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Victoria

Dr Neil Barr speaking at the launch of his book

Changing face of farming is analysed

Much of rural Australia today is grappling with the challenge of reinvention in the face of declining farm numbers, the exodus of rural youth and “tree change” migration from the city. One of Australia’s leading demographers in rural population change has written a book which explains the transformation of rural Australia.

Weather drivers in Victoria

Communicating Climate Change - Module 1

The driving force behind our weather is the general circulation of the atmosphere, caused by unequal heating of the Earth’s surface. Energy from the sun causes evaporation from the tropical oceans and uneven heating of land and sea surfaces near the equator. An extensive area of high pressure, known as the sub-tropical ridge, is a major feature of the general circulation of our atmosphere. It is a major influence on the climate of southern Australia. Its position (more)...

Water resources in a changing climate: Western Victoria

Communicating Climate Change - Module 11

Water availability is a key issue in Australia. A changing climate will place greater demand on water resources. We need to factor the risks associated with climate change into the ways we use water. Key facts Around 89% of Australia’s total rainfall evaporates or is transpired by plants into the atmosphere. Only around 9% runs off into streams, rivers and storages. The remaining 2% drains below the root zone into groundwater aquifers and, from (more)...

Farm-level adaptation options: Wimmera-Mallee

Communicating Climate Change - Module 16

As Australia’s producers continue to be challenged by increased climate variability and climate change, seeking out region-specific adaptation options is important to ensure regional productivity. Understanding which adaptation options to pursue in response to climate change remains a challenge, due to uncertainty about the full extent of future climate change, the response of different crops, and future commodity prices and input costs. Combining expert farmer knowledge with both crop (more)...

Managing risk in a changing climate: making tactical decisions in the Wimmera-Mallee

Communicating Climate Change - Module 16

Farming under increased climate variability and climate change continues to challenge Australia’s farmers. While tactical decisions are often presented in a framework of best management practice, this framework often only looks at the current situation. The tactical decisions that farmers face are influenced by both the immediacy of the current situation, the lessons learnt from previous decisions, and factors such as family, debt, health and issues outside the best management (more)...

Glimpsing Victoria’s future climate

Communicating Climate Change - Module 3

Climate change projections indicate that Victoria’s climate in the decades ahead will be different to that of the past. Farmers will need to modify their practices to manage the risks presented by the change in climate.

Observed climate change: Victoria

Communicating Climate Change - Module 3

Victoria’s climate is changing. Farmers have long been aware of natural cycles in the climate associated with factors such as El Niño, but now human-induced climate changes are becoming apparent. These changes will have significant impacts on the way Victoria is farmed.

Elucidating relationships between disturbance and invasion in riparian zones

This project sought to develop improved riparian weed management strategies by analysing the linkages between disturbance from flood events and both weed invasion and tree recruitment in riparian areas. Analysis of an existing dataset containing assessments of vegetation variables from 23 rivers across Victoria resulted in the development of predictive models relating the number of eucalypt and acacia seedlings at a site to the number of parent trees, the amount of bare ground, the catchment management (more)...

Boneseed Rust: A highly promising candidate for biological control

This project investigated the use of Endophyllum osteospermi (a systemic rust fungus) in the biological control of boneseed (Chrysanthemoides monilifera ssp. monilifera). This systemic South African rust fungus has been found to reduce growth and the reproduction of plants by causing extensive deformation of infected branches (witches’ broom). Boneseed is a Weed of National Significance, which occurs mainly in Victoria, South Australia and Tasmania. (more)...

Managing complex systems

Preliminary findings from Grain & Graze 2003 to 2008

Grain & Graze aims to offer ideas and ways of thinking about complex issues. This report explores strategic matters of interest to mixed farmers, teasing out the options and exploring how they vary in different circumstances. It doesn’t seek to provide precise answers; it highlights issues and options to be considered and gives more insight into how they can be tackled by individuals seeking to develop solutions to their own unique set of circumstances. (more)...