51st Annual Conference
10th - 12th August 2010
Wangaratta Performing Arts Centre

Bus Tours

Wednesday 11th August August departing at 12:30pm and returning around 5:30pm

Selecting your first and second tour preference on your registration form is essential. 

Please choose a bus tour, you first, then second and third preference must be selected on your registration form.

The number of seats on each tour is limited and while we will try to allocate first preference, it will be based on order of receipt.

Tour 1 ~  "Managing Pastures for Climate Change"

This tour focuses on improving farm profitability through improved sowing and management of perennial pastures. Firstly visit some demonstration sites that showcase paddock preparation, weed control, fertiliser, sowing and grazing management options that will ensure successful establishement. Then visit Judy and Chris Griffiths at Bowmans Forest. Here the focus is increasing the productivity of native pastures while retaining the density of the desirable native species.

Tour 2 ~  "Diversified Systems"

Take a short drive to Russell Ellis's property where pasture cropping is part of the management system. Hear how the integrated system is used, the benefits and the drawbacks. Peter White from the Riverine Plains Group will also be onsite to share insights and experiences with pasture cropping, fertiliser and managing farm systems. A highlight of the tour is the local Grain and Graze site to discuss how cropping is successfully integrated with grazing systems.

Tour 3 ~  "Pasture and Livestock"

Visit the award winning Organic Dairy and sheep property "Avondale" at Springhurst. The Humphry family have been refining their biological mixed farming system (dairy, fine wool, beef and cropping), where restoring health and structure of their soils have led to significant improvements in yields and animal health. Then Jenny Anderson will provide insights into the very successful Rutherglen Premium Lamb, discover the benefits of value adding and marketing. The final stop at Rutherglen Research Institute, will prove very informative with a closer look at feed efficiency with Nick Linden.

Tour 4 ~   "Beef, Pasture and a Little Lamb"

Stop one will take you on an inspirational tour of the Inchbold's mixed farming operation. The business fatures a cropping enterprise, a self-replacing commercial beef herd and a number of diversifications including an opportunity feedlot, an Angus stud, grain storage, export oaten hay production. Then visit the Trompf farm at Greta with a commercial self replacing Angus herd and prime lamb flock. Tying these exceptional enterprises together is the pasture base. A move towards annuals, particularly the highly productive early season varieties to allow pasture manipulation with different stock classes to optimise pasture and livestock production

Tour 5 ~   "Value Adding the Business"

This tour provides a unique opportunity to see behind the scenes at Brown Brother's Winery, a highlight is tasting some of their finest products, however the real focus is business growth, the future and marketing. Then move onto the Milawa cheese factory for some more product sampling. Again it is a unique opportunity to discuss how the business has grown, developing products, marketing and value adding. This tour will really focus on some of the strategic aspects of agricultural businesses as well as supply chain management.