Schools Property Planning Competition Field Day Grows
19 May 2021
The annual Northern Tablelands Local Land Services Schools Property Planning Field Day attracted even more agriculture students than in previous years. 210 students participated in the field day from 11 schools across the Northern Tablelands region and beyond.
The Schools Property Planning competition gives secondary school students firsthand experience in strategic property planning to tackle the real-life challenges faced by local farmers.
The students were welcomed to Peter and Sally Strelitz’s property, Elm Park, just outside Armidale where the history of the farm business and its current operations were explained.
The students have been hypothetically contracted by the Strelitz family to prepare a property plan that can be considered for adoption on Elm Park.
“At home I’m used to the way we operate so it is really interesting to see how other people run their farm. I feel like I can now solve some of the issues on our place because we have talked about similar issues and solutions at the field day,” said Sam Perrin, Year 12 Agriculture student at Macintyre High School.
“I’m looking forward to writing a plan that these farmers can actually use. It’s a big responsibility,” Sam said.
Northern Tablelands Local Land Services staff were on hand to share their expertise, providing additional information on soils, pastures, livestock, biodiversity, biosecurity, water quality, and Aboriginal cultural heritage.
“The Property Planning Competition Field Day is fantastic because each station has something the students need to learn about for their HSC and it is great when they hear about it from people other than their teacher,” said David Gradey, Agriculture teacher at Macintyre High School.
“It is great for our students to see other students of a similar age doing a similar thing - it helps them build networks. The field day makes the students think about skills outside the classroom and about what they want to do when they leave school,” said David.
The field day was the first stage of the program, which is funded through the Australian Government’s National Landcare Program. Students now take their new knowledge away to create a profitable, productive and sustainable property plan for Elm Park which is then submitted as an entry into the Property Planning Competition, with the winners announced later in the year.
Most schools will participate in a tutorial with Northern Tablelands Local Land Services Farm Planner, Johnelle Stevens to help the students understand what the judges of the competition are looking for in the farm plan being developed by each school for entry into the competition. In the process, students will grow skills to respond to future challenges in their agriculture careers in rural and regional Australia.
Northern Tablelands Local Land Services is most grateful to the Strelitz family for opening their farm gates for the field day, and also to Schools Property Planning Competition sponsors University of New England, Meat and Livestock Australia and Regional Development Australia - Northern Inland, for supporting this event for the region’s future farmers and agriculture professionals.
ENDS
Media contact: Annabelle Monie, Communications Officer – 0429 626 326