Looking out over a pasture that appeared to go on forever into a boundary of rolling mountains he spoke about the moment that made him realise he’d spent years farming in a way that didn’t sit right with him.
Geoff’s pasture views were vastly different 15 years ago. The barren stretches of land, the monotony of monoculture. It wasn’t just exhausting; it was disheartening.
“I never enjoyed farming before moving here,” Geoff reflected. “It felt like I was damaging the soil. Every year, I was using more chemicals, it was monoculture farming with no trees and grass that refused to grow—it just didn’t feel sustainable.”
Geoff reached for the cuppa his wife, Lyndal, carried out across the patio as he continued explaining.
“I said to my Dad I wanted to make a change and started looking around at places and when I saw this place it was like a knee-jerk reaction. It was the total opposite of what I knew,” he recalls.
“I bought it at auction on the spot”.
Not long after Geoff met Lyndal, she wasn’t just a partner in life, but a partner in vision.
This property is called Ninderra. It sprawls across 10,800 acres not far out from Injune. Out of those, 8,000 acres are usable and 2,800 is beautiful, untouched natural landscape.
Geoff raised an arm to point across to the ranges, the cuff of his sleeve covered in the soil he was describing.
“The closer you get to the range the better the soil is because it’s basalt soil and because of the range we get more rainfall.”
Geoff and Lyndal share a love for Ninderra and wanted it at its best while supporting beef cattle. For the first few years on the property, it was set stocked but the rain was continuous so the grass grew, the cattle thrived and the land responded. But then the rain stopped and the holes in their system appeared as their first real dry season on the property settled in.
Patches of over grazing started appearing in their previously abundant pastures, so Geoff and Lyndal’s journey of change begun.
A land management plan was put in place and adapted and edited with each learning curve along the way. They took the opportunity to purchase 2,000 acres from a neighbouring property.
Keen to incorporate their new land into their existing grazing and land management plan, Lyndal reached out to FBA’s Land Management Officer, Sheree Johnston.
The new addition only had two fences and a small dam but Lyndal and Geoff had learned that to reach the level of productivity they wanted they would need more infrastructure and more water to support it.
Sheree sat opposite across the table from Geoff beside Lyndal. It was her final project visit to Ninderra since that first phone call from Lyndal in January 2024.
Through tailored planning and funding, FBA supported Geoff and Lyndal for six months to reach their productivity goals.
Geoff was eager to show Sheree the early results. He, Lyndal and Sheree piled into Geoff’s trusty Landcruiser ute and headed for their once again abundant, green pastures.
The pride on Sheree’s face was evident as she took it all in.
Geoff pulled up in a pasture that was green as far as the eye could see with a multitude of species growing within it.
“It’s still early days, but we’re confident more results will come,” he beamed.
Walking through knee length grass Geoff added that for him the mantra has always been simple.
“Grass first. Every decision we make comes back to that.”
This philosophy is the backbone of the couple’s approach to land management and their dedication to it shines through in their property.
By prioritising soil health and vegetation, they’re creating a resilient ecosystem that supports both their cattle and the broader environment.
As Sheree loaded her car to head back to the office she noted that Lyndal and Geoff had a clear vision for their property and a commitment to the results they aimed to achieve. This clarity and drive not only made the process smoother but also makes it incredibly rewarding to know that the outcomes will be genuinely valued. Their dedication ensures the work will continue to evolve and improve over time.
A cloud of dust followed Sheree down the long stretch of driveway as Lyndal gave her own review of working with FBA.
“There’s nothing to lose and everything to gain”.
