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RegenWA Newsletter
Welcome to the August edition of the RegenWA newsletter. We are entering the Noongar season of Djilba, a transitional time of year marked by massive flowering events (beginning with acacais) and rapidly changing weather conditions as temperatures slowly begin to rise. Around this time, you may notice swooping protective behaviour from the koolbardi (magpie), djidi djidi (willy wag tails) and chuck-a-luck (wattle birds).
In this edition, we share the Regenerative Food Systems Conference program, videos showcasing sustainable land management practices, a case study, demonstration site updates, and more!
Have an upcoming event? Want to share your story or find out more information? Contact us at info@regenwa.com, @regenwa on Twitter/X, @regenwa on Instagram, Regen WA on Facebook or visit our website.
REGENWA NEWS
Stuart McAlpine, RegenWA Chair, named a 2025 Bob Hawke Landcare Award Finalist
Congratulations to Stuart McAlpine who is one of just three finalists in this year's Bob Hawke Landcare Award! Stuart's approach to farming champions soil biology, low-input systems, and practical, profitable change, making him an incredibly worthy finalist. He has transformed his Buntine property, demonstrating with long-term trials that regenerative systems can outperform in dry years, reduce costs, and deliver high-quality food, all while restoring natural capital. Beyond his own farm, Stuart works tirelessly to advocate for regenerative agriculture and educate everyone from farmers to consumers, researchers to policy makers. Stuart has occupied leadership positions at Liebe Group (which he also co-founded), Northern Agricultural Catchment Council, and RegenWA Ltd, and has even represented Australian farmers on a global stage at COP28. We commend Stuart for his commitment driving lasting change across farming systems, policy, and public understanding.
Program and discounts available for Regenerative Food Systems Conference
If you've been sitting on the fence about whether or not to purchase tickets to the Regenerative Food Systems Conference, we've made the choice easier for you by providing the full program and keeping Early Bird tickets open until 5pm on August 8! What's more, RegenWA members can apply a 10% discount to their tickets using the code COMMUNITY10, plus receive an additional $50 off when they complete the RegenWA member survey. Combining Early Bird or farmer/NFP/Landcare tickets with these two discounts ensures you have exclusive access to the best available prices, saving you a total of up to $300 off General Admission entry. A suite of new speakers have recently been announced, including Nick Rose (Sustain), Michael Taylor (Taylors Run), Danny O'Brien (Integrated Futures), and Hanabeth Luke (Murdoch University), so you know you'll be getting good value! Find the full speaker list here.
Applying regenerative principles to equine properties for healthy horses, soils and pastures
For Belinda Taylor, horse ownership is about much more than just owning horses. Since acquiring her Parkerville property, Belinda has established annual and perennial multispecies pastures, rotational grazing, and a track system while implementing creek line interventions, revegetation, closed-loop principles, and holistic weed management. The aim? To sustain year-round ground cover, restore soil function, grow resilient pastures, and improve equine health. Read our case study to learn how Belinda is implementing these practices and how they're benefiting her land, horses, and community, then watch this video by Simple Ben Stories to see it all come to life!
RegenWA's 'Make Your Hectare Count' project is supported by funding through the Western Australian Government's State NRM Program.
Statewide demonstrations and 'Where to Start' workshops drive regenerative agriculture uptake
RegenWA has now established 12 on-farm demonstration sites across WA, showcasing practical, locally adapted approaches to building soil health, restoring biodiversity, and reducing input reliance. In Albany, a vineyard and an orchard are demonstrating minimum-till cover cropping alongside organic weed suppression and coating seeds in biological stimulants, while in Yalgoo and Kangaroo Gully, virtual fencing is being tested as a way to enable rotational grazing and protect sensitive landscapes without costly infrastructure. Visit our website to further explore these demonstrations. To further support farmers in adopting and extending regenerative agriculture, 'Where to Start' workshops have commenced, beginning in Albany and Boyup Brook. Led by independent agronomists Col Bowey and Mark Tupman, the workshops gave participants clear, soil-first strategies tailored to local challenges, covering the interpretation of detailed soil tests, management of waterlogging, non-wetting sands, and more! Read more about the events here.
This event was supported by RegenWA’s 'Accelerating Regenerative Adoption' project, through funding from the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program.
