Pastures & Agrivoltaics
Improved Pastures & Irrigation
After studying at the Downton Agricultural College in the UK and taking inspiration from his grandfather David who was a renowned botanist; third-generation, Edgar McConnel introduced improved pastures and irrigation at Cressbrook from the early 1900s to maximise soil health and nutrient density of feed for beef and dairy cattle.
Commitment to Soil Health
Varieties of prairie grass hand-sown in the early 1900s, and Haifa clover introduced as part of a CSIRO trial in the 1950s remain active in pastures at Cressbrook today; alongside numerous legumes and grasses including lucerne, Rhodes grass, green panic, couch grass, native vetch, and native Queensland Bluegrass.
A commitment to maintaining soil and pasture health for 185 years has enabled the McConnel family to have a grass-fed carrying capacity approximately 4-times the district average.
Agrivoltaics
The McConnel family were early adopters of large-scale solar systems for the purposes of exporting power to the main grid and are currently the only known farmers in Australia with dual-axis solar trackers designed to co-exist with cattle grazing.
In 2010, fifth-generation farmer & custodian, the late Christopher McConnel, privately installed over 100kW of solar designed with multi-purpose land use in mind in circumstances where mixed farming remains the best environmental & economical use of prime agricultural land.
The McConnel family also utilize solar bores, whilst their home - which is the oldest residence in Queensland - maintains battery storage capabilities enabling it to operate off the main grid.