Her family property may resemble the Sahara Desert right now, but when the drought finally does break grazier Felicity McLeod is going to have an ace up her sleeve - a Bachelor of Agriculture degree.
After the McLeods destocked Tor Downs, halfway between Broken Hill and Wentworth, Felicity suddenly found herself with a lot more time on her hands. She had completed two years of her University of New England (UNE) degree on campus but plans to finish had been waylaid first by a Nuffield scholarship and then by the worsening climatic conditions.
"When we finished destocking earlier this year I decided to take advantage and get the degree finished online," says Felicity, who hopes it will help equip her to meet future challenges. "You never know what's ahead and it's good to have a few options. My study has helped me to think outside the box."
Although the region's average annual rainfall is 200 millimetres, it has been below average for the past five years and just 30mm has fallen on Tor Downs this year."You have to be resilient and diverse in the western division," Felicity says. "Drought is not a new thing and it won't be an old thing."
It's this thinking that led Felicity on her Nuffield quest to investigate diversification in the sheep industry, visiting Brazil, the United States, South Africa and New Zealand to research options for adaptation, new markets and enterprises that might provide a hedge in tough times. Last year she also capitalised on her creativity, establishing the jewellery business Fred Mac Designs, and now Felicity sells her signature pieces online and at local shows, rodeos and gymkhanas.
Felicity says the Nuffield experience, supported by Australian Wool Innovation, taught her the value of understanding her strengths, the power of technology and the importance of upskilling. Although she may not be able to apply her UNE lessons until conditions improve, she relished the opportunity earlier this month to attend three residential schools at the Armidale campus and to visit two sites you don't see out west - an apple orchard and tomato farm.
"It was a drive of some 1400 kilometres, but good to meet lecturers face-to-face and spend time with other students, given the remoteness of where I live," Felicity said. "On Tor Downs my time is split between my study, checking waters, helping neighbours with fencing or lamb-marking, and trapping the few goats that remain."
Normally, the McLeod family run Merinos and beef cattle, but they have been harvesting goats opportunistically for the past 30 years.
“Whatever way you go, any diversified activity needs to complement your existing business, your interests and the skills you already have, otherwise it can be more trouble than it’s worth," Felicity says.
Go to www.facebook.com/FredMacDesigns to see Felicity's handiwork.