Tim Thompson and RegenWA spotlight sustainable land management skills and stories
Tim Thomspon and RegenWA joined forces in late July to film a series of videos aimed at up-skilling small landholders and sharing their experiences. Alongside demonstrations and how-to tutorials, Tim will be sharing the stories of the many resourceful, passionate, and knowledgeable landholders scattered across the south west who completely embody land stewardship. The diversity of topics and locations covered illustrates that regenerative agricultural principles can be applied at any scale, anywhere, by anyone - whether you have a few hundred chickens in Jarrahdale or 11 in Kalamunda, 600 cattle in Calingiri or one horse in Toodyay, a community garden in Bennet Springs or a vineyard in Albany! An exploration of enterprise stacking with The Natural Circle, a liquid biological fertiliser tutorial, and a compost how-to have already been published - check them out and subscribe to the Farm Learning with Tim Thompson YouTube channel to be the first to watch as more are released.
These videos are part of RegenWA's 'Make Your Hectare Count' project, funded through the Western Australian Government's State NRM Program.
REGENWA EVENTS
Grounded Festival
Improving Farming Systems for Profitability
Toodyay Catchment Planning Workshop
Building Farm Profitability & Ecology
through Landscape Rehydration
Making Plant Specific Compost
Roots So Deep Premiere Screening and Q&A
OTHER EVENTS
- Thriving Through Change: Manage Livestock Thermal Stress Before It Costs You, 05/08/2025 & 12/08/2025
- Seeds of Tomorrow Inaugural Seed Bank Event, 15/08/2025
- Dowerin Machinery Field Days, 27-28/08/2025
- Holistic Management Workshop - Albany and Margaret River, 10-11/11/2025
If you have upcoming events, or see an event the RegenWA community would be interested in, hit us up at info@regenwa.com, @regenwa on Twitter, @regenwa on Instagram, Regen WA on Facebook or on our website.
OPPORTUNITIES & SUPPORT
Take the RegenWA member survey to receive $50 off Regenerative Food Conference tickets!
Thank you for your time and continued support of RegenWA. By completing this survey, you are helping us understand the needs of members like yourself, and how we can better serve you with relevant information, events and other opportunities.
Do you know someone doing it tough? Refer to Rural West.
Rural West offers a free, confidential, and mobile financial counselling service to eligible regional small businesses and primary production enterprises in WA. Their service is designed to support those navigating through challenging and turbulent financial times. For more information, visit the website.
Last chance for Early Bird Regenerative Food Systems Conference tickets!
Early bird tickets for the Regenerative Food Systems Conference close on August 8 at 5pm. Don't miss the opportunity to save big - secure your seats at regenwapresents.com and remember to add your COMMUNITY10 discount and member survey code for the best deal possible!
Inland Great Southern Drought Resilience Grants Program now open.
The Inland Great Southern Drought Resilience Grants Program supports shovel-ready projects that build long-term resilience to drought and climate impacts across the Inland Great Southern area; in agriculture, communities, landscapes and the regional economy. . Open August 4 - August 29. Read more about the program here.
Display a research poster at the Regenerative Food Systems Conference.
The Regenerative Food Systems Conference is calling for display posters that present original or ongoing research, showcase innovative practices, case studies, or trials etc., and present innovative solutions to regenerate our food system. Find more information here.
Have you ever thought about becoming a Slow Food Farm?
A Slow Food Farm enjoys increased visibility and recognition through the use of the internationally renowned Slow Food logo and name. It benefits from increased market opportunities and gains access to the global network of farms, agroecology experts and Slow Food enthusiasts. Discover more here.
Grants available for urban and peri-urban landcare projects
2025 Healthy Cities Landcare Grants support environmental community groups and organisations to establish native plants (trees, shrubs and groundcovers) across Australia in urban and peri-urban landscapes to support positive health outcomes for people and the planet. Apply here.
RESOURCES
REGEN ONLINE
RegenWA Network Membership
We ask all our members to share this newsletter with their contacts and community groups and invite growers to register (no cost) regardless of what type, size, location, interest, and knowledge level of biological farming.
A diverse community is a strong, healthy community.
RegenWA is supported by Perth NRM through funding from Lotterywest, Commonland, and the Western Australian Government’s State NRM Program.
