Award Alumni

2022 Bob Hawke Landcare Award WINNER

BRUCE MAYNARD | NSW

Mr Maynard is the inventor of the No Kill Cropping System, a unique, revolutionary technique that relies on the retention of full grassland functions and consumption of almost no external inputs. He also initiated the Constructive Farming Cooperative- a group of farmers and researchers committed to extending the application of regenerative agricultural techniques, developed the Stress Free Stockmanship competencies, and pioneered a new field of animal behavioural science called Self Herding alongside Dr Dean Revell.

Mr Maynard’s sustainable methods came about in an attempt to remove the choice between productive farming and conserving plants and native wildlife by showing farmers that both can be achieved together. Putting his theories in to practice on his own property, Willydah, Mr Maynard and his family have planted over 200,000 trees and tens of thousands of saltbushes to regenerate the farm.

Not only is Willydah regularly visited by farmers and representatives of industries to learn his farming systems, but for decades Mr Maynard’s fantastic work has seen him travel across Australia, speaking at events and conducting seminars and workshops to teach farmers keen to adopt his systems. His extensive experience and passion for sustainable agriculture and landcare has also led him to share his knowledge and skills with farmers and landcarers across Australia and form the Constructive Farming Cooperative, a group of farmers and researchers committed to extending the application of regenerative agricultural techniques.

“The biggest challenge facing Australian farmers today is to integrate sustainable environmental practices with a practical, profitable production system. No Kill Cropping is a game changer for sustainable farming because it lets farmers change easily and quickly between a grazing enterprise and cropping enterprise in the one paddock,” says Mr Maynard.

“I really believe that farmers have the opportunity to work together to address some of the greatest pressures facing us globally such as climate change and species decline. I hope that my work will inspire others to begin their own sustainable farming journey and contribute to a greener future for Australian farming.”

2020 Bob Hawke Landcare Award WINNER

ANDREW STEWART | VIC

In 1991, Victorian farmer Andrew Stewart developed a whole farm plan to regenerate Yan Yan Gurt West Farm- a 230-hectare regenerative grazing and agroforestry property. Over 30 years he and his family established 50,000 trees and shrubs, forming a network of wildlife corridors meandering across the farming landscape providing soil, pasture and livestock protection, nutrient cycling, waterway protection, and improved mental well-being for people who live, work and visit the farm.

Passionate about supporting sustainable agriculture as a way to benefit future generations and address the climate emergency, after winning the 2020 Bob Hawke Landcare Award, Andrew has broadened his advocacy for landcare and agroforestry including educating future generations of landcarers through webinars and tours for schools, universities and other tertiary institutions.

2018 Bob Hawke Landcare Award WINNER

CHARLIE ARNOTT | NSW

A trailblazing biodynamic farmer and grazier, NSW farmer Charlie Arnott practices regenerative farming, organic, biodynamic and holistic grazing principles on his 5000-acre mixed farming property. Having been an active landcarer since the inception of the Landcare movement in 1989, Charlie has won several agricultural industry awards for leadership, resource management and conservation through his commitment to using a landcare approach to farming.

Following winning the 2019 Bob Hawke Landcare Award, Charlie launched his highly successful podcast “The Regenerative Journey”, discussing innovation in agriculture with likeminded guests and sharing knowledge of regenerative farming techniques with both a national and international audience.

2016 Bob Hawke Landcare Award WINNER

STEPHEN BURGESS | QLD

Queensland conservationist and farmer Steve Burgess has operated Wurraglen Nature Refuge in Dagun, Queensland for over 20 years, with the property now combining sustainable small-scale market farming with wildlife conservation. A long-time member of Gympie and District Landcare and the Mary River Catchment Coordinating Committee, Steve is a former agricultural scientist and high school teacher.  As a scientist he helped develop the “NPDecide” program which was widely adopted throughout the WA Wheatbelt.  In its time, the program was a step forward in increasing the efficiency of fertiliser use, reducing leaching losses, and introducing the explicit management of soil organic nitrogen into broadscale fertilizer decisions. As a teacher he took every opportunity to host activities for students which gave them hands-on contact with the local landscape, soils, waterways and wildlife.

After his win of the 2016 Bob Hawke Landcare Award, Steve has continued his conservation and educational work in and around the Mary Valley. He used the proceeds from the award to fund a local research and extension project aimed at small growers called ‘Feeding Hungry Soils’, encouraging the use of cover crops, green manures and reduced tillage techniques without the use of herbicides.

2014 Bob Hawke Landcare Award WINNER

COLIN SEIS | NSW

NSW farmer Colin Seis works a 2000-acre property running around 4000 merino sheep, a merino and kelpie stud, and grows around 500 acres of crops annually. He is known as the pioneer of ‘pasture cropping’, a technique of sowing cereal crops directly into perennial pastures, without killing the pasture. It contributes to the development of topsoil, water management, stabilising soil erosion, controlling weeds, increasing pasture plant numbers and diversity as well as providing great potential for restoring grasslands, increasing soil carbon levels, improving soil health and growing nutrient dense, healthy food.

In the years following his win of the 2016 Bob Hawke Landcare Award, Colin has focused on knowledge sharing with national and international agriculture experts, raising awareness of the ecological benefits of pasture cropping and advocating for farming sustainability.

2012 Bob Hawke Landcare Award WINNER

LYNNE STRONG | NSW

Inaugural Bob Hawke Landcare Award winner, Lynne Strong, has had extensive involvement and success in sustainable agriculture through her award winning dairy enterprise, Clover Hill Dairies, where she produces six times the industry average of litres of milk per hectare. She has significantly contributed to the local community through involvement in organisations such as Landcare Illawarra, Dairy Youth Australia and the Australian Land Management Group. She has also worked closely with the University of Sydney to conduct experimental work on her family’s Lemon Grove Research Farm which has attracted visitors from all over the world. She has been the recipient of several awards including the 2010 National Landcare Primary Producer of the Year and has proactively encouraged youth involvement in Landcare through the Art4Agriculture Young Farming Champions program.