Calliweera is owned and managed by Mark and Nathan Warnock, second-generation graziers committed to improving both the productivity and sustainability of their operation. Located in a high-priority area for reducing sediment runoff into the Great Barrier Reef, Calliweera was experiencing erosion, declining ground cover, and pasture degradation.
In 2021, the Warnocks partnered with Verterra through the Fitzroy Water Quality Project, a four-year initiative funded by the Great Barrier Reef Foundation. The goal was to implement whole-of-property grazing practice changes to reduce sediment loss, regenerate ground cover, and build resilience to drought – all while supporting the cattle operation.
Verterra worked alongside the Warnocks to assess land health, then design and implement a Grazing Land Management Plan tailored to the property’s specific challenges and production goals. The project became a testing ground for DROVER, successfully aligning improved productivity with the Warnocks’ broader sustainability aspirations, including participation in a soil carbon project and plans for future biodiversity planting under the Land Restoration Fund.
“The transparency was mind blowing, as was the upfront collaboration and on-ground etiquette of the team. The land responds quicker to rain now; there’s more infiltration of water into the soil and less runoff. There’s more grass on the land now than I’ve seen in 55 years. To have this newfound resilience means less stress and anxiety about the potential of having to sell the property. We’d absolutely recommend this to any graziers looking to make better use of their land.”
Nathan Warnock
