After decades of dramatic decline, the number of dairy farms in Queensland has stabilized and the dairy industry is beginning to rebuild.
Advocacy group EastAUSmilk said 15 to 20 new farms have entered the Queensland industry since 2021.
Chief executive Eric Dange estimated that the state’s milk production had increased by up to 30% over the same period to more than 282 million liters.
“Dairy farms have expanded significantly over the past five years, with some even doubling and even tripling their production,” Danzi said.
Eric Dunge is pleased to see Queensland’s dairy industry growing. (ABC Rural: Jennifer Nichols)
Farmers have worked with processors and the State Government to develop a new Queensland Dairy Industry Plan to support growth over the next six years.
It aims to develop climate and natural disaster programs, identify expanded feed options, improve pasture productivity and management, introduce automation and new technologies, and strengthen support for industry entry and exit.
“You never know what’s going to happen in front of you, so being prepared and getting help is critical,” said EastAUSmilk President Tim Vail.
New South Wales dairy farmer Tim Bale has been elected president of EastAusMilk in 2026. (ABC Rural: Jennifer Nichols)
When Australia’s dairy industry was deregulated in July 2000, there were 1,580 dairy farms in Queensland. There are now 220 head of cattle, with over 66,000 head of cattle.
The industry was in crisis in 2016 when Lisa and Jason Rosinski took part in a march through Brisbane’s CBD to protest the major supermarkets’ war on lowering the price of milk per liter.
Angus, Lisa, Peyton and Jason Rosinski are passionate about the dairy industry. (ABC Rural: Jennifer Nichols)
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Today, the Mary Valley family is one of the industry’s success stories, proudly supplying Maleny Dairy with milk from around 600 dairy cows, primarily Brown Swiss breeds.
The Rozysnki family is proud of the quality of their Brown Swiss dairy cows. (Provided by: Jason Rosinski)
“Last year, Jason went to a meeting with some people in Switzerland, and they told us that Brown Switzerland is probably one of the top five largest farms in the world,” Lisa Rosinski said.
“It was kind of shocking, like, ‘Wow,’ that we have something like that on a small rural farm in the middle of Imbil.”
The Rosinski family has two dairy farms in Mary Valley. (Provided by: Jason Rosinski)
This year, the Rozinskis are celebrating 80 years in business on their home farm below Borumba Dam, having weathered industry turmoil, repeated floods and droughts.
Son Angus, 14, has expressed an interest in working on the farm, and daughter Peyton, 16, is a top student at Gympie State High School and aims to become a large animal veterinarian.
“My favorite thing about growing up on a dairy farm is that you learn a lot of ethics and skills that last a lifetime.”
Peyton Rosinski said.
Lisa Rosinski is proud of her daughter Peyton, who plans to become a large animal veterinarian. (ABC Rural: Jennifer Nichols)
The daughter and her mother agreed that consumers do not understand the labor involved in producing milk.
“I only take time off from the farm about once a year,” Rozinski said.
”I think Jason and I said we actually took two weeks off long before we had kids.”
A new plan has been launched for the Queensland Dairy Industry to grow the industry. (ABC Rural: Jennifer Nichols)
Her work begins at 3 a.m. and can end long after dark, caring for calves and children, milking cows as needed, and doing bookkeeping.
Queensland Primary Industries Minister Tony Perrett said it was important to give industry confidence to borrow and invest.
Tony Perrett says extension work and research is essential. (ABC Rural: Jennifer Nichols)
“I would like to see milk production expand in this province, and in doing so the department will play its part, especially in research, development and extension,” Perrette said.
A modern approach to farming
The Gere family is being held up as a model for modern dairy farming in Cedar Pocket, near Gympie, where a new dairy scheme was launched on Friday.
Barb Geer’s father-in-law, Ivan, started the farm in the 1970s, and two of their four children now work on the farm, with a third considering returning.
Barbie Gear introduces the farm to guests including Tony Perrett. (ABC Rural: Jennifer Nichols)
When you see Gere driving confidently around her property, you’d never guess that a young cow backed her up a few weeks ago, when she was still recovering from several broken ribs.
Difficulties are real on the ground, with three to four hours of warning when Cedar Pocket Dam floods.
The Gear family is continually adding to its holdings. (ABC Rural: Jennifer Nichols)
“The weather is changing and half of our property is flooded,” Geer said.
“In 2022, we lost 20 lives to floods.”
Barbagea underwent a major cleanup in 2022 after flooding killed cattle and destroyed fences. (ABC Rural: Jennifer Nichols)
Despite the obstacles, they continue to expand and milk 470 cows, mostly Holstein-Friesians.
With a focus on implementing international genetics to improve herd health, investment in earmarking technology will allow us to detect when cows are ready to mate.
All of the Geer family’s cows have high-tech identification tags in their ears. (ABC Rural: Jennifer Nichols)
Pressing the computer screen from the milking pit automatically rotates the gate and drafts the milker into the pen.
“It’s your love for cows that draws you to it.”
Mr. Gear said.
“When they see that little calf being raised, they know you.
“They’re all basically my children.”