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Pesticide management on a Mackay cane farm

Allan and Liz McLean manage a 380 hectare property (made up of four farms) located near Narpi, about 35 kilometres north of Mackay. They have a large area of their land under sugarcane production, with some grazing areas and remnant native vegetation patches. The creeks flowing through their property still have quite good riparian vegetation along their banks. All of the farms form part of the catchment area for Jolimont Creek, which is a major sub-catchment of the Murray Creek system.

The McLeans said that their main priority is to set up their farms to be as sustainable as possible, both economically and environmentally. They are taking action to reduce their need for, and use of, residual chemical inputs that may leave the farm in run-off, as well as causing water quality issues in the creeks and on the Reef.

With the assistance of the Mackay Whitsunday NRM (non-government site) Sustainable Landscapes Program (SLP) (non-government site), the McLeans developed and purchased a four-row shielded spray unit to remove the need to apply residual chemicals on cane land.

Together with a neighbouring grower, Wayne Sommerfeld, they modified the unit to apply two knockdown herbicides in sugarcane simultaneously. Trials to date have been very successful.

Allan McLean does not apply residual herbicide to his ratoon cane, which makes for big savings in chemical application costs without any loss of production. Work is continuing to fine-tune the unit so that he can also confidently use it in plant cane.

The McLeans are also tackling the source of weeds from surrounding bushland areas, applying a strategy of minimal chemical use with methods such as fire and spot spraying.

Over several years, they have built a number of stormwater structures to help trap farm run-off and at the same time provide a source for irrigation if it is required.

The McLeans’ vision is that over the next few years they will have a profitable farm that is not causing any further degradation to the soil, water and vegetation. Their ultimate aim is to be able to step back and let their children take over the farm and continue to practice sustainable farming activities.

Last reviewed 03 March 2008

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