Supporting communities in northern Western Australia and Northern Territory
Helping landholders strengthen their resilience to climate challenges — from drought to rising temperatures, through practical innovation and proven know-how.
Northern Hub
The Northern Hub is helping build resilience to a challenging and changing climate in pastoral and agricultural industries.
We assist land managers to continually improve their knowledge, skills and confidence to make informed decisions.
“Old themes including managing stocking rates, capturing rainfall effectively, and planning for risk mitigation.
“New” themes include monetising natural capita, integrating forage and beef production, and identifying sustainable farming systems.
When people are empowered, land systems are optimised for production and preservation…
Latest News
Yarning with peers – knowledge exchange among First Nations Forestry Corporations
Exchange visits were arranged between two indigenous-owned forestry enterprises; Tiwi Plantations Corporation (TPC) and Gumatj Corporation.
The two corporations have different histories, business models and regional contexts, but they share a commitment to managing their forests for preserving culture, their environment and simultaneously achieving economic outcomes.
In the 15+ year history of the corporations, none of the directors had ever visited the other corporation.
Elders told stories of links between Yolngu and Tiwi people and identified deep-rooted kinship ties that could be strengthened through forestry.
The project aimed to strengthen business capability, explore diversification, and build partnerships between the two corporations.
Spinifex Pastures… prominent in the north but lacking research until now
Despite their widespread presence on pastoral leases across northern Australia, Spinifex pastures are rarely featured in workshops or publications.
To help address this, a collaborative project was undertaken to bring together relevant mapping data, existing publications and resources, and knowledge held by experienced land managers and stakeholders in the Gascoyne, Pilbara, Kimberley regions as well as into the NT.
How? A series of face-to-face interviews were conducted to obtain knowledge from land managers and researchers in these regions.
Led by the Kimberley Pilbara Cattlemen's Association and jointly funded by the Northern Hub, through funding from the Australian Government’s Future Drought Fund, and the Department of Primary Industries and Regional Development, this project has commissioned two reports to capture current knowledge and highlight knowledge gaps around spinifex pastures.
The final two Reports are now available:
Insights into Spinifex (Triodia species) pastures and their Management
Fletcher M (2024) Information and knowledge about spinifex pastures captured through interviews with experienced stakeholders.
Spinifex Pastures – Characteristics and Management. Alchin B (2025).
A summary of publications and resources for land managers, pastoralists, extension officers, and researchers.
Access both reports here
Meet Mat Fletcher and hear why he studies Spinifex and other pastures! watch here!
Building Resilience through Financial Know-How!
Business EDGE Workshops
Last year Pastoralists across the region came together in Katherine, Pt Hedland and Broome for the MLA Business EDGE workshops.
Delivered by Bush AgriBusiness, the workshops are renown for being hands-on for pastoralists, focusing on strengthening their financial and business management skills.
Thanks to a collaborative effort between NTCA, KPCA, and the Northern Hub (supported by the Federal Drought Fund), the workshops were delivered at a heavily reduced rate. Bush AgriBusiness.
Over two days, participants gained practical tools to assess whole business performance, understand financial data, manage risk, and plan for long-term profitability—helping them build stronger, more resilient operations in an ever-changing environment.
By examining real-world scenarios and applying financial frameworks, participants gained clarity on how to evaluate their businesses holistically—beyond just production metrics.
After the two days, participants had a renewed perspective on their operations, building with the knowledge and confidence to navigate an increasingly complex agricultural landscape for sustainable growth and business resilience.
What the attendees said…
There is great value in stepping away from day-to-day operations to focus on the bigger picture, to gain confidence in our numbers and get clarity around what drives profitability.
For pastoralists in the Alice Springs region, a workshop is coming your way on the
28 - 29th April.
For more information, contact Jessie
bdo@ntca.org.au
‘Early Insights into More Resilient Communities’ Workshops
Do you live in a regional town or remotely in the NT?
We’d love your input at our upcoming workshops!
By participating, you can:
Explore resilience data for your region - and talk about how it can be improved
Share the signs you notice when your community resilience is growing or declining
Help identify the information needed to better support the communities and groups you live and work with.
Darwin - 2 March
Katherine - 3 March
Tennant Ck - 5 March
Alice Springs - 6 March
For more information, times & to register
email:regionalwellbeing@canberra.edu.au
Our Priority Pillars
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The Northern Hub prioritises the inclusion and empowerment of First Nations communities, ensuring their knowledge systems and contributions are central to resilience strategies.
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Building human capacity is integral to driving transformational change in northern agricultural systems.
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Promoting sustainable land management practices is critical to maintaining productivity and biodiversity.
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Advancing the capacity to participate in nature-based markets through policy evaluation and stakeholder engagement.
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Supporting proactive management of climate variability, risks, and biosecurity challenges.
Our partners
Upcoming events.
Stay updated on events that empower our region through drought resilience, biodiversity conservation, and climate action. From community-led workshops to expert panels and networking opportunities, our events foster collaboration and sustainable solutions for a stronger future.
