The Eastern Downs Topoclimate Project- Hampton pilot will measure microclimate and soils information for about 200 properties in a 1000 ha test area.

Project Steering Committee President David House said the Topoclimate concept will provide farmers with information on the critical factors of production.

“This project will give rural landholders detailed and accurate data on soils and climate on their properties so they can make more informed decisions, decrease risks, diversify and increase production,” Mr House said.

“After the on the ground works have been completed, research will be undertaken to identify what crops can be grown and what are the likely returns to farmers.

“It is about providing information so farmers can put the right crop in the right place at the right time.”

He said the Hampton district was chosen as the pilot project site because of its established intensive horticultural industry.

Landholders and the community would benefit significantly from the project, Mr House said.

“This Eastern Downs Turn Around Group (EDTAG) project has significant implications for the whole of the region,” Mr House said.

“The Hampton pilot project is only stage one of regional project which will increase production and returns to farmers and provide a significant boost to job prospects throughout the Downs.”

He said preliminary data gathered on climatic variations in the pilot project area was already proving beneficial.

“A number of data loggers have been placed throughout the Hampton district,” Mr House said.

“And they will be recording the temperature every 10 minutes for a period of one year. After that year of data collection a temperature map will be prepared and compared to long-term weather information to ensure its accuracy.

“After just two days of temperature data collection we have found that data loggers placed within 400m of each other were recording temperature variations of up to seven degrees.

“That sort of climatic variation can be the difference between having a good yielding avocado crop and an orchard decimated by frost.”

He said the Topoclimate project was farmer driven, with support from local and state government agencies.

“The project steering committee has been working on this for about nine months now,” Mr House said.

“The concept is based on a New Zealand project that had major positive socio-economic impacts. And members of the local committee visited the Southland region of New Zealand to meet with project instigators.

“EDTAG got the local project moving and since then we have had significant input from the National Centre for Engineering in Agriculture (NCEA), state government departments and significant support from Crows Nest Shire Council.

“This is an excellent project which will have an enormous impact on our region.”

Press release by Crows Nest Shire Council