Managing a Small Property

As a new rural landholder there are many options to consider regarding what you could grow on your land and how you can mange your property to help the environment. Whether you are using your farmlet for your rural retreat, a home as part of your rural lifestyle, a weekender or as a piece of paradise to retire to there are important legal obligations and responsibilities to consider.

As a land manager you have to carefully manage lots of responsibilities. You need to look after your property in a way that protects the land and environment, takes care of the health and safety of your animals and manages the quality of your crops and pasture. Of course, you also need to look after your own health and safety and make sure that in managing your property you are meeting all expected legal obligations to do with farming.

If you have decided to investigate ways of diversifying your income on your small property, we can provide some guidance on some of the things you should think about regarding new ventures in farm diversification.

Care for Yourself and Legal Obligations I Care for Your Animals | Care for Your Land | Care for Plants I Farm Diversification I Other Useful Information

a) Care for Yourself and Legal Obligations

In Victoria, there are laws affecting property management that are important for new landholders to be aware of such as the need to control pest animals, manage the welfare of animals, chemical use and weed eradication. New landholders also have a responsibility to manage their property in a way that does not adversely affect commercial agricultural production on neighbouring farms. For instance, uncontrolled weeds or pest animals can quickly spread and affect pasture and animal production. Domestic dogs that are allowed to wander may kill or maim stock on adjacent properties. The following links provide more details on certain laws that could affect small property mangers. Chemical use National Livestock Identification System – Victorian requirements Water Quality Time management tips Rural Law Online (external link) Responsibilities of Victorian Landholder New Landholder Legal Obligations Page Top

b) Care for Your Animals

Many rural properties run some form of livestock. The range and number varies but a few fundamental issues need to be considered. You are responsible for the well being and care of your animals. That means that you need to take all reasonable actions to ensure their safety and the safety of people coming into contact with them. Issues you need to consider include purchasing, animal identification, transporting, animal fencing, handling facilities, as well as the need for clean fresh water, shelter, animal safety and of course - feeding (depending on whether you are you growing animals, just maintaining them or if you want to feed them for reproduction purposes). The following links may assist your decision-making

Animals and Livestock general Animal Welfare Animal welfare for livestock producers (PDF 534KB) Legal requirement for tagging your animals Beef Information Notes Sheep Information Notes Speciality Animals Horses Founder - a common horse ailment Water for horses following fires Various Codes of Practice Beekeeping Small Farm: Livestock agistment New Landholder Agistment form Page Top

c) Care for Your Land

Interested in learning more about how you can manage your property to enhance the environment? This may mean protecting the soil from erosion, improving the native vegetation for animal habitats, maintaining good grass cover to improve the sustainabilty of your land. Importantly, it also involves controlling or eradicating weeds and pest animals on your land for the care and safety of stock, plants and humans.

Weeds (pest plants) & animals Land degradation and erosion Land for Wildlife (external link) Landcare - Australia (external link) Landcare - Victoria (external link) Vegetation management Environmental Management Systems in Victorian Agriculture What is a healthy soil? General Soil Information Notes Grazing management - horses Pastures for horses Page Top

d) Care for Plants

A typical ‘crop’ grown on new properties is pasture. There are many issues to consider when establishing, maintaining and harvesting pasture. New landholders may also be interested in managing pests in orchards or in other traditional crops such as grains, oilseeds or legumes. The links below may help your search for information

Pasture establishment Pastures Getting to know your pastures Fruit fly management in orchards Crops & Pastures Information Notes Page Top e) Farm Diversification Farm Diversification – a Framework for Decision Making

The services and Information to New Landholders team have developed a series of Information Notes to assist small landholders with their thinking and decision making when considering a new idea or activity for generating income on their property.

Farm Diversification Decision Making (PDF 716KB)
Step 1 – Compatibility of an idea (PDF 260KB)
Step 2 – Observing an idea PDF 248KB)
Step 3 –Trialing and idea (PDF 972KB)
Step 4 – Complexity of an idea (PDF 260KB)
Step 5 – Resource Advantage (PDF 270KB)

f) Other Useful Information

• Organic Farming Information Notes
• Catchment Management Authorities
• Recently, two CMAs have produced very useful resources specifically designed for new landholders who wish to know more about managing their rural property.
  • Caring for Country (external link)
  • Resource Guide - Managing Your Rural Property (external link)
• Victorian Resources Online (VRO)
• Greening Australia Victoria Inc. (GAV) (external link)
• Trust for Nature (TFN) (external link)
• World Wildlife Fund (WWF), including Threatened Species Network (TSN) (external link)
• Rural councils (external link)
• Weather or climate (external link)
• Department of Sustainability and Environment (DSE) Fireweb (external link)
• Country Fire Authority (external link)