Blackwood Farm | Fact File

Location: In Western Australia’s South West, Karridale is a mixed farming district situated between Margaret River and Augusta. The area receives an average annual rainfall of 900–1200 millimetres and experiences a Mediterranean climate, characterised by cool, wet winters and warm, dry summers. Fertile soils and reliable rainfall support a range of agricultural enterprises, including beef and dairy production, horticulture, and viticulture. Karridale’s productive landscape and strong farming community make it an important contributor to the region’s agricultural sector.

Land Owners: Kristy and Andrew Hathaway

Farm Size: Total of 575 hectares - made up of predominantly lease properties as well as their home black.

Livestock: Approximately 400 heifers/cows with calves as of 2025

Topography: Karridale features gently undulating country with a mix of open farmland, forested areas, and seasonal waterways. Situated on the southern edge of the Leeuwin-Naturaliste Ridge, the area ranges from about 50 to 150 metres above sea level, offering well-drained slopes and fertile valleys ideal for grazing and mixed farming.

Soil Type: Sandy and gravelly loams

Water Sources: The farm has multiple natural springs across the property forming some creeklines.

A Passion for Better Farming

For Kristy and Andrew Hathaway, farming is more than a livelihood; it’s a long-term investment in the health of their land, cattle, and community. After both growing up in farming families, Kristy in sheep and wheat and Andrew in cattle in Queensland, the pair were drawn back to the land by a desire to raise their family in the country and build a sustainable enterprise.

What began with 27 cows has grown into a thriving commercial beef operation spanning 575 hectares across Karridale and Nillup. Their home block of 60 hectares is the heart of their operation, with additional leased properties supporting their expanding herd.

Investing in the Land: Fertiliser Management Program

They joined the Healthy Estuaries WA Fertiliser Management Program soon after purchasing their property and have remained active participants ever since, undertaking tests every three years to monitor changes in soil health and nutrient balance. The program has provided them with valuable insights into the condition of their soils across different paddocks, helping to guide their fertiliser applications and improve pasture productivity.

By using the program’s recommendations, Kristy and Andrew have been able to fine-tune their nutrient management, maintaining healthy, productive soils while keeping fertiliser costs lower than expected. The ongoing monitoring also gives them a clear picture of how their soils are improving over time, reinforcing the benefits of a more targeted and sustainable approach to land management.

Through their ongoing involvement in the Fertiliser Management Program, the Hathaways have also achieved tangible improvements in soil fertility and pasture growth. By following data-driven fertiliser recommendations, they’ve been able to maintain strong productivity while reducing input costs — a key benefit in the current economic climate!

The next step in their soil health journey is to focus more closely on micronutrients and soil biology, exploring how improvements in microbial activity can enhance nutrient availability and overall soil resilience.

Embracing Regenerative Agriculture: Putting RAPP 2025 into Practice

In 2025, Kristy and Andrew joined the Regenerative Agriculture in Practice (RAPP) program to further build on their understanding of sustainable and resilient farming systems. The program encouraged them to take a whole-of-farm view — looking beyond individual paddocks to how every part of their operation connects, from soil health and pasture growth to water movement and animal performance.

The Whole Farm Planning Course, facilitated by David Hardwick from Soil Land Food, was particularly valuable, providing structured time and expert guidance to reassess how their property is managed.

Through their RAPP consulting session with Judi Earl from Agricultural Information and Monitoring Services, Kristy and Andrew are also working toward refining their rotational grazing program. While implementing new grazing systems across multiple properties presents logistical and financial challenges, they’re approaching the transition thoughtfully and incrementally. Their goal is to strike the right balance between animal performance, pasture recovery, and long-term land health.

Taking inspiration from the planning aspect of regenerative grazing principles introduced by Judi Earl, the Hathaways began using AgriWebb to map their properties, record management actions, and track progress toward long-term goals. This digital planning tool has helped them visualise stocking rates, monitor pasture recovery, and pre-plan seasonal workloads, allowing for more strategic decision-making and efficient day-to-day management.

One clear example of their regenerative mindset in action is a lease block that was once heavily infested with Guildford grass. Instead of relying on short-term control methods, they took a long-term approach. Removing the weed, sowing oats, and allowing the crop to self-seed to establish a natural seed bank. This practice not only reduced the weed burden but also improved soil cover and organic matter, setting the foundation for a more diverse and resilient pasture system in the years ahead.

Participation in RAPP also connected Kristy and Andrew with other like-minded farmers in the region, allowing them to share experiences, ideas, and challenges. The peer-to-peer learning and expert support have reinforced their commitment to farming in a way that balances productivity with ecological health, a philosophy that underpins every decision they make on their growing enterprise.

