New Project Funding Secured as Drought and Dust Take Hold in the Mallee
Mallee Sustainable Farming (MSF) is pleased to announce that MSF has secured critical funding to support growers facing some of the worst seasonal conditions on record in the Northern Mallee. Despite sound farm management, many paddocks have been left bare and vulnerable due to extremely poor growing conditions throughout 2024 and into 2025.
Decile 1 rainfall, persistent since early 2024, has created the lowest levels of winter ground cover on record in some areas, increasing the risk of wind erosion across sandy soils, even where best practice management is in place.
Backed by the Grains Research and Development Corporation (GRDC) and the Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, the project will deliver new approaches to erosion risk assessment and intervention.
“The reality is, even with good management, if there’s not enough rain to grow biomass, there’s little that can be done to establish a protective cover. This has been a recurring challenge since early 2024, particularly when weather models had a high probability of a wetter-than-average season. Unfortunately, as can sometimes happen, the opposite has played out,” said Dr Penny Roberts, MSF Research Manager.
Using Data to Warn Before the Damage Is Done
The project will use high-resolution platforms like GEOGLAM to track vegetation cover and provide early warnings to growers when conditions indicate high erosion risk, specifically when groundcover falls below 70% in spring, a risk threshold for wind erosion in the Mallee in the following season.
“Early information on cover conditions before sowing gives growers the ability to adjust cropping plans or grazing management before the risk becomes reality,” said Dr Roberts.
Dr John Leys, Director of DustWatch and leading Australian wind erosion expert, said the outlook is dire:
“The average total cover in the Victorian Millewa for July 2025 is around 55%, comparable to the severe 2019 season. The green cover is the lowest July on record, and there are very few paddocks with any green growth and the SA Northern Mallee has similar challenges.”
Figure 1. Times series of total and green cover.
What the Research Will Investigate
In addition to early-warning systems, the project will trial a range of practical interventions designed to protect soil surfaces and stabilise vulnerable paddocks. Research activities will include:
- Testing soil-binding agents and organic stabilisers to reduce sand drift risk.
- Evaluating the effectiveness of inter-row cover options and fast-establishing species to boost early groundcover.
- Investigating high seeding rates using a combination of pre-sowing spreading and sowing to boost early groundcover.
- Assessing paddock conditions in autumn to better inform early-season decisions on crop selection, establishment, or grazing.
These interventions aim to provide low-cost, regionally adaptable options for growers who face tough conditions at the start of the season.
Figure 2. Images taken from northern Mallee paddocks showing the challenging conditions. Severe wind blasting has affected crop emergence, given late and poor seasonal rainfall.
Next Steps
The project will also support local demonstrations and knowledge-sharing to help growers stabilise vulnerable soils and make informed management decisions as seasonal variability increases. This collaborative effort builds on previous erosion mitigation work in the region.
Project Partners:
Mallee Sustainable Farming, GRDC, Murraylands and Riverland Landscape Board, GEOGLAM, DustWatch Australia
Funding Acknowledgment:
This project is supported by funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the South Australian Government’s Landscapes Priorities Fund, with co-investment from GRDC.
