Managing dryland salinity – farmer case studies from Western Australia

Page last updated: Thursday, 19 January 2023 - 8:37am

Please note: This content may be out of date and is currently under review.

These case studies demonstrate the experience and learning of farmers and other land managers from managing dryland salinity on their own properties we and they believe that what they have learnt is valuable to other managers in similar situations.

The case studies – which include many YouTube videos – are from across the south-west agricultural area of Western Australia, covering different annual rainfalls and business types. The Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development supplies these case studies to help farmers and other land managers learn from each other.

Using these case studies

We recommend that you find case studies that have conditions most similar to your own property (the case studies are listed by rainfall), and then contact your advisors, before committing to any expense. Other pages on this website have up-to-date information on assessing saline sites, and a range of management options.

Note: These case studies were developed by different organisations in different years. We added new videos in 2020, and some of these are of farmers in earlier case studies. Experience and climate change since the the time of the case study may have changed the costs and benefits of the options in the older case studies. Contact details on older case studies is now unlikely to be correct.

We added new videos in 2020.

The WA Landcare Network  has additional salinity management case studies.

Table 1 Saltland management case studies in Western Australia
Rainfall mm Location Name Management Year
250–300 Moorine Rock Glenn and Sherree Nicholson Saltbush, wind erosion and reclamation 2013
285 Wubin Keith, Rosemary, and Boyd Carter Saltbush rows and mixed species understorey 2006
290 Bonnie Rock Hayden Sprigg YouTube video. Bringing dry country to life. Perennial and salt tolerant fodder shrubs. 2021
300 Bullaring Charlie Bell Saltbush rows, perennial pasture and tree belts 2006
300 Bruce Rock Grant Robinson Saltbush rows and pasture or barley in the inter-row 2006
300 Ravensthorpe Jeff and Marilyn Tink Saltbush paddock, salt tolerant grass paddock, lucerne on non-saline paddock 2006
300 Pithara Gary and Kerry Butcher Saltbush rows with sub-tropical perennial grasses and lucerne in the inter-row ?
300 Miling Tony and Peta White YouTube video. Saltland recovery and production. 2020
300 Kalannie Robert and Helen Nixon Groundwater pumping ?
300 Yealering Buster Dawes Saltbush for sheep ?
300 Yealering Chris Walton YouTube Video. Productive saltland in Western Australia. Saltbush for sheep 2015
300 Bruce Rock Dean and Tanya Butler Saltbush instead of samphire 2013
310 Shackleton Greg Tippet YouTube Video. Direct seeding of saltbush 2011
310 Shackleton Greg Tippet YouTube Video. Turning saltlands into productive pastures 2020
320 Mukinbudin Phil and Caroline Smith Saltbush and mulla mulla 2006
325 Trayning Bart and Denella Hulls Saltbush grazed by sheep and cattle 2006
325 Trayning Bart and Denella Hulls Saltland grazing for cattle  
325 Trayning Craig McAndrew YouTube video. Block planting of saltbush 2011
325 Ballidu Bernie Driscoll Bluebush, saltbush, salt tolerant understorey 2006
325 Canna Cameron and Teresa Tubby Drainage, saltbush rows and perennial grasses in the inter-row 2006
325 Wagin Howie Ward Drainage, saltbush rows with mixed understorey in alleys 2009
325 Wyalkatchem Ian and Di Haggerty Saltbush and a mix of understorey pasture species 2006
325 Katanning John Pepall Saltbush rows and perennial understorey 2006
325 Meckering Robert, David and Glenn Beard Lucerne ?
325 Doodlakine Murray Clement Saltbush and medic  
325 Doodlakine Murray Clement YouTube Video. Saltbush systems for sheep 2011
325 Doodlakine Murray Clement YouTube Video. I was embarrassed – not now 2011
325 Doodlakine Murray Clement YouTube Video. Controlling iceplant in saltbush 2011
325 Doodlakine Murray Clement YouTube Video. Improving growth and palatability. Trialling fertiliser on saltbush 2011
325? Wallatin and O’Brien Creek Wallatin and O’Brien Creek Catchments CDI1 project Surface water management, deep drains, siphons, groundwater pumping, perennial pastures, saltland pastures, riparian management, remnant vegetation protection 2010
330 Lake Grace Michael and Margaret Lloyd Extensive saltbush systems ?
