Young Hill Farms implements subterranean drain network in order to futureproof against waterlogging events

An Esperance grain farmer is implementing a new drainage system to reduce the impact of waterlogging events, an “old technology” he believes will significantly increase his cropping potential.

Matt Hill farms more than 15,000 hectares alongside his brother-in-law Mick Young and their wives Jodi Young and Angela Hill in the Esperance sandplain — an area spanning 150km west and 100km east of the coastal town, characterized by light, sandy soils.

Beef and sheep production is dominant in the region but cropping is starting to increase due to the rising challenges of farming livestock in the current economic environment.

Young Hill Farms had a “lucky” start to the 2025 season, with early rains setting the farmers up for a positive harvest.

“In early April we got very good rains — anywhere between 30 and 50 millimetres across our properties — which was just perfect to start seeding,” Mr Hill said.

“It’s been warm and dry since then, but there’s enough moisture in the soil that our crops are still germinating.

“Half the trick is getting it out of the ground and I think we’ve just about achieved that.”

Esperance experienced more than 60mm of rainfall since Friday, with several more anticipated before the end of the month.

The latest climate outlook from the Bureau of Meterology is forecasting rainfall in the month of June to be below average for parts of south-west Australia, with warmer than average days and nights expected.

“All I can tell you is there’s airseeders going everywhere,” he said.

“The lights at night time are all over the countryside, so I think everybody is working hard to try and get their seed in on some moisture while they can.”

This year, the farmers have put in roughly 6700ha of canola, 6700ha of wheat and 1500ha of barley.

Mr Hill said while nothing new was being done on the farm in terms of cropping, extensive work continued on their subterranean drain network to prevent waterlogging, a common issue in areas characterised by sandy, flat plains.

This technology, costing $1500 to $2000 per hectare, has been implemented on 200 hectares so far over the last two years.

Mr Hill said his determination to pursue sub soil drainage options was born off the back of the last waterlogging event the farm experienced in 2023.

“I’m actually sitting in a paddock now that two years ago was under water for four months,” he said.

“We’ve got a 2500ha block on the sand plain and we probably suffered a 50 per cent loss of canola due to waterlogging.

“It’s a huge dent. Very significant.”

Waterlogging events are expected once in every five years in the area, with a significant waterlogging event — where more than 800mm will fall across the year — expected every 10 years.

Water accumulates in these regions, rising to the surface and drowning, and thus killing, crop.

The drainage involves burying agricultural pipe 700mm below the surface, enabling water to seep away from the flat plains towards an open surface drain which can be utilised elsewhere on the farm.

“The Americans capture a lot of it and use it for irrigation,” Mr Hill said.

“It’s not happening here now, but it might be something that happens in the future.”

Mr Hill said he, alongside several other farmers in the area, were in the “trial-and-error” phase of the new system but believed it would pay off financially in the long-term.

“There’s a bit of a movement in Esperance in the last five years to give this tile drainage a go,” he said.

“It’s quite expensive — that’s probably why it hasn’t taken off previously.

“If it does proves itself as a viable option, and I think it will, then I think that the uptake will be be very rapid.”

Mr Hill said he would continue to drop 50 to 100ha of drain piping per year until he was “comfortable” with the level of risk.

He said if he could effectively stop waterlogging from occurring, or occurring as frequently, then the cropping potential would be “quite large”.