NEWS

While coffee plantations and cattle stations may look very different, the families behind them have discovered that resilience isn't built in isolation. Sometimes, it begins by opening the farm gate and inviting others to experience life on the land, one conversation at a time.

There are few places in the world where you can see commercial food production integrated with a natural, almost native ecosystem. Where cattle are living in harmony with the marsupials, birds, reptiles and insects. But in any given location across the extensive beef grazing region of Northern Australia, this unique system exists.

For fruit growers across Far North Queensland, some insects are far more than an unpleasant surprise. Hidden amongst orchard canopies, the banana-spotting bug (Amblypelta lutescens lutescens) has been quietly damaging valuable crops for decades, leaving scars beneath the skin of avocado, citrus, mango, passionfruit, custard apple and more.

The Gulf's rugged ranges have revealed another remarkable secret, with scientists formally describing three previously unknown species of rock monitor after years of fieldwork and genetic research.

Healthy soil underpins around 95 per cent of the world's food production, making it one of agriculture's most valuable assets. A soil test can be one of the most useful tools for landholders, yet understanding the results can be a challenge for many growers. 

Work is continuing to tackle invasive weeds across the Mitchell River catchment, with aerial surveys helping land managers identify priority infestations left in the wake of Tropical Cyclone Jasper.