Garden of Eden Reborn

Gilbert Dalle-Nogare owns a dairy farm, ‘Eden Park’, 12km north of Shepparton. Years of prolonged drought had taken its toll on Gilbert, ravaging his ‘oasis’ and forcing his sharefarmer, Andrew Younger, to reduce his dairy herd – that is until this year when good rains fell and a new pipeline was installed on his property.

“Water supply here had always been a battle. Because our open channel system was almost level within the main drain we always had trouble getting enough flow to our higher ground. Now with the new underground pipe system - which I share with my neighbour – we no longer face this issue.

With water this land is magic. Because we can now get the right amount of water we want onto the pasture (8-10 megalitres per day), I can control my own feed for the cows, irrigate pasture and watch it grow. Ten days later the cows are eating it - it’s fantastic. That was just not possible under the old system.”

Gilbert’s aim to bring his dairy farm back to its productive best is part of the $1 billion Stage 1 NVIRP modernization program being undertaken in northern Victoria.

“We are 100% happy with the Total Eden designed system, the design and the installation - they are very easy to get along with and nothing was too hard for them. I highly recommend them as contractors.”