Leon and Melinder de Groot have always worked the land. For years, Waterford Farm in Gunnedah produced lucerne and pasture hay alongside a pig operation – a balance of livestock and crops. But now the couple has been quietly expanding their focus into something entirely new: helping the mining industry restore and replant the landscapes it leaves behind.
“It just became more and more difficult to run a pig farm,” said Leon.
“Once upon a time there were about 1,800 pig farmers around us, but the market squeezed out small producers. Prices kept dropping and only the bigger operations could produce at the scale needed to make a profit. Now there are just two operations left in the whole of the North West.”
Looking for ways to diversify without losing their connection to the land, Leon and Melinder began expanding Waterford Farm into a native nursery. Already known for chemical-free hay, the farm now produces thousands of native trees – a natural fit for mine rehabilitation and environmental offset projects.
“In mining, there’s planting and rehab, and then there’s taking care of your offset areas,” Leon explained.
“Some of those offset sites are absolutely massive. There’s a real need for the right kind of plants, and for someone to look after them properly.”
That’s where Waterford Farm wants to make its mark. Leon and Melinder have already completed several small rehabilitation projects, installing full watering systems, managing planting programs and monitoring tree growth. But their real niche lies in “babysitting trees”.
“Sometimes the mines have to take delivery of trees when it’s not the right time to plant,” Melinder said.
“They might have to wait three months for rain, or the crew isn’t ready. That’s where we come in – we can hold the plants, water them, and tend to them until they’re ready to go into the ground.”
It’s a simple idea that solves a long-standing challenge for mining companies: timing. With shifting seasons and unpredictable weather, planning around planting windows has become more complicated than ever.
“Twenty or thirty years ago, you could throw those little tube-stock plants in and walk away,” Leon said.
“Now, if you get three months of 40-degree days, they’re gone. You’ve got to start again.”
By growing more advanced trees up to two years old, Waterford Farm is achieving survival rates of up to 90 percent, compared to the 4 to 6 percent typical of mass plantings with small seedlings.
“It costs more upfront,” Leon admitted, “but it saves everyone in the long run.
“You can buy 150,000 seedlings for a buck each, but maybe only 6,000 of them will actually grow, and you might end up replanting two or three times. Or you can spend $50 once on a tree that survives.”
Sustainability runs through every part of the operation. The farm can now hold around 150,000 plants, complete with recycled drainage systems and water reuse ponds.
“We recycle everything, we don’t spray, and even our pastures are native grasses. We just harvest what grows,” Melinder said.
That low-impact approach has found fans among horse owners and local customers alike, many of whom are moving away from traditional lucerne to native pasture hay.
Now, Leon and Melinder hope to bring the same philosophy to larger-scale rehabilitation and offset work – partnering with councils, local land services, and mining companies looking for more sustainable, long-term outcomes.
“There’s a lot of good people trying to do the right thing out there,” Leon said.
“They just need the plants, the time, and someone to care for them properly. That’s what we do. We look after trees all day long – it’s what we love.”
Image caption: Leon and Melinder with their daughters Isabella and Harmony.
