Regional overview
The Barkly tablelands are in the north-west of the Mitchell
grass region, on the Northern Territory side of the border. The
tableland itself rises more than 200 metres above sea level. This
country is well suited to cattle grazing and it is economically one
of the most important areas for pastoral production in the NT.
There is little permanent surface water on the tableland, and one
factor in the success of pastoral use is the comprehensive network
of bores throughout the area that feed raised earth dams
('turkey-nests') for watering cattle.
Properties
This area comprises 44 properties of which 25 are corporately
owned. These 25 properties however represent well over 50 per cent
of the Barkly. Some of the largest cattle grazing properties in the
world can be found in this region—the largest lease is over
12,000 square kilometres and runs around 65,000 head of cattle.
Properties tend to be well improved, and larger leases may have
more than 100 bores. The tablelands turn off the most cattle per
annum of any region in the NT (127,925 in 1995–96) and had a
total cattle population in that year of around 497,000. While only
14 per cent of properties in the Northern Territory are in this
region, it carries more than 35 per cent of the total Territory
herd.
Grazing management
Most properties have taken up property management planning (PMP)
and adopted rotational grazing, supplementary feeding and pasture
monitoring as part of their operational strategies. The quality of
native pasture grazing means that there is little attempt at
pasture improvement, simply because Mitchell grass is so productive
on the cracking clay soils. The major species is Mitchell grass,
but Flinders grass also provides important feed in the summer
months. In addition there are significant areas of swampy bluebush
(Chenopod) shrubland which are highly palatable and therefore
susceptible to overgrazing if not well managed (Perry 1960; Morton
et al 1995; Finlayson et al. in McComb and Lake 1988). Heavy
grazing pressure may also be affecting vegetation of Lake Woods and
Lake Sylvester.
Tableland weeds
The major weed problem at present is Parkinsonia, with noogoora
burr (Xanthium strumarium) causing some problems for
producers in the east of the Barkly. There have been two outbreaks
of prickly acacia (Acacia nilotica) on Barkly properties in
the last year, but both have been eradicated. Vigilant control
programs are in place to ensure that this weed, which has wreaked
havoc in Queensland, does not become established in the Barkly
region.The spread of mesquite (Prosopis spp) has been
reduced via programs involving chemical, mechanical and biological
controls. (NTDPIF Annual Report 1999).
Climate
The Barkly Tablelands district is largely semi-arid and has well
defined wet and dry seasons. The climate is monsoonal with most of
the rainfall coming in from the gulf region. Nearly all rainfall is
received during the hot summer months, November to April, with the
greatest incidence during January and February.
The average annual rainfall varies from 625 mm in the northern
part of the district to around 350 mm in the south eastern corner
of the tableland. The variability of rainfall has an important
effect on the cattle industry. Lack of summer rains reduces pasture
growth and can induce drought. The chance of drought occurring on
the Barkly is approximately one in 10 years. Corporately owned
properties have essentially been able to make themselves free of
drought, in that cattle can be shifted to affiliated properties in
Queensland or elsewhere where seasonal conditions may be more
favourable. For the rest of producers in the Barkly, the
probability of drought must be factored into their long term
property management plans.
Markets
Live export has become increasingly important for private
producers in this region. Corporate properties, which essentially
run a whole state or regional portfolio of properties as though
they were one paddock, tend to turn off stock to affiliated
properties for fattening. They may also sell some cattle fattened
over the wet. Some properties in the region are being used as a
kind of holding bay for live export out of Darwin, for cattle from
affiliated enterprises in other states.
