Boolara is a family farm owned and managed by Michael, Rosemary, Brian and Betty Cornish. Boolara was purchased by Brian and Betty in 1972. The property is 1032 ha in area and is situated 8 kilometres east of Coonawarra, in the South East of South Australia. Annual rainfall is approximately 650mm. The first plantation of Radiate Pine (34 ha) on Boolara was established by Brian and Betty Cornish in 1975. There are now 336 ha of Radiate Pine and 112 ha of Tasmanian Blue Gum on Boolara.
Boolara is a good example of property management planning (PMP). The objectives of PMP are long-term sustainabiliiy, increased productivity and profitability. The mechanism for achieving these objectives is diversification of enterprises. Boolara was traditionally a cattle grazing property, but through PMP, viticulture and forestry are now major components of the farm business. Coincidentally this has resulted in a large overall increase in biomass on Boolara.
The wine and forestry industries are both significant contributors to the economy of the South East region, providing secure markets for the products from Boolara. The property is located in the Coonawarra Wine Region, and is close to wineries. Timber processing facilities are also within 50kms of Boolara, meaning transport costs are reasonably low.
Direct seeds shelter belts established 1994
Each enterprise on Boolara makes use of the part of the property to which it is best suited. Grazing with cattle is concentrated on the fertile flats, while vineyards of Cabernet Sauvignon grapes have been planted on the Terra Rosso sails. Plantations of Radiate Pine (Pinus radiates) and Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) have been planted extensively on the northern section of the property where deep sandy soils occur. These soils are well suited to ait prefers deep well-drained soils and can tolerate relatively low soil fertility.
Boolara has also undergone a program of revegetation where many fence lines on the property have been sown or planted with shelter belts of native species. These provide shade and shelter for stock, whilst enhancing biodiversity.
FORESTRY ON BOOLARA
Whilst the area of Boolora converted to forestry is substantial, the impact of this
Angus Bulls grazing on productive Red Gum flats
conversion on overall stock numbers has been minimised by intensifying grazing on the most suitable areas.
In terms of carrying capacity, the sandy soils support only 4 DSE’ per hectare, compared to 10 DSE/Ha on the heavier textured soils.
Productivity of the sandy soils can be increased through fertilising and pasture renovation,however these activities are now focused on the inherently better soils.
Radiata Pine Management
Establishment
Most of the work involved in establishing a Pine plantation is limited to an 18 month period. Essential operations during this time include the control of bracken, sorrel and perennial grasses in spring or autumn prior to planting, spraying with residual herbicide at the break of season, planting in the winter and over the top spraying the following winter.
Tending
1996, Radiata pine on left side (7 years old) p-runed to 2.5 metres & 1999 Eucalyptus globulus on right side.
Pruning of “edge trees” is used to add value to Radiata Pine plantations on Boolora. Edge trees produce large side branches due to increased light and space, resulting in timber with large knots and lower value. Pruning commences at age 4 - 5 and is completed by age 8. Trees are pruned up to 6 metres in height to allow for a high value bottom log to be produced. Pruning for high quality logs is done manually, however a tractor mounted slasher saw is also used to roughly trim edge trees and improve access along breaks. Pruning within the plantation is not required because lower branches eventually die through lack of light.
Radiata Pine plantations are fertilised to increase productivity. The benefits of fertilising can last up to 10 years. Fertiliser is usually applied 12 - 18 months after a thinning operation.
Harvesting
Plantations on Boolara are managed on a multiple thinning regime, with the 1st thinning conducted at age 12 and subsequent thinning operations every 5 - 7 years thereafter. There are usually 3 or 4 thinning operations conducted prior to the final harvest or clear felling, planned for 34 - 38 years of age. The objective of thinning is to provide space for the better trees to grow. This is acheived by removing the smaller, poor quality trees. Thinning also provides intermediate revenue. Products harvested include posts, poles and pulpwood in the early thinnings and progressively larger diameter sawlogs in the later thinnings. Clear felling provides large diameter, high quality logs used for plywood and sawn wood products. It also provides lower grade sawlogs and pulpwood.
1998 ~ Spotted Gum pruned at age 5, to 2.5 metres
Tasmanian Blue Gum Management
Tasmanian Blue Gum (Eucalyptus globulus) plantations have been established on Boolara for woodchip production on a 9 - 12 year rotation. The initial plantings in 1992 & 1993 were established with contracts to supply the woodchip to the Kimberly Clark Australia pulp mill near Millicent. This provided a guaranteed market. Later plantings are yet to be contracted. Once harvested, the original stumps produce multiple shoots called coppice. This coppice is thinned down to 1 stem per stump at around 18 months of age, allowing for a second crop to grow.
Table 1 provides estimated returns from a Radiata Pine plantation over the whole rotation. Forest productivity on Boolara is estimated to be Site Quality IV, which means an expected average growth rate of 23 cubic metres per hectare per year. Table 2 provides some of the returns already obtained from the forestry enterprise on Boolara.
Table 1. Estimated returns for Site Quality IV forest
Table 2. Examples of the forestry returns obtained from Boolara to date.
Specialty Timber Woodlots
In addition to the large scale plantings of Pine and Blue Gum, several hectares of specialty timber woodlots have been established on Boolara. These include Cypresses, (Cuppressus lusitanica and C. macrocarpa), Spotted Gum (Eucalyptus maculata) and Sydney Blue Gum (E. saligno). These will be intensively managed by thinning and pruning over the next 25 - 30 years with the expectation of producing large diameter logs for high value end uses such as furniture timber.
Boolara map
Legend
