The Project

Title: Climate Smart Agriculture Program
Duration: 2024-2028
Funding: Australian Government through funding from the Natural Heritage Trust under the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program

Summary

This project aims to support graziers in the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region to build the skills and knowledge to implement and maintain grazing best management practices, with the goal of protecting natural resources in a changing climate. Drawing on Reef Catchments’ expertise in sustainable land management, the Climate-Smart Agriculture Program offers tailored support, funding opportunities, and practical learning through workshops and field days focused on carbon, biodiversity, and grazing best management practices.

Objectives

• Engage with and build capacity in 34 graziers across 900 hectares in the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region between 2024–2028.
• Help graziers prepare for climate resilience by identifying and enhancing on-farm natural assets.
• Co-develop Natural Capital Plans that map soil, water, vegetation, biodiversity, and other ecological assets.
• Provide tailored tools, knowledge, and networks to strengthen climate resilience.
• Offer access to funding incentives to support implementation of best practices.
• Capture greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions baselines for each property.
• Identify opportunities to adopt climate-smart grazing practices that reduce emissions.
• Build grazier confidence in making climate-adaptive changes.
• Highlight future market opportunities linked to emissions reduction and sustainability through local industry events.

Strategy

This project takes a practical, forward-looking approach to support graziers in adapting to a changing climate. At its core is the co-development of tailored Natural Capital Plans – property-specific strategies that help landholders identify, value, and enhance their natural assets such as soil, water, vegetation, and biodiversity. These plans guide actions to protect and improve the natural systems that underpin farm productivity and ecological health.

As part of the planning process, each grazier will receive support to:

• Assess the current condition of their land and ecological assets;
• Identify areas of risk and opportunity for improving natural capital;
• Establish a baseline for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions on their property;
• Explore practical, climate-smart grazing practices that reduce emissions and build resilience.

By integrating GHG assessments into each plan, graziers will better understand their emissions profile and be positioned to adopt practices already gaining momentum across the agricultural sector. This approach not only builds climate resilience but opens pathways to future market opportunities.

Strategy

Get involved

Are you a grazier in the Mackay Whitsunday Isaac region looking to future-proof your farm? We’re inviting 34 eligible graziers to take part in this Climate-Smart Agriculture project, with support tailored to your property and goals.

• Participating graziers will receive access to the following:
• Funding incentives up to 40 per cent
• Regional on-farm field days
• Access to expert insights into on-ground grazing land management via workshops
• Personalised Natural Capital Plans, identifying individual natural farm capital, baseline GHG emissions and outlining key methods to safeguard on-farm natural assets

For more information, please refer to the expression of interest or contact the Reef Catchments office.

EOI

Please fill out the below Expression of Interest form or contact holly.reid@reefcatchments.com.

Expression of Interest Form