[Publication date: 10 April 2025]
Garth Cusick and I are working to implement my biological land and soil care methods in golf courses, which are notoriously high synthetic chemical input places. Our project was recently featured in the Pakenham Gazette (April 9, 2025), highlighting our innovative approach to sustainable golf course management.
Our Chemical-Free Approach
We have shown that the process of removing synthetic chemicals and replacing greens management with biological products such as fish, kelp and molasses, has improved the quality of the greens already. They are greener, more spongy and require less water than the conventionally managed greens.
Over the past 18 months, Garth and I have been working on a 300 square metre test site at a Melbourne Water-owned golf club in Bangholme. The results have been remarkable, with the test green transforming from the worst condition to its current thriving state.
Beyond Agriculture: A Wider Application
This method of soil management shows that improving and caring for soil biota can work to improve not only agricultural land, but land anywhere in cities and country.
As quoted in the Pakenham Gazette: “We are showing just with our first green, there is a difference in the response of the green to biology. Reducing costs of managing the golf courses is an advantage, making the environment more healthy and recycling water through wetlands, waterways, all add to the circular economy.”
The Soil and Turf Society
The article announces the launch of our business, ‘The Soil and Turf Society.’ We’ve already secured our first job in Merimbula and have interest from Adelaide, Canberra, and other locations.
A Sustainable Future
We want players and visitors to understand that the future of our existence requires that we start to reduce synthetic chemicals in our environment and to move to a more sustainable land management in the light of future water shortages and increased cost of synthetic chemistry. Care for the soil is the answer every time. Less cost. Better for the environment.
Our long-term vision extends beyond golf courses to benefit the wider community through:
- Producing excess compost for community use
- Creating learning spaces for sustainable practices
- Demonstrating better food and health practices
As Garth stated in the article, “We’ve solved tomorrow’s problem today. It’s up to others to choose whether to continue the traditional route or change.”
[Read the full article in the Pakenham Gazette, April 9, 2025 edition]
Dr Mary Cole is the founder of Agpath, a biological farming research and education centre based in Garfield, Victoria, and the 2025 AgriFutures Rural Women’s Award winner for Victoria.