BRS SEMINAR SERIES PRESENTS: Friday 9 June 2006 Sea...
Transcript of BRS SEMINAR SERIES PRESENTS: Friday 9 June 2006 Sea...
BRS SEMINAR SERIES PRESENTS: Friday 9 June 2006
Sea changers, tree changers, lifestylers and downshifters in rural Australia: implications for policy
Howard Conkey, DAFF Product Integrity & Heather Aslin, BRS
The character of parts of rural Australia is changing rapidly as increasing numbers of rural lifestyle landholders purchase rural land in and around the major cities. The
traditional distinctions between rural and urban Australia need to be re-considered as urban values, and access to city services and city-based jobs, become a dominant
influence over much of the more densely settled parts of rural Australia. Rural lifestyle landholders form part of the groups now popularly described as ‘sea changers’ or
‘tree-changers’, and those who are ‘down-shifting’ from city lifestyles. They are also described as hobby, peri-urban or lifestyle farmers. In comparison with mainstream
commercial farmers, these landholders may be distinctively different in characteristics, values, attitudes and behaviour; may raise new policy issues and
challenges; and may need different communication strategies. Rural policy makers need to understand these kinds of landholders better and apply this understanding in their work. This will often require targeted approaches at the
local and regional levels that tap into local knowledge and use local expertise to help identify issues and design activities to cater for this landholder segment. The seminar
will illustrate these points by referring to recent work on biosecurity issues.
Sea-changers, tree-changers, lifestylersand downshifters in
rural Australia
Howard Conkey &Heather Aslin
Department of Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry
9 June 2006
Hobby farmers
• 40,000 in WA• 29,000 in Vic - 14 per cent of
farms change ownership each year
• Diverse group – major communication challenge
www.brs.gov.au
Some questions:• Who are these people?• Where do they live?• What do we know about them?• How significant are they?• What are the implications?• Where to from here?
www.brs.gov.au
So who are these people?• Lifestyle farmers• Rural lifestyle landholders• Hobby farmers• Part-time farmers• Small farmers• Peri-urban landholders• ‘Sea changers’ and ‘tree changers’• ‘Downshifters’
www.brs.gov.au
• Sea changers – ‘ … people making a fundamental change to their lifestyles … accompanied by re-location to certain favoured non-metropolitan areas’
• Tree changers – ‘a move from a city environment to a rural location away from the coast … usually to escape stress and other deleterious aspects of city life’
• Downshifters – ‘a voluntary, long-term, lifestyle change that involves accepting significantly less income and consuming less’
‘The trouble with the rat race is, even if you win, you are still a rat.’
www.brs.gov.au
Swan Hill
Mildura
Horsham
Ararat
Warrnambool
E. GippslandOrbost
E. GippslandBalDelatite
South
CampaspeRochester
CampaspeKyabram
MoiraWest Moira
East IndigoWodonga
AlpineEast
Wangaratta
Delati te
Shepparton
BendigoCentral
Goldfields
Wellington
Ballarat
Golden Plains
ColacOtway
Surf CoastBassCoast
South Gippsland
Peri-Metropolitan TurnaroundPopulation TurnaroundOther Regional Cities
Victoria - Regional Typology
HepburnEast
MooraboolBallan
Macedon Ranges
Macedon RangesKyneton
Mi tchel lNorth
Mur rindindiWestMi tchel l
SouthMacedon Ranges
Romsey
Golden PlainsSouth-East
MooraboolBacchus Marsh
Mel ton
HumeSunbury
Wyndham-NthWyndham-Wst
Wyndham-Sth
Mor nington P'sula
Bass CoastPhi ll ip Is.
