New South Wales’ Narrabri Shire Council has recently developed a beneficial effluent reuse facility, in the form of an irrigated cotton farm named Federation Farm. The Federation Farm is yet another innovative example of Local Government tackling an environmental management issue and turning it into a positive outcome. The benefits of this project include community building and significant commercial returns.
In 1991, a major bloom of toxic blue green algae endangered public health and livestock on the Murray Darling River system. Narrabri was identified as one of eight nutrient hot spots discharging effluent into the Murray Darling. In countering this situation, Council made the decision to stop discharging effluent into the Narrabri Creek, and instead seek a land disposal option, thus leading to the establishment of Federation Farm.
Purchased by Council, the farm occupies an area of 303 hectares. Operations on the farm include irrigation, storage, surge dam, dryland farming and biosolids disposal. A unique component of Federation Farm is the share farming agreement Council has entered with four local schools.
“Early in the project, Council determined that it did not have the internal resources or expertise to operate the farm,” said Council’s Manager Water Services, Mathew Stewart. “It was decided that a share farming arrangement was the most suitable management tool for the farm.”
From this decision, the Narrabri Education Fund was established. With cooperation from Council and local businesses, returns made from the farm will be put back into local education facilities. Council has agreed that for the first five years while the farm establishes itself as a commercial venture, it will receive no financial return. After this time, 20 per cent of profit will be returned to Council. With an excellent cotton and wheat crop in just its second year of operation, some $26,000 in profit will be returned to the schools.
“As well as achieving significant environmental objectives, the project demonstrates the possibility of developing and owning a land disposal option for effluent that provides significant financial savings to Council and returns to the community,” said Mathew Stewart.
For further information, contact Mathew Stewart on (02) 6799 6867.
