The Best Free Farming Resources in Australia

One of the great advantages of farming in Australia today is the sheer volume of high-quality, freely available information that’s accessible online. Whether you’re new to farming or looking to sharpen your knowledge in a specific area, the resources below are some of the most practical and reliable we’ve come across. We’ve organised them by topic to make them as useful as possible.

Livestock and Animal Health

For livestock health management, the Boss suite of websites is an excellent starting point. Wormboss, Paraboss, Liceboss, Flyboss, and Tickbosseach provide detailed, practical guidance on managing some of the most common and costly livestock health challenges Australian farmers face. These are particularly useful resources for sheep and cattle producers.

Soil

Understanding your soil is fundamental to farming success. Useful resources include:

• What is Soil – a solid introduction to soil fundamentals
• Soil Guide: A Handbook for Understanding and Managing Agricultural Soils by Geoff Allan Moore – a highly regarded practical reference
• Soil Quality Knowledge Base – a detailed resource on soil health and management

Water

Managing farm water effectively is critical to productivity. Recommended resources include:

• Water Quality for Farm Water Supplies – a practical guide to assessing and managing farm water quality
• How Much Water Is In My Dam? – a useful reference for understanding on-farm water storage capacity

Pasture

General Pasture:

• Eight Steps to Successful Perennial Pasture Establishment
• Getting the Best From Your Legume Pastures

Saltland Pasture:

• Chapters 1, 4, and 6 of Saltland Pastures in Australia: A Practical Guide by Edward Barrett-Lennard – a highly practical resource for farmers dealing with salt-affected land

Starting Out in Farming

• Your neighbours – the single best source of local, practical farming knowledge will always be other farmers in your area. Most are generous with their time and experience.
• Farm Style – a helpful online community for small and hobby farmers to learn all aspects of farming from those with hands-on experience
• FarmCo Blog Articles – our own categorised library of tips and advice for Australian farmers, covering a wide range of topics

Cropping

General:

• GRDC Grow Notes – detailed, region-specific growing guides from the Grains Research and Development Commission
• GRDC Crop Sowing Guides – available for most Australian states
• Quality Hay and How to Get It – practical guidance for hay production

Fertiliser:

• Choosing the Right Fertiliser for Your Crops – a practical guide to fertiliser selection and application

Fencing

Electric Fencing:

• FarmCo’s Beginner’s Guide to Electric Fencing
• Gallagher’s Electric Fencing 101 Guide
• Nemtek’s Animal Management and Control Electric Fencing Products catalogue – includes a useful Getting Started with Electric Fencing section

General Fencing:

• FarmCo’s Fencing for Beginners
• Building Your Fence: 6 Simple Steps to Building Your Waratah Fence

We hope this list helps you find the information you need quickly and easily. And if there’s anything else we can help you with, our friendly Australian team is always happy to help, give us a call on 1300 327 626.