Byron Shire Council vs macadamia farming
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- čas přidán 23. 05. 2024
- Most macadamia farming in the Northern Rivers falls within three local government areas: Ballina, Lismore and Byron. What’s happening in Byron is a concern. But let’s start with something happier - the Bangalow billy cart derby!
It was a little sad to see parts of loose goose and stockade being removed this week when I was there. Including the original grays nursery and dehusking sheds. It’s going to look very different in 5 years. In some ways I agree with others that serious nut production is now better suited to places like Bundy.
Real Estate agents and developers have a lot to answer for ! Forcing prices up to their advantage
Great video, Daniel! Thank-you. A nice look at that Lindendale farm again. There are so many good farms in the Northern Rivers it really is a shame to have it subdivided like that. Here in Japan they do something similar, chop up the side of a mountain (not farmland as that is protected and heavily subsidised), with great views, and build a 'holiday house community' with strata titles. Much smaller blocks than what you are talking about. Some of these communities are very beautiful but are not so popular as the houses age. And Japan is still very centralised in terms of residential population so not many even want to 'go bush’. Even after the COVID years....
I also wonder whether governments are considering the long term as far as protecting prime agricultural land from housing development. Also I understand in Bundaberg where mining may adversely affect underground water used by macadamia farmers.
Interesting topic! Town planners create zones to minimise conflict. Surely local councils need to be empowered by state to create defensible farming areas. In this case Byron might feel that it needs more residential and determine the best areas for this to happen. Not perfect, but at least you keep the developers on a leash! A few observations though. Macadamias are food, but it is difficult to argue that they are an essential part of our diet. Healthy and nutritious treat that due to costs of producing will remain a treat for most of us. Which brings us to the next point. It's difficult to beat the markets. If Macadamias were profitable then those farms would have sold to farmers. They didn't because they lack economies of scale, they haven't had long term investment, the next generation of buyers aren't interested in pouring their off farm income and all their leisure time into a very low margin enterprise. Take a trip to Bundaberg and see farms on flat country with good soil and an irrigation scheme where tree counts begin at 10000 and rise to 100000 per unit. Long straight rows of the latest varieties that will churn out 4t/ha at 15 years. 3 or 4 thousand 40 year old and 15m tall H varieties on the side of a hill just can't make it in today's world as a stand alone enterprise. They are made even less viable when a "tree changer' is prepared and capable of paying $2 million for the house site with a view. The trees are just there to these people but their buying power prevents the few gen Z's who might be interested from getting involved. And there in a 'nutshell' you have most of the issues society faces and some of the reasons gen z are so depressed!
Here is some advice if you or someone can challenge: