Responding to Climate Challenges in the Northern Downs, Queensland

Abstract

The Northern Downs region in Queensland consists of open and undulating grasslands, and is characterised by a hot and dry climate, with a distinct wet season but high variability in inter-annual (year to year) rainfall. Long term projections for this region indicate that beef producers will be impacted by higher average temperatures in all seasons, increased atmospheric CO2, and an increase in the frequency and intensity of extreme events such as heatwaves and cyclones (Moise et al. 2015). Changes to rainfall are unclear, but inter-year variation will remain high. The MLA-funded Nexus project aims to explore interactions between profitability, productivity, and sustainability of livestock businesses in a future climate, with this paper focusing on the identification of potential adaptation options.