Environment
STRIKING THE BALANCE
"..it's a complex balancing act between the need to earn a living and a necessity to sustain the environment..."
The home property 'Hilmont' lies along the lower reaches of the Williams River weir pool, a 21 km stretch of river that supplies drinking water to the lower Hunter region. Being situated within a water catchment area for Newcastle domestic water supply, the drive to adopt sustainable farming practices and consider water quality within the wider catchment was imperative to protect natural resources across the property.
John and Janelle are proactive about environmental sustainability and have fenced off and revegetated river frontages, provided extensive stock shelters away from run-off areas and installed off-stream watering points for stock in all paddocks.
With 3 km of frontage to the Williams River, their land management vision extends beyond the property boundary fences. Thorough planning, detailed recording and constant evaluation are central to their on-farm activities. To move beyond the fifth generation of family members to survive on the farm will demand a continued balance between livestock production and care for the environment.
In 2005, the 'Hilmont' property was selected as a Best Management Practice
farm to showcase the various on-farm practical aspects of land management implemented by John and Janelle. The booklet written by John, Striking the Balance
chronicles the story behind the Spearpoint's vision.