Challenges and Learnings

Adopting new practices and grazing philosophies has brought both opportunities and challenges for Kristy and Andrew. While they are fully committed to integrating regenerative approaches across their operation, they are realistic about the time, effort, and investment required to make lasting change.

One of their biggest challenges has been timing and practicality. With calving taking place soon after summer and leading straight into seeding, it can be difficult to implement the ideal rotational grazing systems recommended through the RAPP program. These overlapping workloads often limit the flexibility needed to move cattle as frequently as the model suggests. “We know what we want to be doing, but sometimes there are practical and financial restrictions that make us think a bit more before we go ahead,” Kristy reflects.

The scale and spread of their operation - managing properties from Karridale to Nillup - adds another layer of complexity. Coordinating livestock management, monitoring pasture growth, and ensuring consistent soil health across multiple lease blocks requires significant planning and organisation. Access to infrastructure such as fencing and water points can also influence how quickly they can adopt new grazing rotations.

Despite these challenges, the Hathaways approach change with optimism. They view each challenge as a learning opportunity and take a gradual, adaptive approach; trialling new ideas on smaller areas before scaling them up across their business. Their involvement in programs like RAPP and the Fertiliser Management Program has reinforced the importance of data-driven decision making, helping them identify what works best for their unique conditions.

For Kristy and Andrew, continuous improvement is as much about mindset as it is about management. They value the chance to learn from local experts, other producers, and their own results over time.

This philosophy underpins their entire approach to farming: embracing progress at a pace that’s practical, sustainable, and suited to their landscape and business goals.

Looking Ahead through a Regen Lens

The Hathaways are committed to continuing their journey of improving pasture diversity and productivity across both their home and lease blocks. “We’d love to know what would be good to grow,” Kristy explains, “and to keep learning about animal nutrition so we can maintain the health of both our cattle and our pastures.” Their curiosity and willingness to experiment reflect a long-term vision: one that balances productive farming with sustainable land management.

A key part of this strategy is ongoing soil testing. By regularly monitoring soil health, the Hathaways can make more informed decisions about fertiliser, pasture species, and grazing management. “The soil testing program has really helped us understand what our land needs and how to give it the best chance to thrive,” Kristy says. This insight allows them to target interventions where they’re most needed, improving both pasture growth and nutrient cycling for healthier, more productive paddocks.

Reflecting on their experience in the RAPP program, Kristy sums it up simply:

Goals for the Future

Over the past decade, the Hathaways have steadily built a strong and resilient beef enterprise. They currently manage 250 breeding cows, with plans to expand to around 400 breeders by 2026 across their home and lease properties. This growth is being carefully planned to ensure that their pasture systems, infrastructure, and management practices can support the increased herd size sustainably.

A key part of their long-term productivity strategy has been investing in herd genetics. By incorporating artificial insemination (AI) and select bulls into their breeding program, Kristy and Andrew have been able to select for traits that improve calving ease, growth rates, and overall herd performance.

In the coming years, the Hathaways aim to build on their solid foundation - expanding their herd, improving soil and pasture diversity, and continuing to learn through local programs and networks. Their focus remains clear: to run a productive, profitable, and environmentally responsible farm that will sustain both their family and their land for generations to come.

For the Hathaways, the connections they made through the RAPP Program, combined with practical tools like soil testing, have opened doors to new ideas, sparked collaboration, and reinforced that the journey of learning never truly ends. Their story is one of optimism, curiosity, and a dedication to both their land and their livestock — a fantastic example for other landholders looking to innovate and grow sustainably.

The Hathaways’ journey so far is a great example of the power of curiosity, practical experimentation, and connection in achieving sustainable land management.

By embracing regenerative practices, engaging in soil testing, and learning through programs like RAPP, they are building a system that supports both productive pastures and healthy livestock.

Their story highlights that meaningful change is possible for landholders of any size when knowledge, planning, and a willingness to adapt come together. As they look to the future, the Hathaways believe that continuous learning, innovation, and sharing their insights can help them and others take confident steps toward resilient and regenerative farming.

This case study was produced by the Lower Blackwood Land Conservation District Committee.

This case study forms a part of the Regenerative Agriculture in Practice Program 2025, which is supported through the Shire of Augusta Margaret River's Environmental Management Fund.

This case study also forms a part of the Fertiliser Management Program, which is a part of Healthy Estuaries WA – a State Government program that aims to improve the health of our South West estuaries. You can find out more about the Healthy Estuaries WA Fertiliser Management Program here.