Murrind indi - East
Yarra Ranges - Pt B
Baw BawPt B West
South GippslandWest
Bass Coast
CardiniaSouth
Cardinia Pakenham
CardiniaNorth
Yarra RangesCentral
Yarra RangesSouth-West
Yarr a RangesNorth
Nillumbik
WhittleseaNorth
Surf CoastWest
Greater Geelong
Greater Geelong
MooraboolWest
MeltonEast
After Burnley & Murphy, 2004
A
East Pilbara
Broome
Derby-West Kimberley
Wyndham-East Kimberley
Kalgoorlie/Boulder
Esperance
Coolgardie
Roebourne
Port Hedland
Manjimup Albany
Irwin
KatanningBusselton
Greenough
Augusta-Margaret River
Capel
Denmark
NarroginHarvey
Peri-Metropolitan TurnaroundPopulation TurnaroundOther Regional Cities
Western Australia - Regional TypologyGingin
Toodyay
York
Beverley
Wander ing
Boddington
Murray
Waroona
Serpenti ne- Jarrahdale
Armadal e
Kalamunda
Mundaring
Swan
ChitteringWanner oo - Nth W est
Wanner oo - Nth East
Wanner oo- South
Kwinana
Roc kingham
Nor tham
GoyderElliston
Ceduna
Whyalla
Port Augusta
Port Pirie
Port Lincoln
Wakefield
Copper Coast
Clare and Gilbert Valleys
Loxton
Berri & Barmera
Renmark & Paringa
Naracoorte
Mount Gambier
Mid Murray
Murray Bridge
AlexandrinaVictor Harbor
Yankalilla
Coober Pedy
South Australia - Regional Typology
Peri-Metropolitan TurnaroundPopulation TurnaroundOther Regional Cities
Barunga West
Copper Coast
Barunga West
Wakefield Clare and Gi lbert Valleys
Goyder
Mid Murray
MallalaLight
Murray Bridge
Alexandrina-Strathalbyn
AlexandrinaCoastalVictor
HarborYankalilla
BarossaPlayford
Adelaide Hi ll sNorth
BarossaAngastonBarossa
Tanunda
Mount BarkerOnkaparingaHil lsOnkaparinga
South Coast
Adelaide HillsAdelaide Hills
Ranges
Peri-metropolitan turnaround
Population turnaround
Other regional cities
NSW coastal turnaround
Gold CoastBroken Hill
Griffith
Wagga Wagga
Albury
Dubbo
Mudgee
Tamworth
Armidale Dumaresq
Orange
Yass
Snowy River
Queanbeyan
Bathurst
Greater Lithgow
Oberon
Wingecarribee
WollongongWollondilly
Blue MountainsHawkesbury
GosfordWyongCessnock
#
NewcastlePort Stephens
# Bega Valley
#
Eurobodalla
#
Shoalhaven
# Great Lakes
# Greater Taree
#
Hastings#
#
Kempsey
#
Nambucca
#
Bellingen
#Coffs
Harbour
#
Pristine Waters - Nymboida#
Pristine WatersUlmarra
# Maclean
#Richmond Valley
#Lismore
#
Tweed
#
Byron
#
Ballina#
Goulburn
Peri-Metropolitan TurnaroundPopulation TurnaroundOther Regional CitiesOther Population TurnaroundNSW Coastal Turnaround SouthNSW Coastal Turnaround North
New South Wales - Regional Typology
Cook
Carpentaria
Mareeba
Cloncurry
Mount Isa
Longreach
Herberton
Cairns
Cardwell
ThuringowaTownsville
Whitsunday
Mackay
SarinaNebo
Livingstone
Fitzroy
Peak Downs
Emerald
Waggamba
#
Calliope
CalliopeMiriam Vale
Kolan
Burnett
IsisHervey
Bay
Woocoo
Tiaro
Kilkivan Cooloola
Noosa
Kingaroy
Dalby
Jondaryan
Pittsworth
WarwickWest
WarwickEast
WarwickNorth
Cambooya
Rosalie
Nanango
Maryborough
Crow's Nest Esk
Kilcoy
Gatton
Boonah
Beaudesert
Pine Rivers
Ipswich
Caboolture
Caloundra
Maroochy
Beaudesert
GoldCoast
Peri-Metropolitan TurnaroundPopulation TurnaroundOther Regional CitiesGold Coast
Queensland - Regional Typology
www.brs.gov.au
What do we know about them?- Commonly own smaller properties- Tend to be better educated than farmers- Likely to be engaged in low capital agriculture - May not spend much time on-property- Likely to be mature age and older
www.brs.gov.au
Small lifestyle farmers in Victoria (after Hollier et al., 2004)Characteristics
Land size – smallConnection to major centres –
moderate to highDisposable income – highOutside labour – moderateOff-farm income – highDistance from regional centre – lowLand management expertise – lowBusiness expertise – highFarming history – lowConnections to industry bodies – low
ValuesValue rural lifestyleStrong land stewardship ethicLow value on agricultural production
Social networksFavour horizontal not vertical
networks
Information and learning preferencesMajor sources – newspapers,
newsletters and neighboursFavour group-based and adult-
learning principles
www.brs.gov.au
• Numbers of landholders and land transactions– Surveys of rural landholders with properties >10 ha in
