Meet some landholders
Leon Ashby -, Grazier, former secretary of the Aramac Landcare group, a finalist in the 1999 Queensland landcare research award. Married to Jane with 5 children. Leon explains the history of and motivation for forming "Landholders for the Environment".

Leon`s submission to the Federal Government`s inquiry into the cost of public good conservation  is also attached


Richard Makim - Grazier, former chairman of McKinlay landcare group, executive committee member of southern gulf catchments, winner of 1995 beef improvement association`s Howard Yelland award, former vice president of Qld Cattlemen`s Union, Chairman of North Australian Beef Co-operative (Beefco) 1999 Citizen of the year McKinlay Shire, married to Judi with 7 children.

Richard speaks about his success with time-controlled grazing, about the future prospects for Landcare and Catchment Management and his opinion of the direction natural resource management is taking.     
Mike Price - Grazier & Dozer operator,  chairman of the Aramac Landcare group, member of the Cooper Creek catchment committee. married to Michelle with four children.

Mike explains that a dozer operating landcare chairman is not a contradiction in terms. He gives reasons why private landholders make better stewards of the land than government bodies do.

Mike`s Submission to the Federal Government`s inquiry into the cost of public good conservation is also included.
Merv Schwarz - Grazier and dozer operator,  member of Aramac landcare group, member of Cooper Creek catchment committee, member of Jericho vegetation management committee.

Merv talks about why he first started tree pulling, the sustainable results he got and his opinion of the politics of natural resource management.

Leon and Jane Ashby - Own a property in the Desert Uplands in central Queensland and are presently leasing a dairy farm in South Australia. They have been active there in the local landcare group as secretary and treasurer. Leon was project manager for waterspreading trials on eight properties in the district. The project reached finals in the state landcare awards and it's results are available on the "Research and articles" page of this site.

Leon and Jane talk about the complex interaction of plants, animals, soil and climate they have learned about in their experience on different properties in vastly different areas of Australia.
(Photo coming)
Bob McFarland
Bob McFarland
Managing Director of Oxley Station Pastoral Company Pty Ltd,
Chairman of Directors of Four Seas (NSW) Pty., Ltd.,
producer of Charlie Carp Fertilizer made from European Carp.
member of the Lachlan Catchment Management Committee for ten years from 1989 to 1999, and Chair for six of those years.
member of the MDBC- Community Advisory Committee for six years and on the Riverine Working Group of that committee.
CMC representative on the National Carp Task Force.
represented the Lachlan Catchment Committee on the Murrumbidgee Irrigation Area Land & Water Management Plan from 1989 till 1998.
Founding Member of the Lower Lachlan Landcare Group.
completed along with his son Andrew, an Alan Savoury produced Holistic Management course, learning how to manage life on the property and community as a "whole" and not in isolation,
have an on property training program for first year school   leavers, to work on property for approx 2 years and gain valuable basic property management practices


Bob talks about some of the many innovative projects he has worked on to make his property and his district more sustainable and friendly to native species.
(photo coming)
Dennis Fahey
Dennis Fahey
Grazier, member of Desert Uplands build up & development strategy, fully certified organic beef producer, married to Jan with two children.
Dennis talks about how he has used tree pulling to regenerate native grasses on his property (slightly unusual in that no exotic species have been sown to complement natives) and about his reasons for gaining organic acreditation.