Monto beef producers, Gary, Lyn and Kurt Muller have found a new lease on life through giving their land and soil a health kick. Their interest in reinvigorating their country started through going to local workshops and field days, many of which were organised by Burnett Catchment Care Association (BCCA).

These days not only gave them access to expert advice on how to better manage their land, it also gave them contact to a network of producers doing different things with many experiences and wisdom. As Gary often says, “listen to everyone and then just take what fits for you and your operation.”

The Muller’s started looking at what did fit for them and having some quite extensive and relatively “rough” country, were keen to try using the cattle as a tool to improve their soil and pastures.

After attending a RCS “Grazing for Profit” course they proceeded to set up infrastructure to implement a Time Control Grazing System. The results they saw spurred them on to try this at a more intensive level on their cultivation flats which were run down from years of cropping and had reduced production, where they could plant improved species

and manage the cattle to achieve high levels of stock density and

improve the soil.

The Muller’s started looking at what did fit for them and having some quite extensive and relatively “rough” country, were keen to try using the cattle as a tool to improve their soil and pastures.

After attending a RCS “Grazing for Profit” course they proceeded to set up infrastructure to implement a Time Control Grazing System. The results they saw spurred them on to try this at a more intensive level on their cultivation flats which were run down from years of cropping and had reduced production, where they could plant improved species and manage the cattle to achieve high levels of stock density and improve the soil.

After a few years of trialling multi species planting under irrigation and high density grazing using electric fences to effectively strip graze the irrigated pasture which they believed helped to boost nutrient cycling and enabled adequate rest of pastures, the Muller’s saw an opportunity to implement dryland multi species pastures.

In 2024 the Muller’s accessed support from BCCA’s ‘Resilient Landscapes in the Upper Burnett’ project, funded through the Queensland Government’s Natural Resources Recovery Program.

Through the project they received advice from a regenerative agriculture consultant as well as a small grant to assist in the planting of multi species pastures as well as specialised batt latches on their electric fences which enable them to open gates on a timer, allowing them to do more intensive cattle moves without having to be there all the time.

While the productivity that first season was not huge and where it was direct drilled the grass competed heavily with the planting, they did get a reasonable body of feed and have seen marked improvement in the soil. They intend to direct drill a winter multi-species in behind the current summer one to keep the action happening and ultimately all paddocks will be planted with permanent pastures, once the soil health is restored.

Overall, the Mullers are thrilled with their success in using cattle and plants to improve their soil. They see immense benefits in creating healthy soil, finding the challenge personally fulfilling and invigorating. Their son Kurt has become deeply involved, leading with his enthusiasm and thirst for knowledge. Watching Kurt’s passion, confidence, and skills grow daily has been heartwarming for Gary and Lyn. Any thoughts they had of slowing down or winding back have been completely abandoned.