4619.0.55.002 - Land Management Practices in the Great Barrier Reef Catchments, Experimental Estimates, 2008-09  
ARCHIVED ISSUE Released at 11:30 AM (CANBERRA TIME) 23/04/2010  First Issue
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Land for grazing by area of grazing land.

Of the 17,104 holdings in the 28 GBR catchments there were 12,878 holdings reporting they had land that was used for grazing This comprised land used for grazing on improved pastures as well as grazing on other land. The other land included natural pastures and grasslands, rangelands, woodland and shrubland, forested areas, riparian areas and swamps and wetlands.

The area of land used for grazing was categorised into three size groupings; small (less than 200 hectares, 6,641 holdings), medium ( 200 to 2,000 hectares, 3,921 holdings) and large (greater than 2,000 hectares, 2,316 holdings).

The survey results show that holdings with different areas of grazing land did not demonstrate appreciable differences in the take up of specific land management practices. Moderate differences were apparent with some specific practices.

There were proportionally more holdings of small sizes (12%) using recycling pits or sediment dams to manage surface water run-off than medium sized holdings (11%) or large sized holdings (8%). Having grassed or rubble spoon drains to manage surface water run-off was utilised by 16% of small holdings, 8% of medium sized holdings and 6% of large holdings.

Nearly 60% of large holdings ensured they had at least a forty percent ground cover remaining on their paddocks at the end of the 2008 dry season. By way of comparison, 42% of small holdings and 48% of medium sized holdings ensured they had at least a 40% ground cover remaining.