INNOVATIVE technological solutions to real world agricultural challenges will be a research focus at Rylington Park, Mayanup, under an Edith Cowan University (ECU) and Boyup Brook shire council partnership.
Some 60 people from ECU, the council, government agencies and local farming community - including many former members of a community committee which ran Rylington Park for 35 years - attended the official launch of a memorandum of understanding (MOU) between ECU and the council in the Rylington Park shearing shed last week.
The MOU gives ECU researchers and students access over the next 20 years to the shire-owned working farm, managed for many years on behalf of the community committee and now the council by husband and wife team Marc and Erlanda Deas.
Early research projects proposed by ECU include using Wi-Fi to build a low-power wireless virtual fence around Rylington Park to detect, monitor and repel animals, particularly pests like foxes.
Another project is to investigate using drones to measure carbon sequestration from agricultural areas and to better understand pasture productivity and health, including soil microbes activity, under different agricultural management practices.
ECU is also partnering with Greening Australia to investigate establishing a native seed bank production project at Rylington Park to assess how to best produce resilient, good quality native seed for conservation and restoration of biodiversity loss, especially in a changing climate.
A consensus of opinion among local people attending the launch was the MOU with ECU would secure the future of Rylington Park as a research and training venue in accord with the wishes of its former owner Eric Farleigh, who gifted the property to the shire in 1985.
Up until the signing of the 20-year MOU, what the farm was used for and whether it continued to be retained as an asset by the shire, was largely at the discretion of a vote by councillors.
Since the council took direct control of Rylington Park back from an incorporated community committee in 2020, there has been suggestions by some councillors a community crop could be grown there, harvested and the grain sold to help fund refurbishment of the Boyup Brook recreation centre 27 kilometres away.
That idea was not supported, mainly because a community crop could impinge on the normal profitable operation of the farm, as well as the ability of the Deas as managers to provide sheep for eight novice and learner shearing and wool handling schools run by Australian Wool Innovation at Rylington Park each year.
Two of Mr Farleigh's grandsons attended the MOU launch - David Farleigh, who oversees crop trials for the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development and Brian Farleigh, a Perth builder.
David Farleigh said he was very proud of his grandfather's gift to the shire and pleased a long-lived MOU with ECU had been signed to potentially increase the agricultural research and training carried out at Rylington Park.
"It is what my grandfather would have wanted and aligns with his wishes for the property," said Mr Farleigh, who grew up on Rylington Park.
"He was very keen to create educational opportunities for people who wanted to go farming."
He said he hoped the partnership between ECU and the council could enable some of the facilities at the farm, including the 1980s accommodation units and the original farmhouse now managers' residence, to be refurbished and upgraded.
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ECU research theme leader (Natural and Built Environments), professor Kerry Brown said the partnership was an opportunity to conduct applied research that would also support regional development.
"The ability to have access to a single farm is a significant opportunity to develop long term research studies that may solve issues including climate change, livestock and crop management," she said.
"Evidence-based responses to changing climates and new farming practices are critical to building farm viability and community prosperity.
"ECU will work with the farming community to share the results of the research."
Deputy vice-chancellor (Regional Futures) Cobie Rudd welcomed the agreement.
"The partnership with Rylington Park and the Shire of Boyup Brook is a great start to better understanding the challenges facing the farming community, while also contributing to regional development," she said.
"ECU's research will make a lasting contribution to improving the agricultural industry." Shire president Richard Walker said from the shire's perspective the MOU fulfilled the agricultural research, education and training aspirations for the property that Eric Farleigh had when he generously gifted it to the shire.
"It is worth noting that this MOU is strongly supported by local farmers," Cr Walker said.