330 Tammin Rodney and Janet Stokes YouTube Video. Optimising Anameka fodder shrubs for dryland sheep production. 2022
340 Beverley Dean Aynsley Saltbush and subtropical grasses 2006
350 Quairading Gene Stone Earthworks, saltbush, mixed understorey 2007
350? Fitzgerald River Fitzgerald River Catchment CDI1 project Revegetation, claying, saltland pastures, perennial pastures, liming, surface water management, deep drainage, dams 2010
358 Pingrup Ted and Tony Altham Saltbush and perennial pasture understorey 2006
370 Jerramungup Terry and Linda Lee Saltbush, bluebush, puccinellia, tall wheat grass, annual legumes 2006
370–410 Jerramungup Jodi Duncan YouTube video. Perennials that payoff. Perennial shrubs and pastures: saltbush, tall wheat grass, puccinellia 2020
370 Tammin Tony York YouTube video. Improving the productivity of saltland pastures. From bare ground to productive grazing with bluebush 2011
370 Tammin Tony York YouTube video. Improvong the productivity of livestock. Training sheep to eat saltbush.  
375 Kukerin Andrew Lee Saltbush rows and wide range of perennials and annuals in alleys 2009
390 Ongerup John Harding YouTube video. Tall wheat grass - a cropping solution to salinity. Harvesting tall wheat grass for reseeding and hay. No sheep. 2020
400 Tambellup Barry Witham Saltbush, tall wheat grass, puccinellia, Rhodes grass, lucerne, 2006
400 Moora Brad and Natalie Tonkin Bluebush, saltbush 2007
400 Woodanilling Gradyn Wilcox Saltbush, acacia, subtropical perennial grasses, tall wheat grass 2007
400 Nomans Lake Greg Astbury Perennial mixtures 2009
400 Toolibin Lake Toolibin Lake and its catchments Flow diversion, groundwater pumping, revegetation, technical and community groups  
400? Upper Coblinine Upper Coblinine catchment CDI1 project Lucerne, banks, revegetation, key dams 2010
425 Katanning Adrian Richardson Saltbush, subtropical perennial grasses 2009
425 Borden Richard and Nanette Sounness Phase farming with lucerne ?
425 Wagin Greg, Glenys and Ben Hall Tree crops ?
432 Broomehill Craig Bignell Saltbush, subtropical perennial grasses, tall wheat grass, puccinellia, legumes. 2007
430 Broomehill Craig Bignell YouTube video. Containment feeding on saltland. Saltbush, perennial salt tolerant grasses, lucerne. Confinement feeding of Merinos in the saline area. 2020
438 Tambellup George and Dean Hull Drainage, revegetation, saltbush, perennial grasses 2006
440 Pingelly Garry Page YouTube video (SWCC). Enriching pastures and profits with high-value forage shrubs. Saltbushes and other fodder shrubs for livestock. Part of the Enrich Program with South West Catchment Council (SWCC). Interview with Garry Page. 2018
450 Wagin Farms with a future vision Banks, water harvesting, dams, tree lines ?
450 Walkaway Grant and Elyssa Bain Subtropical perennials ?
480 Cranbrook Ian Walsh YouTube video. Foraging for the future. Saltbush and understorey forage for the future, revegetation, saltbush lines, methane reduction 2016
480 Cranbrook Sam Lehman YouTube video. Resilience through perennials and saltbush 2017
484? Gillingarra Gillingarra Catchment CDI1 project Tagasaste, saltland pastures, farm forestry, native vegetation protection, 2010
500 Duranillin, West Arthur Gary and Ros Abbott Saltbush rows with tall wheat grass and puccinellia in the alleys 2009
500 Duranillin, West Arthur Gary and Ros Abbott YouTube video. A place for perennials. 2020
500 Gibson, Esperance Esperance Downs Research Station Surface water management ?
500 Tambellup, North Stirlings Kim Oliver YouTube video. A future covered in perennials. Saltbush with understorey mix of tall wheat grass, puccinellia, lucerne and kikuyu. 2020
500 Tambellup, North Stirlings Michael White YouTube video. Perennials, essential to the farm system. Trees, alley systems, lucerne, tall wheat grass. 2020
550 Wandering Steve and Marie Watts River saltbush, old man saltbush, tall wheat grass, tall fescue, phalaris, puccinellia, strawberry clover and Rocket ryegrass 2009
550 Bibby Springs Gary Peacock Raised beds, barley and pasture ?
573 Moora Peter and Lois Kelly Tall wheat grass, puccinellia, Rhodes grass, NyPa grass, lucerne, and trees 2007
600 Wooroloo El Caballo Golf Resort Salt water couch, seashore paspalum or saltene, surface and subsurface drainage ?
650 Boyup Brook Richard Walker Surface drainage, large pasture mix including tall fescue, phalaris, white clover, subclover, plantain and chicory 2006

1 Catchment Demonstration Initiative

Contact information

Justin Hardy
+61 (0)8 9892 8408

Managing dryland salinity – farmer case studies from Western Australia