Demonstrating and trialling innovative technology for effluent management for nutrient use efficiency and reduced greenhouse gas emissions
University of Western Australia & Agriculture Victoria
Overview
The UWA component is demonstrating innovative dairy effluent management technologies that recover nutrients, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and improve nutrient use efficiency in high-rainfall dairy systems. Working with dairy producers, government agencies, and community groups across south-west Western Australia, the project evaluates on-farm resource recovery technologies that convert manure and effluent into valuable fertilisers and soil amendments, supporting climate-resilient and circular farming systems.
Agriculture Victoria is evaluating manure treatment technologies that reduce greenhouse gas and ammonia emissions while recovering clean water, carbon, and plant nutrients for reuse within dairy farming systems. The work complements the Western Australian demonstrations by supporting nationally relevant approaches to sustainable effluent management and resource recovery. This activity on the whole contribute to project outcome 1 and 2.
Key Activities
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Established an on-farm demonstration at Rosa Glen, Western Australia, to evaluate Australia's first application of the VacuSep mobile solid separator for dairy effluent resource recovery.
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Demonstrated how liquid–solid separation can produce clarified irrigation water while recovering nutrient-rich solids for use as organic soil amendments to improve pasture productivity and address soil constraints such as clay pans.
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Partnered with dairy farms across the Augusta–Margaret River region to compare manure and effluent management systems under different dairy production models.
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Evaluated multiple effluent separation technologies to improve nutrient recovery, reduce nutrient losses, and support sustainable pasture production.
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Conducted pot trials showing that recovered digestate solids significantly increased pasture growth, plant nutrient uptake, and beneficial soil microbial activity, demonstrating their potential as organic fertilisers for sandy soils.
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Designed future leaching and field experiments to assess nutrient-use efficiency, nutrient movement, and fertiliser performance across contrasting soil types.
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Developed integrated soil improvement demonstration trials combining deep ripping, clay incorporation, liming, and organic amendments to overcome multiple soil constraints in high-rainfall dairy systems.
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Selected four champion dairy farms across major south-west catchments to support long-term demonstration, monitoring, and farmer-led adoption.
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Delivered field walks, technology demonstrations, and stakeholder workshops with farmers, industry organisations, DWER, DPIRD, Western Dairy, Dairy Australia, and regional catchment groups to promote practical adoption of innovative nutrient recovery technologies.
Contact for queries
Dr Sasha Jenkins
Dr Sharon Aaron
Sharon.Aarons@agriculture.vic.gov.au
Activity gallery
