season in lower South-West WA
With the current season showing some similar signs to the 2023-2024 season in the lower South-West region, South West NRM has republished practical case studies and videos to help producers prepare for and manage the challenges of dry conditions.
The case studies cover a range of topics, including pasture management, adapting orchards and cattle enterprises, water capture, nutrition and shade, fodder quality and dam management.
The video series explores practical topics such as perennial pastures, confinement feeding, making quality hay and silage, forage testing and using the Rumen8 software to develop cattle diets.
Browse the case studies and video series to learn how producers across South-West WA are adapting their operations for dry seasons.
Season 2026: information for WA farmers
Did you know? The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development (DPIRD) provides seasonally relevant information and management options in the broadacre and south-west agricultural areas of Western Australia.
Latest updates and advice
- The seasonal climate outlook for the months of August and September 2026 indicates below median rainfall and higher temperatures for the majority of the state.
- Rainfall and soil water maps are available on the DPIRD website for the 2026 season so far.
DPIRD’s Seasonal Climate Outlook Newsletter explains the latest in the forecast models and the seasonal impact that could have for the south west land division. Read the newsletters.
Applications are now open for FDF TRAIL Emerging Leaders Program
Are you looking to advance your leadership skills and navigate uncertainty with confidence? The FDF TRAIL Emerging Leaders program is a challenge-based experience, which blends outdoor learning with practical workshops to help you drive positive impact in your organisation, industry or community.
Delivered by the Australian Rural Leadership Foundation (ARLF) in partnership with the Future Drought Fund, this intensive seven-day program is designed for people working across rural, regional and remote Australia.
Who can apply? Future leaders from any rural sector who have previously completed an FDF program with the ARLF
Cost: Fully funded by the Future Drought Fund (all program costs covered)
Dates: 04–11 November 2026
Location: Canberra, ACT and Wee Jasper, NSW
New BOM features: Rainfall deficiencies and water availability
The Bureau of Meteorology has added two new features to its Drought Map: long-range rainfall deficiency forecasts and moisture loss maps. These tools can help users monitor emerging drought conditions, but the Bureau cautions that long-range forecasts are probability-based and have limitations.
Locally Relevant News from the Future Drought Fund
Nuffield scholar Caitlin Herbert believes feedlots are not the end of the beef supply chain; they are a safeguard within it. Photos from Caitlin's report.
From Eugowra to the world: bringing global lessons home for Australia's beef industry
As an eighth-generation farmer from Eugowra, New South Wales, 2024 Nuffield Drought Resilience Scholar Caitlin Herbert understands the challenges drought and climate extremes can pose for farming businesses.
Supported by the Future Drought Fund’s Drought Resilience Scholarship Program, Caitlin travelled to Canada, Brazil and the United States to examine how beef industries are adapting to drought and climate change, bringing home practical insights to inform resilience and supply chain adaptation in Australia's beef sector.
Her report, Lotfeeding for the Long Haul: Strengthening Australia's Beef Supply Chain Through Climate Extremes, highlights the important role feedlots play in helping industry prepare for and respond to drought.
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.
