Late last year, BMRG’s Sustainable Agriculture team visited Saint Patrick’s College, Gympie, as part of the Empowering Adaptive Graziers in the Burnett Mary program, engaging with Year 11 agriculture students during a hands-on property visit at the College’s Mary River property.
The visit provided students with a practical introduction to sustainable grazing and land management, while showcasing the support and resources available to landholders across the region. BMRG Youth Ambassador Claire Thompson joined BMRG extension officers on the day, helping to walk students through the Empowering Adaptive Graziers program resources and explaining the benefits available to producers, including BMRG’s free property mapping service.
Students were also introduced to a range of complementary government programs that support landholders, such as The Long Paddock and the Farm Business Resilience Program, highlighting how these tools can assist with climate-ready decision-making, planning, and long-term farm resilience.
A key focus of the visit was inspiring students to consider future careers in agriculture and natural resource management. Extension officers shared their own career pathways, offering insight into the diverse roles within Natural Resource Management organisations and the impact this work can have on both landscapes and communities.
The field component of the visit included a land condition assessment conducted on the College property. Students participated in activities such as pasture and weed identification, biomass assessment, and discussions around potential erosion risks and signs of feral animal activity that may be of concern along the Mary River frontage.
The visit was a valuable opportunity to connect classroom learning with real-world land management, empowering students with practical skills, industry knowledge, and an understanding of the support available to graziers now and into the future.
The Empowering Adaptive Graziers in the Burnett Mary, delivered by Burnett Mary Regional Group (BMRG) is part of the $6 million grazing practice change program funded through the Queensland Government’s Queensland Reef Water Quality Program.