Govt to offload Vasse research station

It was revealed at a State government estimates hearing last week the large dairy research station in Jalbarragup Rd, Kalgup, about six kilometres south of Busselton, is the first of several Department of Agriculture and Food WA (DAFWA) properties proposed to be sold off.

The Department of Lands is preparing Vasse and some other research stations deemed surplus to requirements, for disposal, the estimates hearing was told.

But it has not yet been listed on the department's website under land asset sales or land being prepared for disposal.

Leased out by DAFWA as a commercial dairy farm in 2012, the research station was critical to Western Dairy's decision to take over the dairy RD&E role for WA.

Just on 12 months ago DAFWA divested its dairy RD&E role to Western Dairy under a three-year agreement which including two major research projects initiated by DAFWA scientists at the research station.

Under the agreement, Western Dairy picked up the projects; investigating herd feeding systems and potassium application rates, plus researchers Martin Staines and Ruairi McDonnell, to continue the work at Vasse.

On the strength of the agreement, Western Dairy established its RD&E hub at Bunbury, a convenient 40 minutes from the research station, and held its annual spring field day and annual general meeting there last year to show off field trials.

DAFWA executive director grains and livestock, Peter Metcalfe, told a Legislative Council estimates hearing last week while other DAFWA research stations were being prepared for sale by the lands department, Vasse was the only one "listed for sale".

Mr Metcalfe told hearing that the sale of the research station would be "interesting" because of the lease.

"It will be interesting to see what the time frame in clearance is for that (property)," he said.

With Western Dairy support, the research station's dairy operation was leased to Scott and Michelle Weldon who purchased DAFWA's herd and have since added to it.

Their lease expires on April 30, 2018. Answering questions from former Liberal now Shooters, Fishers and Farmers party South West MLC Nigel Hallett, Mr Metcalfe confirmed revenue from the sale of the research station would go to Treasury.

It will not return to DAFWA to fund dairy industry RD&E, he confirmed.

Mr Metcalfe told the hearing income from lease payments for research stations such as Vasse and Mr Barker did not always cover capital costs associated with maintaining the property as landlord.

"The lease rates do not always cover all the larger capital items in terms of fence replacement, road upgrading and the building and maintenance-type work," he said.

Western Dairy chairman and Boyanup dairy farmer Vic Rodwell, who has hosted a field trials and experiments on his own farm, said Western Dairy would do all it could to maintain access to Vasse research station.

"Western Dairy worked closely with DAFWA in transitioning the Vasse research station into a commercial dairy, in what was an opportunity to help develop two young people; the current lessees; with a future in dairy," Mr Rodwell said.

"The lease arrangement includes a provision for Western Dairy's team to be able to conduct research at Vasse and utilise its facilities for dairy industry field days, in collaboration with the lessees.

"We will continue to do everything in our power to see that the property remains part of the dairy industry and that our existing relationship continues with any new owners."

Mr Rodwell said Western Dairy would also advocate for the Weldons to continue leasing the property.

He admitted increasing land values and diversified development in the South West between Busselton and Margaret River, which is putting vineyards under pressure, meant there was a risk private owners might not want to continue dairy farming or research on the property.

Officially opened in 1984, the research station consists of a collection of 24 agricultural buildings, an office and six houses clustered closely together around a network of gravel roads, plus extensive pasture paddocks.

Dairy infrastructure on the property was "pretty good, which is perhaps one thing in our favour" for it remaining a dairy farm, Mr Rodwell said.

He said DAFWA had not consulted Western Dairy about its plans for Vasse.

But Western Dairy had been aware, through the lease agreement with the Weldons, that access was uncertain after April, 2018 and had "geared" its research program at Vasse accordingly, Mr Rodwell said.

A lot of dairy research in WA is already conducted on working farms under prevailing conditions so loss of access to Vasse would not end Western Dairy's RD&E capability, Mr Rodwell said.

"With our hub at Bunbury it is convenient to have access to Vasse to run research and field days,'' he said.

"With the hub we've established something that is leading Australia in dairy with the ability to generate and conduct grounded research.

"It makes no sense whatsoever to then sell off the research facility," Mr Rodwell said.

A DAFWA spokesperson said Vasse research station "has been identified as being surplus to DAFWA requirements".

"However, it is a current DAFWA worksite (and) dairy operations at the site have been leased until April 30, 2018,'' the spokesman said.

"DAFWA will continue to review all of its properties, including Vasse, against current and projected business needs and will ascertain if additional lease extensions are appropriate."

In 1982 DAFWA announced it would establish a large-animal research station to replace those at Bramley, Northam and Denmark and before the Vasse station opened Bramley and Northam were sold off.

In 2004 DAFWA had 21 staff stationed at Vasse.