FARM

I am not sure if I am the only one, but it feels like January was only yesterday, and yet here we are, sneaking up on December. Nevertheless, it has been another good week on the Farm. Today, we say goodbye to our Year 11s and look forward to welcoming them back in Term 1in  2026 as Year 12 students.

Parks and Gardens

Staff and students have been busy keeping the grounds neat and tidy. Some work was required to remove several Magnolia trees that had become a problem for the cleaners, but the staff and students did a great job removing them and tidying up the area.

Beef

On Tuesday, Mia Davis and the students prepared 56 weaner steers for the Boyanup Sale, which took place on Wednesday.  A comment from the sales was that 'they sold well in a strong market'. 

Dairy

The Dairy is going well, with 160 cows currently being milked. Over the weekend, we received the results from the SEMEX–Holstein on-farm competition. We entered 16 cows and achieved four placements across five categories:

• 2 Year Old – 6th Place

• 4 Year Old – 5th Place

• 5 Year Old – 3rd Place

• Mature – 5th Place

   

Well done to Kylie Quilty, Russell Jolly, and Brad Falkingham for their dedication to maintaining a high standard of animal welfare at our dairy and ensuring we remain competitive in the broader WA region.

Our two pivots are in full swing to ensure optimal pasture growth. Water management is crucial to avoid overwatering, which leads to water loss and nutrient leaching. We also do not want to underwater and then lose out on optimal crop growth. With the help of soil moisture probes, Brad Falkingham manages our irrigation program at the Dairy very well.

A big thank you to the staff and students involved in this year’s hay season for your hard work in getting it done on time. Late rain, well-planned fertilisation, and effective pasture management were key factors in achieving the strong yields.

Horticulture

Matt Olde, Shaun Lawrence, and the students have been busy with many projects in Horticulture, including planting flowers, working on the hydroponic systems in the hothouse, preparing the ground and forming beds, removing old or dead trees for replacement, planting produce, and laying irrigation lines. The entire Horticulture irrigation system is currently being upgraded and, if all goes to plan, should be completed by the end of the year. This is a very exciting project, as it will provide a more advanced system to support our irrigation program. Our wine and table grapes are looking healthy and progressing well.

Weekend Stock Roster