Agriculture

The H5N1 bird flu virus has been detected near Portland. Now what?

Agriculture Victoria confirmed a positive test for the disease on Thursday.

Portland

Farmers hosting wind turbines take their case to parliament

“We’re trying to make our farm strong for the future, they’re trying to get reelected.”

Agriculture

Meet the French expat starting an escargot farm from scratch in West Vic

Starting with fewer than 1,000 snails, Beech Forest farmer Coralie Schaff hopes to prove the food has a future in the region.

Profiles

Weather whiplash sees farmers turning to native plantings for protection

“The wind is coming from the north, and you want to stop [it] from taking the moisture out of our soil.”

Profiles

Shrinking sheep, booming market: What’s causing the surge in Australia’s wool prices?

Historic lows in the national flock and renewed overseas demand are pushing wool prices to their strongest levels in years, offering producers a welcome boost.

Agriculture

West Vic farmers urged to monitor dams ahead of drier-than-average spring forecast

Agriculture Victoria is advising producers to keep track of water levels, with farmer Jamie Pepper already making contingency plans if significant runoff doesn't arrive by the end of July.

Agriculture

West Vic farmers who cut emissions to combat extreme weather are reaping the benefits

“The combination of rotational grazing and changing animal management has surprisingly helped us build soil carbon.”

Agriculture

As El Nino predictions loom, a West Vic landcare course is teaching farmers to prepare their soil for drier conditions

A $5,000 farming resilience program is being delivered for just $300 a place, with training in soil health, grazing and water management on offer.

Agriculture

Ballarat farmers prepare for looming El Niño declaration

An El Niño event would mean extreme heat and drier weather, potentially leading to drought across the country.

Ballarat

“No fat in the system”: West Vic dairy farmers brace for tight year as processors hold opening milk prices steady

Average numbers currently sit between $8.80 to $9.95 per kilogram of milk solids, a slight increase from previous years.

Agriculture

Future of Camperdown Saleyards site unclear as council votes to decommission 50-year-old facility

The centre closed in 2024 due to low livestock numbers being sold at the yards.

Agriculture

Post-drought hope: West Vic farm profitability tipped to rise despite major challenges

Confidence across the dairy sector has lifted, with local farmers more optimistic about profits after a difficult year of weather and cost pressures.

Agriculture

Twelve months on from West Vic’s drought, Warrnambool Landcare has a plan to “bring life” back to local farmland

A new long-term environmental program aims to plant a million trees, restore hundreds of hectares, improve drought resilience and reconnect native habitats across Warrnambool and Moyne.

Warrnambool

Eastern Barred Bandicoots have returned from near-extinction on a Mortlake sheep farm

“Everything you find out about them is quite surprising”.

Wildlife

“We’ve got to seriously consider this”: How rethinking soil and farming systems could help West Vic farmers pivot from fuel and fertiliser

The Brolga spoke to Deans Marsh sheep farmer Andrew Stewart at last week’s Grounded Festival to hear his thoughts.

Agriculture

“Don’t forget us”: Skipton locals say lack of bushfire reporting leads to slow recovery and investment in wrong areas

In the wake of a fast-moving blaze, locals felt forgotten and ignored.

Agriculture

The regenerative farm that proved its philosophy off the paddock

Brooklands Free Range Farm is a success story in both sustainability and community spirit.

Profiles

New $500 record for lamb prices set in Ballarat

Prices are set to continue upwards in an increasing market.

Ballarat

Fleeced lightnin’: West Vic knitters turn a jumbuck into a jumper in 9 hours

The annual Guinness World Record event aims to raise money for rare cancer research whilst promoting “slow fashion”.

Events

From record harvests to failing returns: What’s West Vic’s farming outlook?

Beef, sheep and wool are all expected to decline in gross value, while pigs, poultry and eggs could see a slight upturn.

Agriculture

Report: Australia's dairy sector heads into a leaner year

South west Victoria is preparing for a pullback as milk production tipped to fall in 2026-27.

Agriculture

Milk, fuel and fertiliser: How the Middle East war is impacting West Vic farmers

“We're still trying to recover financially from two years of drought.”

Agriculture

Victorian dairy factions bury the hatchet after funding feud

Two years after a mass resignation rocked the sector, concerns about the Victorian Farmers Federation have been addressed.

Agriculture

No wires, no posts: Will West Vic farmers flock to virtual fencing?

GPS-guided cattle collars are now legal, but the RSPCA is worried about malfunctions and stress on animals.

Agriculture

“Propping it up”: Local buyers underpin the West Vic cattle market

Mortlake’s Western Victoria Regional Livestock Exchange saw 18,000 head of cattle go under the hammer in January.

Agriculture

Agriculture

The H5N1 bird flu virus has been detected near Portland. Now what?

Farmers hosting wind turbines take their case to parliament

Meet the French expat starting an escargot farm from scratch in West Vic

Weather whiplash sees farmers turning to native plantings for protection

Shrinking sheep, booming market: What’s causing the surge in Australia’s wool prices?

West Vic farmers urged to monitor dams ahead of drier-than-average spring forecast

West Vic farmers who cut emissions to combat extreme weather are reaping the benefits

As El Nino predictions loom, a West Vic landcare course is teaching farmers to prepare their soil for drier conditions

Ballarat farmers prepare for looming El Niño declaration

“No fat in the system”: West Vic dairy farmers brace for tight year as processors hold opening milk prices steady

Future of Camperdown Saleyards site unclear as council votes to decommission 50-year-old facility

Post-drought hope: West Vic farm profitability tipped to rise despite major challenges

Twelve months on from West Vic’s drought, Warrnambool Landcare has a plan to “bring life” back to local farmland

Eastern Barred Bandicoots have returned from near-extinction on a Mortlake sheep farm

“We’ve got to seriously consider this”: How rethinking soil and farming systems could help West Vic farmers pivot from fuel and fertiliser

“Don’t forget us”: Skipton locals say lack of bushfire reporting leads to slow recovery and investment in wrong areas

The regenerative farm that proved its philosophy off the paddock

New $500 record for lamb prices set in Ballarat

Fleeced lightnin’: West Vic knitters turn a jumbuck into a jumper in 9 hours

From record harvests to failing returns: What’s West Vic’s farming outlook?

Report: Australia's dairy sector heads into a leaner year

Milk, fuel and fertiliser: How the Middle East war is impacting West Vic farmers

Victorian dairy factions bury the hatchet after funding feud

No wires, no posts: Will West Vic farmers flock to virtual fencing?

“Propping it up”: Local buyers underpin the West Vic cattle market

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