Verterra Projects
Discover our on-ground expertise in project design and delivery.
From Waste to Water: Making Leachate Work for the Land
In regions of Australia where rainfall is unreliable, treated wastewater (effluent) is increasingly recognised as a valuable resource—particularly for irrigating tree crops and other vegetation. However, to safely and effectively reuse effluent for irrigation, its quality must be carefully monitored and managed. This case study demonstrates how Verterra approached successfully undertook risk assessment and development of a management plan that would enable its beneficial reuse for a forest plantation.
Informing Practice Change in Irrigated Landscapes
Northern Australia is considered a high-potential region for expanding irrigated agriculture due to the availability of rainfall and relatively undeveloped land. However, increasing land under irrigation can elevate the risk of sediment, nutrient, and pesticide runoff—particularly into sensitive waterways that feed into the Great Barrier Reef. In this case study, Verterra demonstrates how a thorough understanding of environmental risk is the first step to designing irrigation schemes with minimal off-site impact.
Minimising Soil Risk in Wind Farm Design
As wind energy projects increasingly seek locations that reduce public resistance to visual and noise impacts, forested areas have emerged as preferred sites for development. However, constructing access roads and transmission corridors through these landscapes introduces potential risks to land condition, erosion rates, and future land use, particularly for forestry and agriculture. This case study looks at how these risks can be assessed and managed effectively.
Beneficial Re-use of Biosolids
Verterra is providing an ongoing operational service for managing beneficial reuse of 37,000t/year of biosolids, including transport logistics, crop nutrition, data management and regulatory compliance.
Australia’s First Beneficial Reuse of Coal Seam Gas Water
Verterra designed, undertook feasibility studies, assisted with regulatory approvals, developed a stakeholder engagement plan and project managed delivery of 1,250ha of irrigated native eucalypt forest at Fairview and Springwater near Injune on behalf of Santos.
Major Integrated Project: “Wet Tropics People – Setting the Course for the Reef.”
The project focussed specifically on improving water quality from cane and banana farms in the Tully and Johnstone River Catchments.
Fitzroy River Water Quality Improvement Project
Verterra’s largest project to date, providing a novel solution to water quality improvement that combines grazing improvement with ecosystem service market opportunities such as carbon farming and reef credits administered through 3rd parties.
Yandina Creek Wetlands - Monitoring and Revegation
Engaged by Unitywater to monitor vegetation and water quality, remove tidal gates, undertake tidal monitoring, UAV footage and BioCondition monitoring for the Yandina Creek Wetlands for a three-year period.
Grosvenor Subsidence Impact Assessment
Verterra has specific expertise and prior experience in detailed spatial and quantitative impact assessment and analysis of the effect of subsidence. This project, carried out for Anglo American’s Grosvenor Coal Mine, assessed the impact of subsidence on native vegetation.
Lower Burdekin Groundwater Mitigation Strategy
Verterra delivered a well informed and practical guideline that will provide irrigators guidance on how new irrigation developments can achieve net zero impact on the groundwater table and support sustainable growth in the Lower Burdekin Area.
Cape York Timbers Harvest Resource Assessment
CYT engaged Verterra to prepare a Harvest Plan for Running Creek, a property owned by the Lama Lama Land Trust.
Lama Lama Land Trust Forest Management Evaluation
Yintjingga Aboriginal Corporation (Lama Lama Land Trust) completed the first stage of a timber harvesting contract with Cape York Timbers in 2016. Verterra undertook a desktop review followed by a field inspection and evaluation of harvesting undertaken in 2016/17.
Reef Water Quality in Agriculture Developments
Objectives of this project include delivery of a South Yaamba Reef Water Quality Precinct Plan to provide support to the South Yaamba area and to selected landholders in the broader Fitzroy Food Bowl who are progressing irrigation developments on their land to achieve reef water quality outcomes (reduce sediment, pesticide, and nutrient export).
Landholder Engagement Agribusiness
As part of the Rookwood Weir water release tendering process, Verterra worked closely with 10 landholders to prepare Agriculture Development plans and Business plans to assist landholders evaluate their development options and enable them to bid for new water allocations.
Mt Wickham Gully Rehabilitation
Innovative Design and operational delivery over two phases of alluvial gully rehabilitation at th Mt Wickham property, 38km WNW of Collinsville aimed at erosion control, and water quality improvements from significant reduction of fine sediment loss to regional waterways that directly impact the Great Barrier Reef Lagoon with ecosystem stresses, including to inshore reef and seagrass beds.
Major Integrated Project: “Landholders Driving Change”
This project actively engaged graziers and landowners in the Bowen, Bogie, and Broken River Catchments to contribute to design land condition, pasture cover and productivity solutions to stem erosion and subsequent sediment run-off into local waterways.
Burnett-Mary Horticulture 1-on-1 Delivering Tailored Solutions
Verterra engaged with 60 horticultural growers (macadamia, avocado, sweet potato) in the Burnett-Mary Horticultural region, providing growers with detailed farm mapping (EM), soil analysis and agronomic advice designed to promote best outcomes in nutrient management and soil health for increased farm productivity.
Agricultural Water Demand for the North Queensland Region and Potential Impacts due to Climate Change
Sunwater and Qld Department of Natural Resources are faced with numerous proposals for irrigation development. Variation in the basis for economic, agronomic and yield assumptions between regions renders meaningful comparison of relative crop competitiveness in each region impossible.
Rookwood Weir Crop Suitability and Water Demand
Synergies Economic Consulting was engaged by Sunwater to provide advice on the economics of crop options for the proposed new irrigation development at Rookwood Weir. Verterra was requested to support Synergies by providing agronomic advice on crop suitability for the range of soils within thin Rookwood Weir irrigation zone, the range in expected crop productivities, and projected crop water demand.
North and North-West Queensland Cotton Production Area Suitability Evaluation
For over 20 years various cotton growing trials have been undertaken in the Far North and North West of Queensland. Multiple proponents have contemplated the development of a cotton gin to increase the production efficiency of cotton cropping in the region.