Slow the Flow Field Day - Healthy Soils, Healthy Catchments: The Power of the Soil Sponge Effect

Date: Wednesday 23rd September, 2026

Time: 9am to 1pm

Where: Banyula Farm, Booyong, NSW

The Byron Shire Agriculture Team will be joined by SoilCare for this FREE hands-on field day exploring soil health, landscape hydration, flood mitigation, and catchment resilience. Learn and explore soil health indicators by moving through various in-field soil monitoring stations. There will also be an opportunity to delve into the fascinating world of soil biology through a practical demo of a soil biology microscopy scan.

Field stations and activities will include:

SoilCare & the Northern Rivers Soil Health Card Station – practical tools for assessing and monitoring soil health on farm.
Hear from Slow the Flow participants about using the Soilmentor App to track soil health indicators and monitor changes across their farms and landscapes.
Environmental Analysis Laboratory, Southern Cross University – understanding soil and leaf analysis and testing options.
Practical soil microscopy – a hands-on demonstration of a soil biology microscopy scan with John Bond of Living Earth Biology.
Reading the landscape and using weeds as biological indicators of soil fertility and soil structure with Josh Wellman and the Banyula team.
Landscape rehydration & ‘Slow the Flow’ actions – including contour works and other approaches to slowing, spreading and retaining water in the landscape.

Discover how healthier soils can help slow, store and filter water across the landscape. This field day will highlight the achievements of land managers participating in the Slow the Flow project, demonstrating how improving soil health and enhancing the soil sponge effect can increase water-holding capacity, reduce flood impacts, build drought resilience, and improve water quality in our catchments.

This 2-year project has been funded through the NSW Government Northern Rivers Water Shed Initiative.

Please bring appropriate attire and closed shoes for field activities, sun protection, and water bottle.

A light morning tea and lunch will be provided.

Bookings are essential.

For more details of this event or any of our programs, contact Agriculture Extension Officer Mark Duncan at mduncan@byron.nsw.gov.au.

Contact the host of "Slow the Flow" Soil Health Field Day