Top End hosts Australian Rangeland Society Conference for first time in more than 30 years
Last month the Northern Territory (NT) played host to Australia’s leading rangelands researchers, land managers and pastoral industry representatives, marking the first time the Australian Rangeland Society (ARS) Conference has been held in the Top End in more than three decades.
The Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) played a major role in the conference, serving as a Bronze Sponsor and helping lead the successful delivery of the event. DAF also hosted a trade stall, providing delegates with information on the department’s research, extension and industry development programs.
DAF researchers and extension officers delivered 13 presentations, with 16 staff contributing as authors or co-authors, showcasing the department’s extensive expertise in rangelands research and extension. Presentation topics included buffel grass management, carrying capacity assessment, long-term pasture monitoring, flood impacts on grazing systems, sustainable grazing guidelines for arid Australia, grazing management, sustainable stocking rates, fire management, extension programs and emerging technologies.
Delegates also participated in a Virtual Fencing panel session facilitated by DAF representatives, exploring the opportunities and challenges of adopting emerging livestock management technologies across northern Australia.
The Livestock Industries Development (LID) team also planned and delivered two of the conference’s four field tours, providing delegates with firsthand insights into northern grazing systems and land management challenges. The tours explored the Arnhem
Highway corridor and the Territory Wildlife Park Fire Experiment and Gamba Grass sites, showcasing local research and practical management approaches.
The strong DAF presence at the conference reinforced the Northern Territory’s reputation as a leader in rangelands research, extension and innovation. Through research, industry engagement and collaboration, DAF continues to support sustainable pastoral production and informed land management across the Territory’s vast rangelands.
The conference also highlighted the valuable contribution of Territory researchers in addressing some of Australia’s most significant rangelands challenges, including sustainable grazing management, invasive pasture species, carrying capacity assessment, fire management and climate resilience.
