TALKING WATER WITH ROXIE
Pioneer Water Tanks caught up Roxie over a beer at the ‘Pioneer Pub’! Learn about how Roxie Holzwart from Avago Station, along with her husband, Keith, are managing water for a sustainable and profitable beef enterprise.
Over the wet season the Holzwart’s received around 45 inches, which is a bit over their average. Roxie is excited about the future. With a big smile and an open heart, there’s a lot of good stuff to talk about over a beer with Rox!
MOST IMPORTANT QUESTION FIRST, CHOICE OF REFRESHMENT?
“Keith and I like Great Northern and a nice red with a great home grown beef dinner.”
WHERE DOES YOUR WATER COME FROM?
“Water on Avago is sourced from bores and dams; about fifty fifty. Our drinking water is captured by a rain water tank at our homestead which is our reliable source of drinking water throughout the dry.”
HOW ARE YOU MANAGING WATER FOR LIVESTOCK?
“Easy access to clean drinking water for livestock is essential. All of our watering points are man made, comprising of both dams and bores. If tanks are getting low on water we use pumps to top them up from the bore water.”
WHAT HAVE BEEN YOUR BIGGEST CHALLENGES WITH WATER?
“When we first arrived there was no reliable water source. In 1987 we spent a lot of money drilling for water, which in those days, you had about a one in three chance of hitting it.
Through developing networks with government and becoming involved in various research studies, we were able to present underground basalt maps.
This helped enormously in increasing our odds when drilling for water. The property is now fully equipped with a reliable water system. We certainly don’t take water for granted, never have, never will! It’s central to our business.”
HOW ESSENTIAL IS CLEAN WATER TO YOUR FAMILY?
“Water is everything! Without water for your country you have no grass, no cattle and no life out here. Our kids, staff and people need fresh water to work everyday and our cattle to survive everyday. Water access and proper water management is a high priority at Avago.”
