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July, 2025
GEESE OF DESTRUCTION
FARMING FOR THE FUTURE
SPURS AND SPECTACLES
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Triple treat
Buln Buln farmer Doug Benson could hardly believe his eyes when three healthy calves were born from one mother. STORY - Page 6 Pho Ph P hotto o: Contribute t ib i ted
Drought pain felt across Gippsland THIS year is one of the driest, and one of the toughest yet. Some, even in traditionally rain-rich Gippsland, are fighting for survival. Farmers around the state are battling for water to grow crops, and fighting for better conditions at a financial level. In April, Gippsland Farmer spoke with local farmers in Boorool, located between Leongatha and Mirboo North, who said this was their first really dry year in a long time and that they had several cracks in their paddocks due to the dry weather. Now, months later, farmers are not only fighting droughts, but also fighting to preserve their livelihoods. STRADBROKE farmer Ellie Mitterer shared that while she is constantly trying to plan ahead and stick to a schedule, things aren’t that easy on the farm.
“I feel like I'm constantly juggling running behind the eight ball, trying to plan ahead,” Ms Mitterer told Gippsland Farmer. “I'm a dry land farmer, so I have to rely on environmental factors. We assumed we would get some spring rain, and we assume we're going to get an autumn break. We assume that it won't be as dry for as long as it has been. “I was lucky that I got some (rain) early, and it did green up for me for a bit, which helped carry me through.” While Ms Mitterer was feeling lucky to get a little rain, she explained that she still had to sell two-thirds of her stock of cattle and sheep to help keep spending costs down and offset expenses such as rates, ensuring things remain somewhat manageable on the farm. Options for fodder have also been challenging this year, with Ms Mitterer having to look elsewhere for food options. Usually, Ms Mitterer likes to keep the
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because I had to pay for the cutting and the raking separately by the hour for the contractor, because it wasn't dense enough for them. “I only ended up with 50 rounds, which just isn't enough to get even though I downsized on the cattle, it's still not enough to get me through. So, I had to buy the product, which cost $5000 for a semi-load of silage. “Everything is going into the farm and the cattle right now.” Accompanying the property, large swarms of kangaroos have also been a source of frustration for Ms Mitterer, as well as other farmers. They feed off the cattle's food and ruin fences, causing chaos for local drivers. Ms Mitterer’s property is right off the side of the South Gippsland highway and beside multiple plantations, which flocks of kangaroos call home. Continued - Page 7
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farm on a closed circuit, only using onfarm feed to ensure she isn’t risking farm biosecurity by importing unwanted weeds and unknowns. “It was very difficult when I had to buy fodder this year, because you're supposed to get an NVD fodder, but nobody offers that,” she said. “There isn't really a system for farmers to go to and find fodder. So we go on the marketplace, and so it's become a social media networking exercise to get us through the drought. It's not ideal.” During the last season, Ms Mitterer cut one large paddock for bales, which left her with 50 bales, rather than the previous season, when she cut two paddocks and obtained 250. “Last season, I did one large paddock, and I got 50,” she said. “Because of that, instead of costing me $25 a round for a contractor to prepare for the farm, it cost me about $65 a round
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