Gillamii Newsletter

September 2025 || Issue 14

Gillamii Spring Field Day 2025

Sunshine and plenty of paddock banter—Gillamii’s 2025 Spring Field Day on Friday 29 August 2025 was a hit!

We toured four fantastic farms, diving into everything from saltland pastures at the Standish Farm to drainage solutions at the Preston Farm, a hands-on look at egg and pork production (plus some impressive revegetation) at the Ford Farm, and finished strong with faba bean trials and nitrogen probes at the Hilder Farm.

A delicious dinner, great company, and an amazing sundowner at Frankland River Country Club topped off the day. Huge thanks to our host farmers and everyone who came along—it’s days like this that show the strength of our farming community.

A Reforestation Project

Funded by: RDA Great Southern Delivered by: The Gillamii Centre

The 2025 reforestation season is wrapping up across the Great Southern, with local catchment groups completing a successful round of revegetation efforts. Funded by Regional Development Australia (RDA) Great Southern and delivered by The Gillamii Centre, this project has supported community-led planting across key areas in the region.

How time flies! It’s September already, and yet it feels like only yesterday that I took on the role of Chairman at Gillamii. In the nearly twelve months, we’ve experienced both farewells and fresh beginnings. We sadly bade Freya farewell, and celebrated Ash as she embarked on maternity leave to welcome her first child into the world.

This transition meant we had to find people capable of filling some very big shoes. I’m proud to say we’ve surpassed even my own expectations, welcoming Catherine and Jenna to our team. Both have settled comfortably into their new roles, thanks in no small part to Hilary’s steadying hand. In stepping up as Acting Executive Officer, Hilary has drawn on her years of experience within the organisation to mentor Catherine and Jenna, while keeping our day-to-day operations running smoothly.

On the committee side, we’ve also been hard at work. With staff and committee members engaging in a series of facilitated discussions led by Caroline Robinson of 150Square to develop our 2026–2030 strategic plan. That process has once again proven invaluable, sharpening our focus on how Gillamii can flourish today and well into the future. Perhaps the most exciting outcome is the formation of a dedicated financial subcommittee charged with generating future funding ideas. As traditional grant funding becomes increasingly competitive, it’s clear that Gillamii must adapt. The formation of our new financial subcommittee is a proactive step toward building a more resilient organisation—one that can continue supporting healthy landscapes, thriving agriculture, and strong communities for years to come.

I look forward to seeing many of you at our October AGM. It promises to be an event not to be missed, as we come together to reflect on the year’s achievements and share what’s ahead for Gillamii.

Warm Regards,

Monty House

What Would You Like to See from Gillamii?

As we continue supporting sustainable land management across the region, we’d love to hear from you! Are there projects, workshops, or community initiatives you’d like to see more of? Whether it’s regenerative agriculture, biodiversity, soil health, or local capacity-building—we want your ideas.

Let us know what matters most to you in your patch of the Great Southern.

This spring, our communities are joining the Bloom Festival 2025 celebrations with a range of local events that highlight our landscapes, creativity, and community. Below are just a few of the events taking place in our region — don’t miss the chance to get out and enjoy the season!

The Supply Chain Capacity Program will assist WA sheep producers and supply chain businesses to adjust to the cessation of live sheep exports by sea and moderate the impact of the change.

The program, administered by Regional Business Development Corporation, aims to ensure the onshore processing supply chain in WA is better positioned to meet the demands of processing sheep following the phase out of live exports by sea.

It will incentivise investment in on-farm and processing infrastructure before the end of the trade to build confidence in the sheep industry and capture future opportunities.  

What can the funding be used for?

In Round 1, $20 million will be available for eligible applicants under one of two streams. Funding is for capital projects, including:

• expanding capacity, efficiency and productivity of onshore sheep processing facilities (e.g., lairage, ramps, wastewater upgrades, improved heavy vehicle access and associated driver facilities)

• increasing cold storage capacity, efficiency and productivity for sheep meat products

• installing technological advancements, such as objective carcase measurement technology in processing plants, software upgrades, and processor training for producers

• increasing sheep feed lotting and on-farm finishing capacity, efficiency and productivity.

Come Visit Us

140 Climie Street (PO Box 90) Cranbrook WA 6321

Wednesday – Friday

9 am – 4.30 pm

Monday - Tuesday by Appointment

Contact Us

Monty House - Chair || P: 448 627 607

Hilary Watterson - Accounts || E: accounts@gillamii.org.au

Jenna Walliser - Project Officer

E: po2@gillamii.org.au || P: 427 500 374

Catherine Johnston - Project Officer

E: po1@gillamii.org.au || P: 427 261 234