Douglas Daly: Our Community

The Douglas Daly region is part of the Northern Territory’s tropical savannah, about two hours’ drive south of Darwin. Its good soils and heavy annual rainfall make it ideal for grazing export cattle.

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The region comprises about 20 farms and the Government’s Douglas Daly Research Farm. It supports about 95 people, and generates over $27 million a year for the Northern Territory, mostly from export cattle, but also from mixed farming crops such as peanuts, sorghum, cavalcade hay, a turf farm and melons.

The region is also home to some progressive young farming families, who have been experimenting with conservation farming and working with the Northern Territory Government and scientists on knowledge teams to discuss issues such as weeds management, water extraction and sustainable grazing.

You can read their stories.

The area covers about 100,000 hectares and relies mainly on rain-fed pastures. Bores from the Oolloo aquifer supply water for domestic use, cattle and small-scale irrigation.

For many years, the Douglas Daly Research Farm has been researching improved pastures, cattle fertility, nutrition, composite breeds to suit broader export markets, and more environmentally sustainable farming practices such as cell grazing.

The region is also home to the popular Douglas Daly Tourist Park and the Douglas Hot Springs.