selected Vic., NSW and Qld catchments find 35 - 58%not farmers
– Estimated 40,000 landholders with properties between 1 ha and 100 ha in WA in 2005
– Of more than 4,000 rural land sales per year in Victoria, more than 56% are <20 ha
www.brs.gov.au
• Impacts on agricultural land and production – At least 25% of total gross value of Australian
agricultural production from areas subject to peri-urban influence
– In Sydney Basin:- ave estimated agricultural land return of
$5,500/ha - compared with NSW ave of $136/ha- total annual agricultural production valued at
approx. $1 billion (2003)
www.brs.gov.au
• Significance of non-agricultural employment and off-farm income in rural areas
– Total rural area employment in non-agricultural occupations:
- Up from 67.7% in 1986 to 76.3% in 1996
– For broad-acre farm families:- Off-farm income averaged around 65% of total family
income 1989-90 to 2002-03
www.brs.gov.au
Case studies – biosecurity issues
City of Swan, WA
City of Greater Bendigo, Vic.
Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Qld
www.brs.gov.au
City of Swan, WA• population approx. 85,000,
projected to increase by 2.8%/yrto 2016
• attracting people from Perth’snorthern and eastern suburbs
• in 2001, 14.3% spoke languageother than English at home
• small farms producing poultry andeggs, fruit and veg, beef, wine,plant nurseries
• local produce markets and somelarger farmers’ markets
www.brs.gov.au
City of Swan - biosecurity issues and rural lifestylers• Low awareness and understanding of
agriculture• Lack of connection to agricultural and NRM
services; lack of experience on land• Poor pasture, stock and land management• Weed and pest management• Plant and animal disease
www.brs.gov.au
City of Greater Bendigo, Vic.• Total population 93,000, growing by approx.
1.5%/year• Largely Australian born, 6% from overseas• In-migration from other areas of Vic.• Sub-division mainly near township fringes• Agriculture includes grazing, dryland
cropping, boutique wineries, orchards, olive groves, and some intensive production
• Small local markets
www.brs.gov.au
City of Greater Bendigo - biosecurity issues and rural lifestylers• Influx of new landholders, mainly urban;
people with less NRM background; newcomers and turnover
• Absentee owners• ‘Grower to grower’ exchanges• Introduction of new weeds and control of
existing ones• New pests• Plant and animal disease
www.brs.gov.au
Sunshine Coast Hinterland, Qld• Includes inland of 2 Local Govt Areas• Total population 220,000 (2003) – 60% within
5 km of coast• Population growing rapidly – ave growth
4%/yr over period 1991-2001• Much sub-division, rising house and land
values• Low ethnic diversity – 3.5% spoke language
other than English at home in 2001• Expanding service and retail sectors• Influence of ‘alternative lifestylers’• Many produce markets
www.brs.gov.au
Sunshine Coast Hinterland - biosecurity issues and rural lifestylers• Many people coming and going – high mobility• Retiree landowners and travel• Agricultural production ‘right slap bang’ up
against peri-urban development• Illegal importation of plant material• Chemical residues, spray drift, illegal plant sprays• Weed and pest control• Plant and animal disease
www.brs.gov.au
Conclusions• Important segment of rural landholder
populations in favoured areas• May be distinctively different from mainstream
commercial farmers• Live in varied contexts, often with high
population mobility and land turnover• Raise new policy issues and challenges• Re biosecurity, issues related to lack of
experience and risk awareness, and location• Few communication and extension activities
specifically directed to this segment
www.brs.gov.au
Acknowledgments
• Howard Conkey and Greg Flaherty, DAFF• Nicki Mazur, formerly of BRS (WA case study)• Case study interviewees and State agency staff• The project’s advisory committee• BRS colleagues, particularly Shannon Kelson and
Jodie Smith for maps, and Ian Byron for landholder data
• BRS Communications, particularly Clare Ryan and Tracey Lutton, for help with the seminar and brief