Laying foundations for the next generation

For many young families, buying a home in the suburbs comes with dreams of renovations or extensions. For young farming families like Dimbulah papaya growers Ben Bozzo and Jaime Smith, those dreams look a little different. Their reno project was re-laying 3.3 kilometres of ageing irrigation pipe.

When Ben and Jaime purchased their farm in 2018 and established Sandy Plains Farming, they knew the property needed more than a lick of paint.

Connected to the Mareeba Dimbulah Irrigation Channel, which originates from the Tinaroo Falls Dam, the property’s main line that links them to the channel is shared between two farms and was originally laid more than 60 years ago.

At three times the length of neighbouring growers’ lines, it presented a challenge that other potential buyers weren’t willing to take on, but Ben and Jaime saw a future there for themselves and their two children.

Upgrading the main line and securing their connection to the channel network was vital for the longevity of their papaya growing operation, with regular irrigation needed to ensure crop health and vitality, as well as protect the property from seasonal bushfire threats.

The age and condition of the pipe gave Ben and Jaime serious concerns about the reliability of water supply to their farm.

“Sixty-year-old pipe, like that’s brittle, it’s that old and silted up. I’d had to repair it multiple times,” Ben said.

“It was a ticking time bomb,” Jaime added.

It was a project Ben and Jaime were prepared to tackle themselves, but a neighbouring grower pointed them in the direction of some assistance in the form of Growcom’s Farm Business Resilience Program (FBRP) and a QRIDA Drought Preparedness Grant.

Ben got in touch with Ebony Faichney of Farmour who works on behalf of Growcom with growers in Far North Queensland on their Farm Business Resilience Plans.

Through completing a Farm Business Resilience Plan with Ebony, Ben and Jaime also drew on her assistance to successfully apply for a QRIDA Drought Preparedness Grant to subsidise the re-laying of the Sandy Plains main line.

Although they’re not currently in drought, using tools like My Climate View when completing their Farm Business Resilience Plan highlighted how important the main line upgrade was in terms of protecting the property against drought or bushfire.

“We’re not in a drought now, but we’re not always going to have a good wet season and this [the new main line] 100 per cent has put us ahead,” Ben said.

Accessing the grant meant Ben and Jaime could prioritise this significant infrastructure project and complete it at least 12 months sooner than they would have been able to if it was entirely self-funded.

Early results have already shown big gains. Flow metre tests show that the new pipeline is 35 per cent more efficient than the old one, saving three hours a week in pump time, a figure Ben speculates could double during warmer periods.

As well as shoring up the water supply, the project has also had long-term planning benefits.

The old mainline ran underneath neighbouring properties with its route and depth not documented. This led to instances of the pipe being dug into accidentally and compromised water supply to the farm.

“We’d have to back trace and kind of go, ‘where do you think the main line goes?’ And talk to this farmer and talk to that farmer,” Ben said.

The new line, laid on the road reserve in consultation with council, has been fully surveyed and documented to prevent this new pipeline being inadvertently damaged.

Ben was determined that this vital part of the farm was built correctly now, so it would have long-term benefits for his family.

“We wanted to get this job done properly the first time and not have to worry about it until he has to deal with it,” Ben laughed gesturing to his toddler son.

But there’s a lot to come for Sandy Plains between now and then. Completing a Farm Business Resilience Plan has helped Ben and Jaime not only with the main line upgrade but enabled them to see what is next for their farm.

During the planning process, they identified the purchase of a variable speed drive as well as developing Sandy Plains-branded boxes for packing their produce as next priorities.

Both of which have now been accomplished.

Ebony said that Ben and Jaime have embraced the view to continuous improvement the FBRP strives to support on Queensland farms.

“It’s amazing to see what Ben and Jaime have accomplished in a few short years,” Ebony said.

“With the important work done to replace the main line, they can move forward and build their farming operations with confidence.”

With strong foundations now in place, Sandy Plains Farming is set to grow alongside the next generation of Bozzos.

The Farm Business Resilience Program is jointly funded through the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund and the Queensland Government’s Drought and Climate Adaptation Program.