About Us

The Long Paddock is a Queensland Government initiative that has provided climate and pasture information to the rural community since 1995. With over 17,000 visits per month (on average), the site provides access to rainfall and pasture outlooks and decision support tools to support land management decision making and planning for land holders, education, consultants and extension officers.

In Australian bushlore, the national stock route network is informally referred to as the "long paddock" given its geographic extent - "the longest paddock in the world". In times of severe drought, some graziers take to droving to keep their livestock supplied with pasture, moving their livestock long distances along stock routes, sometimes across state boundaries. So "going on the long paddock" is an Australian way of mitigating drought risk, a unique adventure in its own right, and known for meeting with new people along the way. The Long Paddock website is operated by the Science Division of the Queensland Department of Environment, Tourism, Science and Innovation (DETSI) with support from the Queensland Department of Agriculture and Fisheries (DAF) and Queensland Department of Energy and Climate (DEC).

Please use this reference to cite the Long Paddock website:

^{Barkly Highway at Woroona Creek - Split Rock Bridge (east of Camooweal, NW.Qld.)
Credits: G. Stone 28 June 2015}