"Koobabbie": ecological and economic Sustainability

Abstract

"KOOBABBIE" is a 6 885 ha wheat and sheep farm in the Coorow District of the northern wheatbelt of Western Australia (see Fig. 1, Hobbs 2003). The land was taken up by my grandparents in 1906. As clearing for agriculture took place, original vegetation was preserved in timber belts, along waterways and on rocky rises, but these were not fenced. In 1966 my husband, John, and I took over management of the property and in 1970 commenced fencing the remnant vegetation to exclude livestock. In 1987 we purchased 1 864 ha of salt lake country and excluded livestock from the area. Our aim is to preserve a representative cross section of the original vegetation on our property.